John Mallin was born Johann Malinkowitsch on April 14th, 1883 in the town of Bischofwart in what was then Lower Austria, and is now the Czech Republic. His parents both came from families of vintners, but Johann was apprenticed to a series of master trainers in the painter’s trade from April 1, 1898 until April 1, 1902. Until 1906, he continued to live and work near his home as a painter’s assistant with a number of employers, some of whom were his former master instructors. His work ledger indicates a high level of satisfaction with his performance and demeanor. He was often let go “because of lack of available work.” In search of a more secure future, he shortened his name to Mallin and came to the United States in 1907.

He settled in Chicago and eventually opened a studio in the Fine Arts Building at 410 South Michigan Boulevard. He specialized in church decoration and ecclesiastical painting as well as art glass and mosaics. He stated his philosophy in one of his commercial brochures as follows:

“As there is nothing too good for God, so there is nothing too rich or too precious for God’s earthly homes, His churches… “

Mr. Cuneo, who had purchased his Libertyville home in 1937, decided to transform the mansion’s sun parlor into a private, consecrated chapel. He hired John Mallin to paint the Stations of the Cross on the vaulted ceiling and to design stained glass windows for the walls. This beautiful chapel was completed and consecrated in 1941. Cuneo’s association with Mallin lasted many years, as the artist was commissioned to paint murals on the ceilings of the Ballroom and the formal Dining Room. Mallin also painted the Cuneo’s apartment at 1500 Lake Shore Drive, and Mr. Cuneo hired him to decorate some of the buildings at Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary. The Dining Room at the mansion was the last work Mallin did for the Cuneo family and he was assisted by his son. Mallin died in 1973.

The Mallin murals cover the ceilings of four rooms in the Cuneo Mansion. The Chapel has the Stations of the Cross and other Biblical scenes, as well as two full walls of stained glass panels. The Ballroom features the nine muses in the lunettes and tumbling cherub musicians on the ceiling. The formal Dining Room has cherub heralds in the corners with blue sky, clouds and birds covering the ceiling. The Breakfast Room is decorated with garden scenes from famous Italian villas and a carousel in the plaza of an Italian village

John Mallin’s murals in the Ballroom and the Breakfast Room have been cleaned and the damaged areas have been repaired by the Cuneo Foundation over the last two years. For those who visit the room regularly, the transformation of the colors was dramatic. Please take the time to enjoy these newly restored treasures on your next visit to the museum.