The Ashe County Frescoes of Benjamin F. Long IV

This book documents the history of four ecclesiastical frescoes completed by artist Benjamin F. Long IV in Ashe County, North Carolina, in the 1970s and 1980s. The story of the Ashe County frescoes celebrates their setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains and testifies to Long’s intensity, precision and stamina.

Commissioned by the Ashe County Frescoes Foundation, the authors contextualize the artistic and the spiritual aspects of the frescoes by connecting the figures in the scenes with their sources in the Bible. Drawn from extensive interviews with the artist, this book explores the frescoes’ uniqueness. Interviews with people used as models, assistants, volunteers and observers focus on the frescoes’ impact on the community, and the role of the Ashe County Frescoes Foundation in the protection and preservation of these artworks.