Jirayr Zorthian ( 1911-2004 )

The Shipwreck, suggested by the burning of the Murro Castle, was painted by Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian, an Armenian who worked his way through Yale's School of Fine Arts doing carpentry and posing for art classes.

Jirayr used to be a wrestler.He attended anatomy classes at Yale's medical school, dissected a cadaver to study muscles for figures in this picture. Since graduating in 1936, Jirayr has been continuously employed painting murals.

From
LIFE - 12 Feb 1940