The art and Architecture of the William Brennan Courthouse

The Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development (HCOCHA/TD), in honor of the centennial of the murals of the Hudson County Justice William Brennan Courthouse, listed on the National and New Jersey Registers of Historic Places, will present a panel of art historians and art history scholars who will discuss the Jersey City landmark building’s magnificent architecture and decorative art.

The building, which opened to the public on September 20, 1910, was almost lost to the community when it was closed and slated for demolition in the 1960s to make way for a parking lot. In 1985, after nearly twenty years of stabilization and preservation, it was re-opened, largely due to the efforts of outraged local citizens. Panel discussions will include the power of civic activism; the unique qualities of the building’s beaux-arts architecture; and the outstanding museum quality murals, by five of the most influential American artists and illustrators of the early 20th century, which adorn the building’s interior.

A jewel in the crown of the cityscape in Jersey City, the Hudson County Justice William Brennan Courthouse rivals all others of its kind throughout the nation as one of the finest public buildings of its era.

“We have invited scholars and historians of beaux-arts architecture and early 20th century mural painting to share their knowledge with our residents. It is our hope that these panels will inspire the public to treasure and preserve, not just this magnificent building, but other buildings owned by the public that serve as living examples of cultural history and memory of place," said Ms. Lippman, Program Development Specialist for HCOCHA/TD.  Unlike New York City’s Pennsylvania Station, also built in 1910 but demolished in 1966, the Hudson County Justice William Brennan Court House has continued to serve the residents of Hudson County as a working civil court house.

The panels, which are free and open to the public, are being held as part of the ongoing celebration of the building. The February 8th panel, which will address all aspects of the murals, consists of Cynthia Sanford, Ph.D American Art, CUNY who in 1985 curated an exhibition for the Jersey City Museum Heroesi n the Fight for Beauty about the artists of the Court House; Anne E. Samuel, Ph.D. Art History, University of Delaware, whose dissertation focused on Edwin Blashfield; and Gina D’Angelo, Ph.D. American Art CUNY, whose talk will focus on Francis Millet, the supervisor of decoration for the Court house.

The panel also includes Mina Weiner,  museum consultant/curator and editor of Edwin Howland Blashfield, Master American Muralist published by the Institute as part of its "Classical America Series in Art and Architecture." Her book presents new scholarship highlighting Blashfield’s contributions to the beauty of civic spaces and his lasting influence on public art in America. The book will be available for purchase.

Light refreshments will be served starting at 5:30 p.m.  R.S.V.P. to Meredith Lippman at [email protected].  For further information e-mail Meredith Lippman or call (201) 459-2070.

This program has been funded by a grant from the Department of State/New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC);  Thomas A. DeGise, Hudson County Executive; the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development (COCHAH HCOCHA/TD)