Jacob Elshin (1892 – 1976) was born in Russia in 1892, and moved to Seattle in 1923. When the federal government launched the Public Works of Art Project in 1933 to assist unemployed artists, Elshin was among the first to sign up. Over the course of his career, Elshin became well known for his paintings in oil and watercolor. His large-scale murals were prominently displayed in many local public buildings. One of this region’s most successful muralists, his mural work can be seen at West Seattle High School (of which this painting is a detail), the Highland branch of the Renton Public Library, and, on request, at the University Post Office, where his mural of great historical leaders in education features a portrait of Cezanne and a small Cezanne-esque still life.