Minerva Teichert & The Manti Temple Murals
She was given one year to complete the murals . . . she was done in 27 days.
In April 1947, a small grandmother with white hair settled into a motel in Manti, Utah. Despite being fifty-nine years old, Minerva Teichert possessed the energy to rival any of the many farmers in Sanpete County; she could likely outwork many of them. After all, she was the wife of a rancher and dedicated countless hours to tending to the garden, flocks, dairy, and her family's needs. However, for the next month, Minerva Teichert’s focus would shift entirely to a task that even she found daunting—creating expansive murals for the world room of the Manti Temple. Guided by prayer and aided by only one assistant, she adorned four walls, each towering far above her, with scenes that were not only uniquely conceived but also deeply spiritual in their essence. She was given one year to complete the task . . . she was done in 27 days.
Murals of the Manti Temple - Story of Minerva Teichert and the Manti Temple.
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The Manti Temple stands as perhaps the most impeccably conserved illustration of Utah pioneer architecture. Since its dedication in 1888, the same year Minerva Teichert was born, it has stood situated in the rustic expanse of Sanpete Valley. The Manti Temple has endured nearly 140 years with very minimal intervention from contemporary renovations.
Enclosed below is the fundamental layout of the temple, as detailed in Thomas Carter's work titled "Building Zion." This layout faithfully reflects the Manti Temple's original construction. The arrangement remains largely unaltered, with the exception that the designation "Unknown Use" on the second floor is now recognized as sealing rooms (and presumably was originally intended as such), while the passageway on the main floor has been repurposed into locker rooms. Minerva Teichert art of the murals is on the second floor in the World Room.
Considering her deep commitment to both Temple worship and matters of spirituality, it’s no surprise that Minerva Teichert perceived the creation of a mural for a Latter-day Saint temple as both an artistic and religious pinnacle. While she experienced disappointment for not being chosen to paint a mural for the forthcoming Swiss or Los Angeles Temples, opportunities arose when the Church made the decision to revitalize sections of the Manti Temple.
The plaster walls within the garden and world rooms of the Manti Temple had deteriorated to such an extent that the commendable endeavors to preserve those original murals by Danquart Weggeland and C. C. A. Christensen proved unsuccessful. Consequently, the rooms underwent a process of re-plastering, with top-tier sail canvas being affixed to the walls. The refurbishment of the world room was finalized in August 1946. Notably, Robert L. Shepherd of Salt Lake City had completed the garden room murals the year prior, but the walls of the world room still remained unadorned. Feeling the urgency, Minerva started right away. She was given a year to complete the murals, but completed them in 27 days.
Removal of Minerva Teichert’s Murals
In March of 2021, the First Presidency announced extensive renovations planned for the Manti Temple. One significant change involved discontinuing the practice of live endowment sessions. This decision was motivated by the intention to enhance the accessibility of temple sessions by offering them in various languages and at different times throughout the day. Initially, live endowment sessions were only available in English at both the Manti & Salt Lake temples.
To facilitate these modifications, the temple interiors were set to undergo a reconfiguration. This transformation entailed the removal of historical artworks within the temples, including the historic murals painted Minerva Teichert. Several plans were presented on how this could be done. Shortly after the initial announcement, the church released an updated statement concerning the Manti Temple's renovation. The updated statement indicated a commitment to collaborating with art preservation experts to determine the most suitable approach for removing and preserving the Teichert murals, which are affixed to plaster as canvas artworks. The goal was to ensure these murals could be preserved for public viewing.
On May 1, Russell M. Nelson declared a reconsideration of the plans. While the decision to transition to film-based endowment sessions still stood, it was clarified that diligent efforts would be made to safeguard the temple's interior, including its valuable artistic pieces.