Shadow of a Church (Restoration)

In 1870, St. James Episcopal Church filled the corner at 23rd and Walnut Streets in Philadelphia. It was part of a church complex that also included a Guild House at 2210 Sansom Street. The presence of a church was the catalyst for construction of many of the elaborate townhouses still present on the 100 Block of South 22nd Street. By 1911 a tower had been added to the church, but in 1946 the entire structure was demolished. Houses from that period at 2203 Walnut Street and 132 South 22nd Street have also been demolished.

In 1995, Sunoco commissioned mural artist Michael Webb and Susan Maxman Architects (Chris Filshill, Jeffrey Hayes, Susan Maxman) to design and execute murals on the end walls of the two row houses adjoining the property. The trompe l’oeil depiction of late 19th and early 20th century industrial buildings and row houses is typical of the surrounding neighborhood. The reflections and shadows of the church give the murals a connection to the rich heritage of this site.

In a highly inventive use of trompe l’oeil, Webb created detailed facades of a typical row house and an industrial building on the sides of actual buildings that now stand on the site. Webb created this mural without the help of a grid, using instead the lines of brickwork and windows in the design itself as his guide. The bricks throughout were created by sponging on the red and then spraying on the lines using a stencil made of semi-rigid plastic.

Shadow of a Church was restored by the Mural Arts Program in 2011.

Location Note: Murals are located at 2205 Walnut St. and 130 S 22nd St.