William E.L. Bunn (America, 1910-2009), Dubuque III, 1934, oil on composition board, Dubuque Art Association purchase, 1987.02.11
William E.L. Bunn was born in Muscatine, Iowa. He studied under Grant Wood at the University of Iowa. In March 1934, a call went out through President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal program for mural submissions for the new federal post office in downtown Dubuque. This painting is Bunn’s winning submission. Four Mississippi steamboats were named “Dubuque.” The third “Dubuque” was built in 1867 but destroyed by fire in 1876. Bunn’s mural is one of two that can be seen today in the 6th Street entrance of the post office, just across Washington Park from the museum.

Dubuque III is the latest featured work on the museum’s Conservation Corner page. We are raising money for it to be conserved by a professional paintings conservator. See our website for more info and to contribute to the fund: https://dbqart.org/conservation-corner/