Landscape, Hugo Ballin

Early in his career, Hugo Ballin became well known for his idealized scenes of mythical figures and stories. After completing his studies at the Art Students League of New York, he was commissioned to create 26 murals for the newly built Wisconsin State Capital. In 1917, he began working as an art director for Goldwyn pictures in New Jersey, and in 1921, at the request of movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn, he moved to Los Angeles, where he began directing, writing, and producing silent films for his own production company. When Hollywood started making talking pictures, he returned to his first career as an artist. He quickly became a top muralist in Los Angeles.