New home for Watrous mural

Workers with Methods & Materials Inc. of Chicago installed a 1951 mural by artist and former UW–Madison professor James Watrous into the Chazen Museum of Art’s Elvehjem Building on Feb. 26. The 18-foot long, 500-pound mural, “Printing is the Inseparable Companion of Achievement,” was donated to the museum by the Frautschi family. It previously was at the Webcrafters on Fordem Avenue in Madison, originally the Democrat Printing Co. plant.

A truck pulls up to the Chazen with a mural on it.

A truck pulls up with the mural in its trailer. It was removed from the Webcrafters building at 2211 Fordem Road and driven across town. Photo by: Jeff Miller

Photo: A large mural wrapped in plastic outside a museum.

The 500-pound mural was wrapped carefully for the move into the Elvehjem building of the Chazen Museum. Photo by: Jeff Miller

Workers manipulate the mural into position. Photo by: Jeff Miller

The 18-foot long mural entered the building via a removable window at the north entrance. Photo by: Jeff Miller

The mural, still wrapped, is lifted into position.

The Frautschi family donated the mural and pledged a monetary gift to contribute to the conservation of the work. Photo by: Jeff Miller

Workers from Methods & Materials Inc. of Chicago position the mural on the wall. Photo by: Jeff Miller

Workers on a scissors lift measure the mural.

Workers check to see that the mural is evenly placed. Photo by: Jeff Miller

Cleats and a scissors lift were used to put the mural in position. Photo by: Jeff Miller

Someone records the installation on a phone.

"Printing is the Inseparable Companion of Achievement" was designed and painted by Wisconsin artist James Watrous, who was a UW-Madison professor. Photo by: Jeff Miller

Workers pull plastic bits off the frame of the mural.

The last of the protective wrapping is removed. Photo by: Jeff Miller

Two people use their phones to record the installation process.

Visitors watch the installation at the Elvehjem building of the Chazen Museum. Photo by: Jeff Miller

The mural is divided into six sections representing printing, music, folklore, religion, geography and biology. Photo by: Jeff Miller

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