In November 2025, the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis became the setting for a compelling convergence of art, architecture, and living history. Architect, author, and historian John C. Guenther presented a book talk and visual lecture celebrating his newly released Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis: An Illustrated Timeline. Held in person and streamed live on Instagram, the event invited audiences nationwide to explore one of the most ambitious mosaic projects in the world.
The Cathedral Basilica is home to more than 83,000 square feet of mosaic decoration, the largest installation of its kind at the time in the United States. Among its most celebrated works are mosaics designed by Hildreth Meière, one of America’s foremost muralists. Her contributions span domes, pendentives, arches throughout the Basilica. Guenther’s richly illustrated presentation traced the Cathedral’s 352-year history, culminating in the completion of its mosaic program and situating Meière’s work within that broader architectural and artistic vision.
Coinciding with the book launch, HEC-TV released a short promotional video filmed inside the Cathedral Basilica, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at Meière’s mosaics in situ. The segment features close-up views of the glass tesserae, insight into Meière’s design process, and interviews that reveal the deeply human stories embedded in the work.
Among those interviewed was Hildreth Meière’s grandson, Ted Dunn, who, alongside his sister Hilly Dunn, appears as a child figure depicted within the Cathedral’s mosaics. Their presence serves as a powerful reminder that these monumental works are also personal and intergenerational.
Ted Dunn, Hildreth Meière’s grandson as boy on crutches in the south pendentive
Ted and Hilly Dunn, Hildreth Meière’s grandchildren as the two children on the left holding book in the south pendentive
Hilly Dunn, Ted Dunn, Nicholas Frei and John C. Guenther at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
Ted Dunn being interviewed by HEC-TV at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
Photo Credits: All Photos Copyright 2025 © International Hildreth Meière Association Inc.
The HEC-TV video also highlighted the essential role of the artisans who brought Meière’s designs to life. Nicholas Frei, a fifth-generation descendant of Emil Frei, one of the founders of the Ravenna Mosaic Company, spoke about the company’s long history translating artists’ visions into enduring works of glass and tesserae.
Ravenna Mosaic Company not only executed Meière’s designs at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, but also collaborated with her on some of her most iconic projects in New York City, including the the narrative ceiling at 32 Avenue of the Americas, and mosaics at Temple Emanu-El.
This continuity of craftsmanship creates a powerful throughline between sacred and commercial spaces, and between St. Louis and New York. As public excitement continues to build around the reopening of the “Red Room” at One Wall Street, now newly accessible through Printemps New York, the Cathedral Basilica offers a complementary lens through which to experience Meière’s work. In both settings, her designs rely on the same mastery of color, geometry, and light, and on close collaboration with mosaicists capable of translating drawings into millions of precisely placed tesserae.
Together, the book and the HEC-TV video underscore why Hildreth Meière’s work continues to resonate today. Whether encountered beneath the soaring domes of a cathedral or within the shimmering walls of a landmarked Art Deco interior, her mosaics demonstrate how vision, collaboration, and continuity across generations shape enduring public art.
The International Hildreth Meière Association (IHMA) is grateful to John C. Guenther, HEC-TV, and all who joined us in person and online for helping bring renewed attention to Meière’s extraordinary legacy, and for illuminating the connections between place, people, and craft that define her work.
About the International Hildreth Meière Association
Founded in 2004, the International Hildreth Meière Association (IHMA) inspires, educates, and preserves the legacy and works of artist Hildreth Meière. As the primary source for information on Meière’s life and art, IHMA has created exhibitions, publications, documentaries, tours, and lectures for the general public, educators, and the stewards of Hildreth’s commissions.
Explore more: hildrethmeiere.org
Follow along on Instagram: @hildrethmeiere
Join us on Facebook: International Hildreth Meière Association
Connect on LinkedIn: International Hildreth Meière Association
Press/collaboration inquiries: info@hildrethmeiere.org