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Menu Art From One of Jo Mora's Iconic Murals
The Fable Murals, created in 1936 by the esteemed artist Jo Mora for San Francisco’s Drake-Wiltshire Hotel, embody a distinct fusion of whimsy and detail, bringing to life an enchanting narrative that captivates observers as they traverse the hallway outside Jo’s Café.
Executed in Mora's unique style, which blends elements of Western Americana with playful fantasy, the murals unfold like an enchanting visual storybook along the hotel's walls. Their imagery is derived from various classic fables, presenting a world where animals take on human roles and express poignant messages of wisdom.
The composition of each panel is thoughtfully orchestrated, with Mora's meticulous line work weaving intricate details into the visual narratives. Each scene is populated with anthropomorphic characters, engaging in actions that reflect the moral lessons of the fables they represent. From a cunning fox in refined attire to a tortoise resolutely striding in a footrace, Mora's creatures brim with personality and nuance.
The Fable Murals transcended their role as mere décor, becoming an integral part of the hotel's identity. Their captivating charm extends to Jo's Café, enhancing the ambience and inviting guests to partake in the visual feast before they enjoy their culinary one.
Further increasing their impact, Mora's imaginative illustrations were transformed into cover art for the menu of "The Fable" restaurant in the hotel. This decision not only created a visual continuity throughout the establishment but also encapsulated the magical dining experience that awaited patrons inside.
Joseph Jacinto "Jo" Mora, born 22 October 1876 in Uruguay, died 10 October 1947 in Monterey California. Mora came to the United States as a child, he studied art in New York, then worked for Boston newspapers as a cartoonist. He was a man of many other talents, artist-historian, sculptor, painter, photographer, illustrator, muralist and author. In 1903, Mora came to California, then in 1904 he moved to Keams Canyon in northeast Arizona, living with the Hopi and Navajo Indians. He learned their languages and photographed and painted an ethnological record, particularly of the Kachina ceremonial dances. In 1907, he married Grace Needham and they moved to Mountain View, California. He moved to Pebble Beach in 1922 and established a home and large studio there, it being near the Carmel Mission (San Carlos Borroméo De Carmelo Mission) after being commissioned to do the Serra Sarcophagus* for Padre (Father) Ramon Mestres.
During his long and productive career, Mora illustrated a number of books including Animals of Aesop (1900), Dawn and the Dons - The Romance of Monterey (1926), Benito and Loreta Delfin, Children of Alta California (1932), and Fifty Funny Animal Tales (1932). He authored three books, A Log of the Spanish Main (1933), Trail Dust and Saddle Leather (1946) and his posthumous publication, Californios (1949).
His map work included Monterey Peninsula (1927), and Seventeen Mile Drive (1927), California (1927), San Diego (1928), Grand Canyon (1931), Yosemite (1931), Yellowstone (1936), Carmel-By-The-Sea (1942), California (1945) (large and small versions), and Map of Los Angeles (1942).
![(Mississippi Bubble) De inbeelding, heersseres van 't rookverkopers-gild, maald Missisippi hier 't geen vrankryks schat verspild
[Imagination, ruler of the tobacco sellers' guild, grinds here what France's wealth wasted: the Mississippi.]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/96272.jpg)
