,,constantino ,,brumidi ,,michelangelo ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,capitol ,illustration ,,constantino ,,brumidi ,,michelangelo ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,capitol ,by ,,myrtle ,,cheney ,,murdock 444 ,so long has ,brumidi devoted his heart and strength to this ,capitol that his love and reverence for it is not surpassed by even that of ,michelangelo for ,st4 ,peter's4 ,,senator ,,justin ,s4 ,,morrill1 ,,feb4 #bd1 #ahhj ,illustration3 text decoration ,,monumental ,,press1 ,,inc4 ,,washington #aiej ,,printed ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,of ,,america ,,copyright1 #aiej1 ,,by ,,myrtle ,,cheney ,,murdock1 ,,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,,to ,,my ,,son ,,lt4 ,,david ,n4 ,,murdock ,illustration3 text decoration ,musician1 ,athlete1 ,infantryman killed in action at ,palermo1 ,italy ,august #aa1 #aidc ,preface ,it should be made clear by way of an introduction to this appraisal of ,constantino ,brumidi that the author is neither an artist nor an art critic4 ,i am simply the wife of a ,western ,congressman who has been stirred by the patriotism of the ,italian refugee-artist1 ,brumidi2 by his exquisite decorations on the walls and ceilings of our ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states2 by his persistent effort in the face of blinding criticism2 and finally by the lack1 of recognition characterized by his unmarked burial place4 ,i have asked myself these questions many times3 8,how can countless exquisite frescoes and paintings adorn our ,capitol ,building and yet the ,american people have little or no knowledge of their existence80 8,can an artist spend twenty-five years decorating this ,capitol ,building and then remain as unknown as his frescoes80 8,how could a ,government such as ours1 that has rewarded so many for so much1 forget the artist1 ,brumidi1 and let him lie unhonored and unknown for seventy years in an unmarked grave80 ,these questions ,i cannot answer4 ,i can only record for you authenticated ,brumidi facts as they have unfolded themselves to me during the fourteen years ,i have been inspired by the artist's frescoes--all the time waiting for a poet or an artist to tell this story4 ,however1 ,i do know that great service and sacrifice in our ,democracy often are not rewarded until long years have slipped away4 ,i know1 too1 that unjust criticism and ridicule can so befog the patriotic works of a good man that even half a century is often not long enough for those works to emerge with all their significant meaning4 ,i know1 also1 that when the early refugees to our shores negotiated immediately for citizenship it indicated sincere appreciation for ,america4 ,this was true of ,constantino ,brumidi4 ,he landed in ,new ,york on ,september #ah1 #aheb2 he filed his original intention to become a citizen of the ,united ,states on ,november #i1 #aheb2 and he was admitted and sworn on ,november #ab1 #aheg4 ,indeed1 he was so fired with love of liberty that no amount of work and determined effort was too great for him to expend for his adopted country4 ,he worked on the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states throughout the terms of six presidents3 ,franklin ,pierce2 ,james ,buchanan2 ,abraham ,lincoln2 ,andrew ,johnson2 ,ulysses ,s4 ,grant2 and ,rutherford ,b4 ,hayes4 ,he made frescoed ceilings and wall murals in six ,committee ,rooms--five in the ,senate extension and one in the ,house extension4 ,he is responsible for the complete design and execution of the ,president's ,room in the ,senate ,annex1 the ,senate ,reception ,room and a large mural in the ,house of ,representatives itself1 the latter bearing his signature4 ,at the age of sixty he finished the almost unbelievable task of painting in the very top of the ,dome of the ,capitol ,building #d1ffd square feet of concave fresco--huge colorful figures that appear life-size #ahj feet below4 ,brumidi was evidently in sympathy with the words of ,lincoln1 voiced when a critic put this question to our great ,president1 8,do you intend to continue building on the ,capitol ,dome during this war80 ,lincoln replied1 8,if the world sees this ,capitol going on they will know that we intend the ,union shall go on40 ,and even before the ,civil ,war ,brumidi sketched the fifteen scenes of ,american history for a frieze to encircle the ,rotunda1 some #eh feet above the floor4 ,he had prayed to live long enough to paint this frieze1 but when the signal finally came from ,capitol authorities to begin this last cherished fresco he was an old man of seventy-two4 ,brumidi had lost his physical strength but not his will to work toward the completion of his dream4 ,the young wife he had married at the height of his ,american financial success had long since gone with a younger man2 his lonely years and his poverty weighed heavily upon him2 criticism and ridicule had undoubtedly taken their toll but the old artist persistently stayed with that last assignment4 ,even when he slipped on his painting platform1 the day of his almost fatal accident1 and hung by his bare hands #eh feet above the stone floor of the ,rotunda1 until workmen could reach him from the top of the ,dome and from the floor below--even then it must have been sheer will power that closed those old artist hands tight enough to hold his body weight from the floor below4 ,but he never came back to finish his frieze4 ,he died 8at his parlor studio with his work about him10 amid the loneliness and poverty which he feared4 ,he was buried by a few friends and forgotten4 ,that burial place was lost to our ,national ,government for a period of seventy years but the #hast ,congress of the ,united ,states1 without debate1 has voted to erect a monument1 a simple marker1 at the recently found burial site of the ,capitol artist4 ,this ,national recognition1 though belated1 is sincere appreciation for the ,brumidi frescoes in the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states that proclaim for all time the artist's genius1 his love of liberty1 and his reverence for ,america4 ,there is continually being uncovered other evidence of appreciation for the artist ,brumidi--recognition that has lain buried in the hearts and homes of numerous ,american families and churches since the year #ahhj4 ,many ,brumidi canvases outside the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states have been found3 portraits of friends2 working sketches in color for the artist's huge frescoes2 and magnificent murals for church altars4 ,some of these treasures are being offered to the ,government of the ,united ,states with the thought that a collection of ,brumidiana may ultimately be on exhibit at some central spot accessible to the ,american people4 ,what the critics termed 8gaudy colored plaster0 ninety years ago can1 by the miracle of modern printing1 be reproduced for us today with all the original color preserved4 ,could the artist have foreseen the exquisite ,brumidi reproductions in this book the burden of his last lonely years would have been lightened4 ,m4 ,c4 ,m4 ,,acknowledgments ,vital research1 extending over a period of years1 necessarily touches many people4 ,at the culmination of any valued study an author suddenly finds himself indebted to countless individuals4 ,fashioning a mosaic from the life of ,constantino ,brumidi in spite of many missing pieces has been no exception4 ,i find myself humble before my corps of helpers4 ,after a dozen years of assembling the ,brumidi life story it suddenly became urgent that the material should be in printed form4 ,at the same time it also became apparent that publishing a ,brumidi volume featuring the artist's ,capital frescoes in color might never be realized1 due to the initial cost of such a book4 ,at a crucial moment1 two ,foundations1 who wish to remain anonymous1 became interested in the ,capitol artist and were anxious to help the project4 ,their timely grants influenced beyond measure the final decision that such a publication could be attempted4 ,i acknowledge this valued assistance with deepest gratitude4 ,years before this publication was conceived ,i began collecting reproductions of the ,brumidi ,capitol frescoes4 ,the book itself makes use of this collection together with many color reproductions by the same nationally known photographer1 ,theodor ,horydczak4 ,the ,brumidi frontispiece by ,brady was made by ,mary ,evans of the ,l4 ,c4 ,handy ,studios4 ,also before there was any thought of a publication the ,architect of the ,capitol1 the ,hon4 ,david ,lynn1 made available to me the ,brumidi files for study4 ,the interest and courtesy of ,mr4 ,lynn and his assistants always spurred my efforts4 ,the ,sergeant at ,arms of the ,senate1 the ,hon4 ,joseph ,c4 ,duke1 and the ,sergeant at ,arms of the ,house1 the ,hon4 ,joseph ,h4 ,callahan1 have at all times shown their concern for the ,brumidi project by making available to the author the services of their offices4 ,i have needed and greatly valued the sincere interest of the ,capitol ,guides and their leader1 ,harry ,nash1 who has been a ,brumidi enthusiast during his thirty-five years' work as a guide in the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states4 ,the ,congressional services of the ,library of ,congress have shown great enthusiasm for the ,brumidi research by tracing willingly every suggested clue and in addition often have launched forth on what seemed completely hidden trails and emerged with valuable materials4 ,i am remembering at the moment the late ,george ,h4 ,milne of the ,congressional ,reading ,room whose appreciative feeling for ,brumidi and his art helped to bolster my early enthusiasm4 ,the ,national ,archives is another such human service in our governmental set-up4 ,it was personal appreciation for ,brumidi on the part of a group of employees of the ,national ,archives that led to the finding of so many public documents vital to this study4 ,i wish to acknowledge especially the services of the ,national ,gallery of ,art and the ,national ,collection of ,fine ,arts4 ,these two galleries have had a continuing interest in the unfolding ,brumidi story4 ,the officials of the ,national ,gallery of ,art not only have been willing consultants concerning the materials for an art book but have commissioned their fresco expert to climb to the top of the ,capitol ,dome to examine minutely the #d1ffd square feet of ,brumidi painting4 ,when the expert pronounced the ,canopy 8real fresco10 the ,national ,gallery sincerely shared my own joy at this verification4 ,a special debt of gratitude goes to the ,director of the ,national ,collection of ,fine ,arts1 ,thomas ,m4 ,beggs1 for his splendid introduction to this ,brumidi memorial volume4 ,because of ,brumidi's twenty-five years' service within the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states1 the nation's ,public ,printer1 the ,hon4 ,john ,j4 ,deviny1 of the ,government ,printing ,office1 delegated ,frank ,h4 ,mortimer1 ,director of ,typography and ,design1 to make available to the author consultation and advice upon the many problems connected with the publication of an art book4 ,mr4 ,mortimer and ,mr4 ,warren ,w4 ,ferris of the ,division of ,typography and ,design have carried their help far beyond the limit of duty4 ,their feeling for the subject matter of the book that makes known the forgotten ,capitol artist1 and their desire to show forth his work with the best possible arrangement and design1 are partly responsible for the dignified beauty of this volume4 ,many individuals throughout the ,capital ,city have helped materially by their ,brumidi enthusiasm1 their sincere good wishes and by their active interest in locating ,brumidiana outside the ,capitol ,building4 ,mildred ,thompson1 the great-grandniece of ,mrs4 ,brumidi1 the former ,lola ,germon1 has carried on consistent research of her own into the ,germon family which has verified many dates and other facts concerning the ,capitol artist4 ,james ,h4 ,rowe1 grandnephew of ,lola ,germon ,brumidi1 has performed an outstanding service to the author by making available to her the working sketches for the ,rotunda ,frieze4 ,his desire to make known his treasure by sending the priceless scroll across the continent is deeply appreciated1 although the sketches arrived almost too late to have even one of the fifteen included on the last page of the book's supplement4 ,washington clubs and organizations have displayed their love for the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states by supporting in every possible way the author's over-all plan to make known the forgotten ,capitol artist4 ,native ,washingtonians together with recent arrivals have been eager to visit the ,capitol ,building and to be shown the ,brumidi frescoes4 ,these same ,brumidi friends have also helped to promote the marking of the artist's lonely grave in ,glenwood ,cemetery4 ,members of the ,washington ,press have been especially understanding and helpful4 ,editors1 correspondents and reporters alike have combined to tell the ,american people about this ,capitol artist and his great love for ,american liberty4 ,this sincere spirit of cooperation and feeling for ,brumidi is acknowledged appreciatively4 ,congressman ,murdock has consistently encouraged the ,brumidi research through the years4 ,his continued patient interest has helped immeasurably4 ,to him and to ,martha ,wing go my last measure of gratitude for their persistent combing of the manuscript for minute error4 ,it is a warm and friendly feeling of indebtedness that ,i have toward those who have made appraisals in writing for this volume3 ,mr4 ,beggs adds new appreciation for the ,italian artist2 ,architect ,lynn sees ,brumidi an integral part of the ,capitol ,building2 and ,virgil ,perry pays tribute to the author and to the book in a manner to make us proud4 ,all of this courtesy1 however1 is above and beyond friendship4 ,it is a vital part of the ,memorial to ,constantino ,brumidi4 ,,myrtle ,,cheney ,,murdock ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,october1 #aiej ,table of ,contents ,,constantino ,,brumidi1 ,,italian ,,refugee #a ,,brumidi ,,art ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,capitol #aa ,,color ,,reproductions ,,of ,,brumidi ,,frescoes ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,capitol #dg ,,the ,,artist',s ,,compensation #fe ,,brumidi',s ,,american ,,wife ,,and ,,children #gc ,,brumidiana ,,outside ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,capitol #hc ,illustrations 99 ,indicates real fresco4 ,,senate ,,reception ,,room ,washington-,jefferson-,hamilton #eh 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,,senate ,,appropriations ,,committee ,,room 99,storming of ,stony ,point #fb 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,maidens of the ,navy #ce 99,washington at ,valley ,forge #dc ,,president',s ,,room--,,senate ,,extension ,the ,president's ,room #ag ,the ,cherub of ,justice #bd ,the ,winged ,cherub #be 99,christopher ,columbus1 a portrait #ba ,singing ,cherubs #ai ,alexander ,hamilton1 a portrait #bg 99,religion #bc ,thomas ,jefferson1 a portrait #eg 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 99,benjamin ,franklin1 a portrait #fa 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 99,legislation #fd 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,,senate ,,district ,,of ,,columbia ,,committee ,,rooms 99,telegraph #fc 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 99,three ,graces #da 99,history #cg ,,ground ,,floor ,,corridors--,,senate ,,extension ,bronze staircase1 a ,brumidi design #i ,horatio ,gates1 a profile #fi ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,,chamber ,washington at ,yorktown #ei 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,,committee ,,room 99,spring #ae ,,capitol ,,rotunda 99,landing of the ,pilgrims #dd 99,penn's ,treaty with the ,indians #de ,,capitol ,,dome ,the ,eye of the ,dome #e 99,brumidi's ,frescoed ,canopy in the ,eye of the ,dome #di ,agriculture 7,ceres7 #ej 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,mechanics 7,vulcan7 #ea 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,commerce 7,mercury7 #eb 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,marine 7,neptune7 #ec 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,arts and ,sciences 7,minerva7 #ed 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,war 7,freedom7 #ee 7,,reproduced ,,in ,,color7 ,,miscellaneous ,constantino ,brumidi1 ,brady photograph ,frontispiece ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,c4 ,brumidi1 album photographs #gg ,brumidi's ,grave1 ,glenwood ,cemetery #hg ,lola ,germon's ,album #hi ,altar ,mural1 ,st4 ,aloysius ,church #ig ,the ,capitol ,dome #ii ,working ,sketch for ,dome ,canopy #ie ,working ,sketch for ,three ,graces #gi ,working ,sketch for the ,landing of the ,pilgrims #aaa ,introduction ,enshrined in the domed ,rotunda of the ,united ,states ,capitol1 as in the ,roman ,pantheon from which it is descended1 are the noblest hopes of a mighty ,nation4 ,yet less fearful of incurring the wrath of an unpropitiated power than the ancients who raised a statue in their sacred temple to 8,the ,unknown ,god10 the ,american people have neglected and all but forgotten patriotic mural painting4 ,long overdue also is grateful tribute to its one-time protagonist1 ,constantino ,brumidi4 ,the story of ,brumidi's life in this country and his labors to express allegorically its principles of government and record visually the events and personalities which achieved its establishment should be instructive reading for many and particularly for those concerned with the direction of ,american painting4 ,by it they may be led to the realization of a vital force that should be an important factor in national life1 an unknown power needed now in support of the heritage we are called upon to defend4 ,the early settler in ,north ,america had little opportunity for monumental painting4 ,the austerity of religious belief dominating many new world settlements1 infused as they were with the spirit of the ,reformation1 afforded meager encouragement to its development4 ,american artists1 following ,benjamin ,west to ,england1 leaned heavily upon ,british custom and precedent4 ,west's pupils--,charles ,willson ,peale1 ,gilbert ,stuart and ,joseph ,wright--became makers of likenesses1 and liberty-loving ,john ,trumbull pursued historical painting to produce four of the eight great framed pictures of the ,rotunda of the ,capitol4 ,contrasted with ,brumidi's paintings1 these mark the difference between the easel picture1 a loosely related1 detachable embellishment1 and mural decoration designed in scale and color especially to enhance architecture4 ,the easel picture1 the favored form of painting in the ,united ,states1 is a symbol not only of the ,american artist's independence of expression and freedom of enterprise but also of his dependence upon his own resources and private patronage4 ,easily transported1 it is adaptable for exhibit in distant galleries1 for sale to successive owners1 and is more easily reproduced4 ,in the #aith century it was largely the means of living for the professional fine artist4 ,george ,catlin found admission charges to his exhibits remunerative4 ,others turned to engravings of their subjects for profit4 ,in the #bjth century the framed picture has become the delight of the amateur4 ,american enjoyment of freedom of thought and action is lived in the solitude of private studios4 ,yet too rarely do these common privileges and fortunate blessings become the subject matter of the canvases4 ,these canvases exist solely for the enjoyment of the individual4 ,mural painting1 however1 in comparison to easel picture painting1 is made for the edification of large numbers of people and demands the formal presentation of themes affecting all4 ,the work of ,brumidi1 though in a foreign style long past the crest of its vigor in service to the ,church1 was found more suited to the requirements of monumental architecture than that of native painters of the middle of the #aith century4 ,the monumental mural is usually better if executed in fresco1 the medium which ,brumidi used4 ,this process of painting directly on the wall is called 8fresco secco0 if the wall is allowed to harden and become almost dry and the pigment bound to it by means of a glue size1 casein or egg yolk4 ,this is much inferior to the true or 8buono fresco0 employed by ,brumidi in the dome which is painting on freshly laid plaster with pigment suspended in pure water4 ,because the mortar sets in six or eight hours the painting must be done in sections no larger than can be completed at one time4 ,in true fresco a finished study is generally required4 ,frequently this assumes the form of a full-size detailed drawing known as a cartoon4 ,the outline of this is transferred to the damp plaster wall by pouncing dry color through a perforated tracing or 8pattern10 or the cartoon on very light tough paper may be held against the surface and contours pressed into the damp wall with a stylus4 ,figures are modeled within the drawn lines4 ,terre verte is employed in underpainting flesh1 the rosier tones being superimposed later4 ,accessories are painted in washes of varying depths and appropriate colors further deepened or lightened until the desired three-dimensional effect is gained4 ,in the ,sistine ,chapel1 ,michelangelo used color glazes with such economy that the panels and single figures of his great ceiling decorations truly appear as water color paintings4 ,brumidi depended upon a heavier use of pigment and built up his lights opaquely4 ,if the day's allotted portion is not satisfactorily finished while the wall is still absorbent1 it must be removed and worked again4 ,as the moisture leaves1 the mortar sets and the wall hardens1 its colors becoming lighter and more sparkling as the white lime and crystalline sand shine through4 ,carbon dioxide1 ever present in the air1 gradually combines with calcium hydroxide of the lime plaster resulting in a carbonate not unlike marble itself and very durable4 ,thus1 the decoration is truly a part of the architecture and1 being inseparable from it1 is far more satisfactory than canvases from the most able painters to be attached to wall or ceiling4 ,in the face of the current challenge to the ,american way of life our painters should be given space in our ,federal and ,state buildings for decorations reaffirming the faith that made our ,nation great4 ,more artists at present should be engaged in depicting the virtues of our system of government in the interest of the development of appreciative citizenship upon which it so justly depends4 ,today1 due to the rapidly declining private fortunes of the industrialist-connoisseur class1 the artist is facing a vacuity in art patronage4 ,establish in its place a small but steadily sustained federal program of mural painting1 and a revival is possible here in the ,united ,states not unlike that experienced in ,england when the social satire of ,hogarth's brush was followed under royal patronage by one of the most productive and prosperous periods of ,british painting4 ,this penetrating study of the life and works of ,constantino ,brumidi by ,dr4 ,murdock should arouse in public-spirited readers a desire to honor the fresco artist for his accomplishment1 an understanding of which is of fundamental importance in a movement to further a strong national program of mural art of an inspiring type4 ,it is appropriate that this history be addressed to laymen by one alert to the problems of the hour and sensitive to the need of general public awareness of the power of painting4 ,,thomas ,m4 ,,beggs1 ,director ,,national ,,collection ,,of ,,fine ,,arts ,,smithsonian ,,institution ,constantino ,brumidi1 ,italian ,refugee ,it was late afternoon4 ,the ,house of ,representatives ,chamber in the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states was deserted1 save for one lone figure that stood motionless before the freshly painted mural on the south wall4 ,everything about this man in long black cape and close fitting beret betokened pride and triumph in achievement--the tense erectness of the body1 the tilt of the head1 the glow of the cheek and even the angle at which he held his pallet and brush4 ,suddenly1 with strength and determination he said aloud1 8,i'll do it10 then he rushed back to the picture1 bent possessively over the lower right hand corner and began painting with quick1 deft movements4 ,when the lonely figure finally left the ,chamber he seemed so satisfied with his work that he never once looked back4 ,eighty years later as ,i stood before that mural on the south wall of our ,house of ,representatives ,chamber--that portrayal of a crisis in ,american history1 representing ,washington at ,yorktown1 ,i beheld for the first time the words in the lower right hand corner1 left by that proud painter back in #aheg1 8,c4 ,brumidi1 artist4 ,citizen of the ,u4 ,s40 ,suddenly ,i asked myself1 8,who is this ,c4 ,brumidi who has so much pride in his adopted country as to paint a portion of its ,revolutionary history on the wall of the ,house of ,representatives ,chamber1 and who glories so much in the citizenship of his adopted country that he emblazons that sentiment forever before the ,congress of the ,united ,states80 ,i had no thought at that moment that those words inscribed on the wall of the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states by ,constantino ,brumidi could well be considered his epitaph1 for he had no other1 expressed in words4 ,and of course ,i was unaware of the bitter criticism that followed his every effort4 ,but ,i am ahead of my story4 ,so much did ,i want to see what this lover of ,america had done for his adopted country by way of decorating our ,capitol ,building1 that ,i searched out every frescoed wall and ceiling1 every painted panel1 lunette1 or medallion in committee rooms1 corridors and ,rotunda that were attributed to the ,italian artist4 ,as the number of those paintings mounted in my tabulations and as the beauty of his decorations sank into my consciousness1 ,i decided he must have spent a lifetime in ,america for surely it would take a lifetime for such accomplishment4 ,then ,i learned that ,brumidi came from ,italy to ,america when he was almost fifty years old6 ,from meager biographical data the following additional facts came quickly to light3 ,brumidi was born in ,italy in #ahje1 grew up in ,rome1 was admitted to the ,academy of ,arts in that city when only thirteen years old1 and at the age of about thirty-five 8restored some paintings in the ,sacred ,palaces to the full satisfaction of ,pope ,gregory ,x,v,ith40 ,about all that is known of the artist's next twenty years is that he became involved in 8the ,french occupation of ,rome in the year #ahdi for the suppression of ,republican institutions10 and when his friend1 ,pope ,pius ,,ix1 was banished from ,rome ,brumidi was thrown into prison for fourteen months4 ,as ,captain of the ,papal ,guard ,brumidi had refused to obey certain orders against his friends which resulted in the enmity of ,cardinal ,antonelli1 ,minister of ,state4 ,pope ,pius ,,ix was finally restored to the ,vatican but he was unable to save ,brumidi except on condition that the artist would flee the country and never return4 ,finally1 to save his own life1 ,brumidi was forced to leave ,italy4 ,he reached ,america in #aheb4 ,while the above facts concerning ,brumidi were much the same in the few available references in the ,library of ,congress1 stories of ,brumidi's life in ,america and of his services to the ,united ,states seemed to vary with the enthusiasm or bias of the narrator4 ,certain conflicting statements centered about the merit and authenticity of his paintings2 the genuineness of his ,american patriotism2 the amount of money paid him for the paintings in the ,capitol ,building2 the loyalty of the artist's family2 the appreciation of the ,american people2 and the poverty of the artist at the time of his death4 ,for the most part1 however1 little has been written and less has been publicly known about the artist who spent his last twenty-five years in devoted effort toward beautifying the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states4 ,the most sympathetic appraisals of ,brumidi's art and his years in ,america have been done by ,charles ,e4 ,fairman1 ,smith ,d4 ,fry1 ,george ,c4 ,hazelton1 ,randolph ,keim1 and ,s4 ,d4 ,wyeth4 ,mr4 ,wyeth wrote a small pamphlet of six pages in #ahff on 8,brumidi's ,allegorical ,painting within the ,canopy of the ,rotunda40 ,that was the year after ,brumidi had finished the huge canopy fresco in the ,dome of the ,capitol ,building4 ,the author was so intent upon the allegorical interpretation of the figures in the ,dome canopy that he almost forgot the artist and his art4 ,he did1 however1 refer to ,brumidi in this manner1 8,brumidi has been mainly engaged for years in ornamenting various portions of the walls ,illustration3 ,,the ,,eye ,,of ,,the ,,dome ,the focal point of this ,rotunda panorama is the huge ,brumidi fresco covering ,the ,eye of the ,dome4 ,at this perspective the six allegorical groupings about the circumference of the fresco are partly hidden from view4 ,a portion of ,brumidi's unfinished frieze1 painted in imitation sculpture1 shows below the windows4 ,two white balconies encircle the dome1 one between the windows and the frieze1 and the other at the very top4 ,a hidden stairway winds its way between the two iron shells of the ,dome1 a vertical distance of #ahj feet from the rotunda floor4 of the ,capitol1 and his name will ever be associated with the history and beauty of our world renowned ,national building40 ,since the ,rotunda scaffolding1 from which ,brumidi worked on the ,dome canopy1 was removed in ,january #ahff and the magnificent fresco was then lighted and displayed for the first time to the public1 we have every reason to believe that ,wyeth's six pages of allegorical explanations of that huge fresco1 printed the same year1 were direct from ,brumidi's own carefully planned allegories4 ,the tiny book entitled1 8,keim's ,capitol ,interior and ,diagrams0 was published in #ahgd4 ,since its stated purpose was 8to furnish the visitor to the ,capitol with complete and reliable plans and diagrams1 with reference to and accurate descriptions of all objects of interest within the building10 it made no effort to evaluate the ,brumidi paintings but it did give a comprehensive record throughout as to the location of ,brumidi's work4 ,most of the ,brumidi frescoes1 oils1 and decorative portions can still be identified by the ,keim references but some are evidently gone forever1 while others undoubtedly are merely covered by the wall board or artificial ceiling panels of later renovations4 ,in ,george ,c4 ,hazelton's book1 8,the ,national ,capitol10 printed in #ahig1 and dealing with 8,the ,architecture1 ,art and ,history of the ,national ,capitol10 we find ,brumidi a bit more appreciatively treated4 ,said ,hazelton1 8,no higher compliment could be paid to his genius than the expression of a group of artists who were decorating the new building for the ,congressional ,library4 ,when they visited the ,capitol to study the frescoes of the ,italian1 they said1 #8,we have nothing equal to this in the ,library4 ,there is no one who can do such work today4'0 ,then ,hazelton continued1 8,brumidi's work so identifies him with the ,capitol ,building that he may almost now be called the ,michelangelo of the ,capitol40 ,in 8,fry's ,patriotic ,story of the ,capitol10 a booklet published in #aiab1 the author refers repeatedly to ,brumidi in such an intimate way as to lead the reader to believe that ,smith ,d4 ,fry must have known ,brumidi personally and must have loved the artist genuinely4 ,since ,mr4 ,fry graduated from law school the year the artist died it is not impossible that the two were personally acquainted4 ,in the following ,fry quotation there is evidence to support this view and the human touch to the biographical sketch may have come direct from the artist himself4 ,mr4 ,fry wrote1 8,when about forty years of age1 ,brumidi threw away his brush and his great career1 declaring that he would never paint another stroke until he had found liberty4 ,because of an indignity suffered by a member of his family he became a revolutionary soldier and fought in vain for liberty4 ,when almost fifty years old he was banished from ,italy and came to ,america4 ,here he found liberty and became an intensely patriotic citizen40 ,mr4 ,fry then gives a direct quotation from the artist himself4 ,this is unique1 being the only direct quotation from ,brumidi passed on in this manner4 ,said ,mr4 ,fry1 8,when ,brumidi's merit was disclosed 7in ,america7 fame and fortune sought him4 ,thousands of dollars were his for the taking4 ,he refused all allurements in these words1 #8,i have no longer any desire for fame or fortune4 ,my one ambition and my daily prayer is that ,i may live long enough to make beautiful the ,capitol of the one country on earth in which there is liberty4'0 ,charles ,e4 ,fairman1 art curator of the ,capitol for thirty-two years1 compiled during that time valuable records on the 8,art and ,artists of the ,capitol of the ,united ,states of ,america40 ,mr4 ,fairman was born in #ahed about the time ,brumidi began his decorations of the ,capitol ,building4 ,although ,mr4 ,fairman did not begin his own work at the ,capitol ,building until #aiaa it is entirely possible that as a young man he had occasion to watch ,brumidi at work4 ,while ,mr4 ,fairman maintains an impersonal attitude in his treatment of ,brumidi1 his record is invaluable as proof of the authenticity of certain ,brumidi frescoes and paintings4 ,the whole colossal piece of research so carefully assembled by ,mr4 ,fairman and printed in #aibg contained the best summary of documentary material available on ,constantino ,brumidi4 ,since ,mr4 ,fairman's book covered all art and artists in any manner having connection with the ,capitol ,building the parts devoted to ,brumidi and his murals occupy a not too prominent division of the book4 ,however1 ,mr4 ,fairman's combined references to ,constantino ,brumidi are of great service to one making a more extended study of the ,capitol muralist4 ,the ,daily ,evening ,telegraph of ,philadelphia announced ,brumidi's death in its issue of ,february #ai1 #ahhj4 ,on the following day this same paper carried a lengthy article purporting to be an evaluation of the ,brumidi frescoes4 ,so scathing and crude was the criticism by this anonymous writer1 even before the old artist had been buried1 that one senses instinctively that this same type of critical carping had no doubt been stalking ,brumidi from other sources during a period of years4 ,the following quotation is a glaring example of this unjust criticism3 8444,of ,brumidi1 the frescoer of the ,capitol at ,washington1 whose death was announced yesterday1 it may be said1 #8,he was most industrious4' ,if hard work always represents a value given and received1 the industrious ,brumidi could be put down as having fairly earned the large sums which must have been paid him out of the public treasury4 ,but1 if the quality of his work is considered1 we doubt whether those who are at all competent to judge with regard to the matter will differ among themselves as to the fact that his employment for a long term of years1 in the face of repeated and emphatic protests from people who knew what good decoration was1 was most scandalous4 8444,he was permitted to paint on the interior of the dome a composition which1 both in design and execution1 is about as abominable as anything of that kind well could be4 ,now that he is dead and out of the way1 let us hope that something like a serious effort will be made to have his place filled by an artist who is an artist1 and who has some claims to consideration other than that of being skilled in the fresco process40 ,on that same day1 ,friday1 ,february #bj1 #ahhj1 another reporter1 this time for the ,washington ,post in the ,capital ,city1 told of the death and life of ,brumidi with a show of sympathetic appreciation4 ,a portion of this article follows3 ,,death ,,of ,a ,,great ,,artist 8,constantino ,brumidi1 the artist1 died yesterday morning at his residence1 #iba ,g ,street1 at #f3cj o'clock4 ,for months past he has been failing1 but until within two weeks has been able to work every day in his studio1 and was dressed and sat up each day until the one preceding his death4 ,for a fortnight he has been failing rapidly4 ,the last twenty-four hours before his death he was unconscious1 but at the last moment he recognized those around him4 ,the funeral will be attended from the house on ,saturday4 ,mr4 ,brumidi leaves no family in this city except an adopted son1 who bears his name and has adopted his father's profession4 8,almost until the last hour he continued his work on the frescoes in the dome of the ,capitol1 though compelled to sit instead of standing1 his hand and eye were as true and strong as ever1 and the work from that point on shows no loss in spirit or excellence of execution4 ,for months the little scaffold that clings to the wall in mid air under the dome of the ,capitol has been deserted1 and curious strangers1 looking at the neglected cartoons hanging over the railings have been told that ,brumidi would never come back to finish his frescoes4 ,it was the dream of his life that he should come back4 ,he wanted with his own hand to lead that historic procession round the dome till the encircling frieze should be complete4 ,of late1 as growing infirmities have pressed upon him1 he has gradually abandoned the hope and occupied himself in enlarging his original cartoons to working size1 so that any artist might complete the work by simply following copy4--,he lies in the pleasant parlor studio of his house1 in death as in life1 with his work about him4 ,half-finished designs are sketched on the walls1 and busts and statuettes fill the corners2 canvas and palette are on the easel40 ,in the ,senate of the ,united ,states on ,february #bd1 #ahhj1 four days after the burial of ,brumidi1 two speeches were made in reference to the artist1 one by ,senator ,voorhees of ,indiana1 and another by ,senator ,morrill of ,vermont4 ,senator ,voorhees eulogized ,brumidi in this manner3 8,may ,i not be pardoned some brief mention of the wonderful genius1 so long1 so gently1 and so beautifully associated with this ,capitol8 ,he died poor1 without money enough to bury his worn-out body1 but how rich the inheritance he has left to the present and succeeding ages6 ,during more than a quarter of a century he hovered along these walls from the basement to the ,dome1 leaving creations of imperishable beauty wherever his touch has been4 ,wherever he paused by a panel1 or was seen suspended to a ceiling1 there soon appeared the brilliant conceptions of his fertile and cultivated mind4 ,we can form no correct idea of the extent1 the variety1 and the perfection of his taste and skill as an artist without sometimes forgetting our pressing cares1 as we look in detail over his field of labor40 ,senator ,morrill spoke of the artist in these words of friendship and understanding3 8,covering as he has done so much space with his fresco paintings--so difficult and so durable--it is wonderful that so great a part should be fairly excellent and so little that ,illustration3 ,,brumidi ,,stairway ,so long has the name ,brumidi been associated with the lovely cherubs about the ,capitol ,building that even this bronze staircase has come to be called a 8,brumidi ,stairway40 ,two such ,brumidi stairways lead from the ,house ,chamber and two from the ,senate ,chamber4 ,hazelton wrote in #ahig1 8,brumidi made the attractive designs of the eagle1 deer1 and cherubs for all the railings upon paper2 they were modeled by ,baudin and cast in ,philadelphia40 ,mr4 ,baudin wrote from ,philadelphia to ,captain ,meigs in #aheg1 8444,i am waiting for the drawings for the stair rail44440 competent critics esteem otherwise4 ,if he has not attempted the ambitious role of the old masters on the walls and ceilings of churches1 it may be at least said that his hand has rarely touched anything which it has not decorated4 ,even after that accident by which his life hung many minutes fearfully imperiled under the ,dome of the ,capitol1 his latest work there1 unfinished though it be1 shows that his hand had not lost its cunning1 and his acquaintance with ,american history and skill in its portrayal has1 perhaps1 never been more happily displayed4 8,those who have1 without any special intimacy1 barely seen this poor and quiet old man as he slowly passed and repassed to his daily tasks or who have but for a moment listened to his speech in broken ,english1 and never heard his glib tongue when he met those with whom he could converse in his native language1 will hardly comprehend his merits as a severe student in the art to which he had devoted his whole life1 still less will they be inclined to credit the rapid and correct drawing of which he was undoubtedly a master2 but the evidences of his rare genius and of swift work are too conspicuous to be denied4 ,we have only to look around to behold them all4 8,brumidi was a diligent reader of ,dante1 of ,gibbon1 of ,bancroft1 and many other works from which he derived his historical and classical aid and his great desire was that he might live to complete his last great work4 ,so long had he devoted his heart and strength to this ,capitol that his love and reverence for it was not surpassed by even that of ,michael ,angelo for ,st4 ,peter's40 ,illustration ,brumidi ,art in the ,united ,states ,capitol ,brumidi's art in the ,capitol ,building is not all accessible to the casual visitor4 ,the large mural already mentioned which the old master executed on the wall of the ,house of ,representatives ,chamber can be viewed by visitors only from the galleries of the ,house1 unless some special dispensation takes the visitor to the ,floor of the ,house of ,representatives for a close-up study4 ,the beautiful frescoes on the walls and ceilings of six committee rooms1 one in the ,house extension and five in the ,senate extension1 can be seen only by special permission or by attendance at certain committee hearings4 ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,,committee ,,room ,the frescoes in the ,house of ,representatives ,committee room1 originally occupied at the time of execution by the ,committee on ,agriculture1 were finished in #ahee4 ,this room displays two large crescent-shaped wall frescoes1 referred to as 8lunettes0 by ,brumidi--8,the ,calling of ,cincinnatus from the ,plow01 and 8,the ,calling of ,putnam from the ,plow to the ,revolution40 ,two portrait heads in imitation sculpture adorn the other two walls of this room4 ,beneath the marble-like medallion head of ,washington is a choice panel showing an ,american harvest scene of early date1 while beneath the medallion head of ,jefferson on the opposite wall is what was then a modern threshing scene1 a golden field of grain being harvested by the new ,mc,cormick ,reaper4 ,the ceiling is light and gay and exquisite with designs representing ,spring1 ,summer1 ,autumn1 and ,winter4 ,the blues and golds and inimitable flesh tints of the entire room seem not to have faded one whit during the ninety years they have spread cheer and beauty about an otherwise sombre corner of the ,house extension of the ,capitol4 ,in spite of all the beauty ,brumidi painted into the old ,capitol ,building the ,congressional ,journal for those ,brumidi years records occasional reference on the ,floor of the ,house1 criticizing the ,italian artist and his work4 ,in #aheh ,congressman ,lovejoy ridiculed in the ,house ,chamber that 8brilliant interpretation of the seasons0 by ,brumidi in his first frescoed ceiling decorated for the use of the ,house ,agriculture ,committee4 ,said ,mr4 ,lovejoy in his ,congressional speech1 8,overhead we have pictures of ,bacchus1 ,ceres1 and so on1 surrounded with cupids1 cherubs1 etc41 to the end of heathen mythology4 ,all this we have2 but not a single specimen of the valuable breeds of cattle1 horses1 sheep1 etc41 which are now found in this country4 ,in another panel1 we have a company of harvesters with the sickle1 which is well enough1 only a quarter of a century too late4 ,but worst of all1 there is not a single picture to represent maize4 ,a panel ought to have been given to this single production4 ,it should have been represented in its different stages2 as it emerges1 weak and diminutive1 from the ground1 as it sways in its dark luxuriance of ,june and ,july2 and then as it waves its tasseled crest1 like the plumes of an armed host2 and last as it stands in its rich golden maturity40 ,we find ,brumidi's art defended1 however1 on the ,floor of the ,house of ,representatives about two years later1 on ,june #ae1 #ahfj1 by ,mr4 ,curtis of ,pennsylvania4 ,said ,mr4 ,curtis1 8,if you go into these committee rooms1 and these galleries1 of which we have heard so much1 and take any honorable and fair-minded artist with you1 he will himself do justice to the specimens of art that will be before him1 and admit its distinguished worth4 ,what1 sir1 can be more beautiful than the fresco work in the room of the ,agricultural ,committee80 ,hanging on the side of a bookcase today1 in this ,house ,committee ,room1 where ,brumidi began his ,capitol decorations1 is a framed bit of verse put on display evidently by an admirer of the artist4 ,this attempt to give poetic expression to the worth of ,brumidi and his art was written by ,horace ,c4 ,carlisle1 a present employee of the ,architect's office of the ,capitol4 ,seven such pieces of verse on ,brumidi and his art1 written by ,mr4 ,carlisle1 were placed in the ,congressional ,record by ,congressman ,sheppard of ,california1 on ,april #g1 #aidd4 ,the verses themselves are irregular but one line in the frame beneath ,brumidi's first ,american fresco is an immortal prophecy4 ,said ,mr4 ,carlisle1 concerning ,brumidi and that first fresco in the ,capitol ,building3 8,above the rebuke of the scorner he climbed to glory height there40 ,in #ahgd ,brumidi himself referred to his first ,american fresco in a statement1 8,relative to his employment at the ,capitol10 which is now preserved in the ,architect's office4 ,said ,brumidi1 in part1 8,the ,committee ,room on ,agriculture in the south wing of the ,capitol was painted in #ahee as the first specimen of real fresco introduced in ,america4 8,in this connection can be mentioned a curious mistake common in this country1 and that is the calling all and every decoration in oil1 turpentine or glue that is put upon dry walls1 real fresco4 8,fresco derives its name from fresh mortar1 and is the immediate and rapid application of mineral colors diluted in water1 to the fresh mortar just put upon the wall1 thereby the colors are absorbed by the mortar during its freshness1 and repeating this process in sections day by day1 till the entire picture will be completed4 8,this superior method is much admired in the celebrated works of the old masters1 and is proper for historical subjects or classical ornamentations1 like the ,loggia of ,raphael at the ,vatican40 ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,,chamber ,a most revealing side light on the ,cornwallis-,washington mural on the south wall of the ,house of ,representatives ,chamber1 earlier referred to1 is brought forth by an anonymous letter written on ,december #ad1 ,illustration3 ,,spring ,one of four pleasing groups on the ceiling of the ,old ,house ,agriculture ,committee ,room is this ,brumidi conception of spring4 ,the four seasons on this ceiling make up ,brumidi's first fresco in the ,capitol ,building--painted in #ahee4 ,what appear to be sculptured figures and attached moldings surrounding the center panel in this picture are actually painted decorative borders on a flat surface4 ,it was probably the tender hues of spring on this ceiling that led ,congressman ,curtis to say in #ahfj1 8,what1 sir1 can be more beautiful than the fresco work in the room of the ,agriculture ,committee80 #aheg1 to ,captain ,montgomery ,c4 ,meigs1 ,superintendent of ,construction1 two days before the ,house met in its new 8,hall of the ,house of ,representatives40 ,the letter protesting this contract follows3 8,dear ,sir3 ,it will be news to you1 ,i dare say1 to learn that there is a party organizing to effect your removal from the ,superintendent of the ,capitol extension and ,i take leave to say to you that the wall painting1 #8,the ,surrender of ,cornwallis1' is considered inappropriate and the execution execrable1 in view of all of which ,i suggest to you to have the painting wiped out4 ,your friend and supporter1 ,,officious0 ,since ,captain ,meigs could not reply directly to 8,officious0 he gave vent to his feelings by penning a note on the above letter4 ,this note gives among other things an idea of the speed with which ,brumidi was able to work under pressure4 ,the note follows3 8,one of many indications4 ,the picture is as good as could be painted in six weeks4 ,it serves to show what the effect of painting on the panels will be which is all ,i intended4 ,it cost little and ,i have not the least objections to a better painting being by ,congress put over it1 but it is the best that could be done at the time and no more time was at my immediate disposal4 ,m4 ,c4 ,m40 ,in #ahei a ,congressional ,committee voiced a criticism which undoubtedly refers also to the ,cornwallis-,washington painting in the ,house ,chamber4 ,they said1 8,far greater sobriety should be given to these ,halls in their general effect1 so as to render them less distracting to the eye4 ,few are aware how disturbing to thought the display of gaudy1 inharmonious colors can be made4 ,this very quality renders such combination of colors unsuited to halls of deliberation where calm thought and unimpassioned reason are supposed to reside40 ,mr4 ,curtis of ,pennsylvania rose again in the ,house of ,representatives on ,june #ae1 #ahfj1 in defense of ,brumidi's art but with special reference to the ,house fresco4 ,said he1 8,i have heard with some regret appeals made to the prejudices of the country in regard to the specimens of art taste displayed about this ,capitol2 and ,i have been surprised that no one connected with this ,branch of service has risen upon the ,floor to do justice to those who have devoted their lives and energies to the embellishment of our public buildings4 ,what is more splendid than the fresco in some of the halls and passages around the ,senate ,chamber and especially the emblem of ,religion in the ,president's ,illustration3 ,,the ,,president',s ,,room ,with its richness of design1 its beauty and delicacy of color1 the ,president's ,room represents ,brumidi's supreme effort 8to make beautiful the ,capitol0 of the ,united ,states4 ,facing the portrait of ,hamilton we see reflected in the giant golden mirror the portrait of ,samuel ,osgood4 ,reflected also are the ceiling frescoes of ,vespucius and ,religion and the treasured mahogany table at which ,abraham ,lincoln and many other ,presidents have signed legislative bills4 ,the mahogany clock at one time had hands of gold until a souvenir hunter carried them home4 ,today all sightseers get no further than a railing at the doorway4 ,room8 ,and in this ,hall1 where do you find room to criticize the combination of colors which you see around you8 ,it is easy to invent a popular criticism and find fault2 but ,i would like to see some of these gentlemen who are so conversant with matters of taste and art as to speak with the assurance of masters1 bring forward some design1 some specimen from their superior genius that they would themselves insert in place of that which they see around them40 ,,president',s ,,room ,the decoration of the ,president's ,room in the ,senate ,annex is thought by many to be ,brumidi's best work in the ,capitol ,building4 ,since the ,president's ,room in the ,capitol was to be set aside for the use of the ,president of the ,united ,states at any time duty called the ,president to the ,capitol ,building1 it may well be supposed that ,brumidi wanted that room to be as beautiful as an artist could make it4 ,he is said to have spent more than five years on this room alone1 but five years seem not half long enough to create such beauty as is here displayed4 ,five colorful ceiling-to-floor panels adorn the walls and in the center of each hangs a portrait elegantly framed4 ,the five members of ,washington's first ,cabinet are thus honored--,thomas ,jefferson of ,virginia1 ,secretary of ,state2 ,edmund ,randolph of ,virginia1 ,attorney ,general2 ,henry ,knox of ,massachusetts1 ,secretary of ,war2 ,alexander ,hamilton of ,new ,york1 ,secretary of the ,treasury2 and ,samuel ,osgood of ,massachusetts1 ,postmaster ,general4 ,i say these portraits hang in the panels4 ,if you stood at the door looking hurriedly about the walls1 as most visitors must do at the ,president's ,room1 you would think the frames as real as the portraits4 ,in truth1 though1 the beautifully carved frames are painted on the walls as are the portraits4 ,mr4 ,fairman calls these paintings1 8,portraits of ,distinction10 and so they are4 ,but it is the frescoed ceiling in the ,president's ,room that showers new light and color and added beauty about the portraits on the walls4 ,four symbolic groups on this ceiling look down from their large medallion gold leaf frames--four life-size ,madonnas1 symbolizing ,religion1 ,legislation1 ,liberty1 and ,executive ,authority--,madonnas of great beauty and rare coloring4 ,then at each corner of this frescoed ceiling among the symbolism and the cherubs are four life-size portraits1 full length1 each chosen as representative of a force in civilization4 ,columbus memorializes discovery2 ,vespucius1 exploration2 ,brewster1 religion2 and ,franklin1 history4 ,the portrait of ,george ,washington1 evidently done with ,rembrandt ,peale's ,washington in mind1 has a position all its own high above the portrait of ,thomas ,jefferson4 ,a portion of the ,annual ,report of ,captain ,meigs1 dated ,october #bg1 #ahei1 fixed the completion of the ,brumidi frescoes in the ,president's ,room4 ,said that report1 8,the painting of the ,president's ,room in the ,north wing will be completed by the next meeting of ,congress40 ,even during the years that ,brumidi created the beauty of the ,president's ,room cruel words were hurled against his art4 ,in #aheh a convention of self-styled ,american artists assembled and drew up an estimate of their own worth which they titled3 8,memorial of the ,artists of the ,united ,states40 ,this petition of grievance presented to the ,congress of the ,united ,states carried the names of #abg individuals1 chiefly from ,new ,york1 ,boston1 ,philadelphia1 and ,baltimore with only eight from the ,capital ,city4 ,among the signatures were found the names of ,rembrandt ,peale1 ,w4 ,d4 ,washington and ,johannes ,a4 ,oertel1 the latter being the draughtsman who ,illustration3 ,,singing ,,cherubs ,these three cherubs occupy a position beneath the portrait of ,william ,brewster on the ceiling of the ,president's ,room comparable to that of the cherub detail beneath the portrait of ,benjamin ,franklin on the same ceiling4 ,since ,brewster1 as the religious leader of the ,pilgrims and elder of the ,plymouth colony1 typifies 8,religion0 in ,brumidi's over all design in the ,president's ,room1 the singing cherubs with their director1 violinist1 dove attendant1 and music script must be singing hosannas of peace and devotion4 7,cherubs in chapter tailpieces are from this ceiling47 challenged ,brumidi's right1 in #aheh1 to paint the ceiling fresco in the ,district of ,columbia ,committee ,room of the ,senate4 ,it is illuminating to know that #hh of the #abg names listed as artists in the above ,memorial do not even appear in the ,national ,encyclopedia of ,american ,biography while among those that do appear1 less than a dozen are recognized today as artists of note4 ,the ,artists' ,memorial began with these words1 8,your memorialists appear before your honorable bodies to solicit for ,american art that consideration and encouragement to which they conceive it to be entitled at the hands of the general government40 ,then the ,memorial asked that ,congress 8establish an ,art ,commission composed of those designated by the united voice of ,american artists as competent to the office1 who shall be accepted as the exponents of the authority and influence of ,american art1 who shall be the channels for the distribution of all appropriations to be made by ,congress for art purposes1 and who shall secure to artists an intelligent and unbiased adjudication upon the designs they may present for the embellishment of our ,national buildings40 ,the ,house of ,representatives referred the ,artists' ,memorial to a select committee of five4 ,this ,committee brought out ,report ,no4 #aih1 ,march #c1 #ahei4 ,that ,report not only sanctioned the establishment of the suggested ,art ,commission to protect the 8embellishment of ,national buildings0 but it voiced criticism by the ,congressmen making up the select ,committee of five4 ,brumidi's name was not mentioned in the ,report but there is no mistaking the artist to whom they referred4 ,said the ,committee in this ,report3 8,a plain coat or two of whitewash is better1 in the opinion of this committee1 for a temporary finish than the tawdry and exuberant ornamentation with which many of the rooms and passages are being crowded4444 ,an eagle and the ,national flag may be discovered occasionally amidst the confusion of scroll work and mythological figures presented to the eye2 but the presence of conventional gods and goddesses1 with meaningless scrolls and arabesques1 albeit they may be wrapped in the red1 white and blue1 will never suggest to the ,american1 as he wanders among the halls and committee rooms1 any idea to touch his heart or to inspire his patriotism4444 ,should he seek an explanation from those who are manufacturing the cumbrous levities which everywhere appear through the building he will be eminently fortunate should he find among them one who speaks the ,english language40 ,the real fight of the petitioners was evidently against the employment of a foreign artist4 ,however1 this was not expressed openly in the ,memorial but the select committee of ,illustration3 ,,discovery ,the theme of ,brumidi's ceiling fresco in the ,president's ,room1 as portrayed by ,christopher ,columbus1 is that of 8,discovery40 ,this subject is intensified by use of the globe and map in the cherub detail above the portrait4 ,at upper left is a segment of the medallion1 8,executive ,authority10 and at the right a portion of another medallion1 8,liberty40 ,the four small decorative medallions at the portrait corners are ,state seals4 ,at the upper left is ,vermont2 at upper right1 ,kentucky2 lower left1 ,arkansas1 and lower right1 ,michigan4 five from the ,house of ,representatives made the open accusation4 ,said they in their ,report1 8,the ,committee have not been informed that ,american artists have been engaged upon the embellishment of the ,capitol1 but they have been made painfully conscious that the work has been prosecuted by foreign workmen under the immediate supervision of a foreigner4 ,as a consequence the ,committee find nothing in the design and execution of the ornamental work of the ,capitol1 thus far1 which represents our own country1 or the genius and taste of her artists40 ,this unjust criticism of ,brumidi found expression in the ,new ,york ,daily ,tribune for ,may #ag1 #aheh1 through that paper's ,washington correspondent4 ,the ,new ,york attack on the artist1 however1 was answered in the ,tribune for ,may #ca1 #aheh1 by ,guglielmo ,gajani1 a friend of ,brumidi's4 ,extracts of this defense of ,brumidi follow3 ,to the ,editor of the ,new ,york ,tribune3 ,i have lately been at ,washington and derived much pleasure from visiting the ,national ,capital and its splendid buildings and works of art4 ,i admired them and was much pleased with the frescoes and decorations of my fellow citizen ,signor ,constantino ,brumidi4 ,but on my return to ,new ,york my attention was directed to a correspondence of the ,tribune 7,may #ag7 and to other attacks made against that artist and his works at the ,capitol4 ,i knew him in ,rome1 where he was much esteemed and has left excellent specimens of his artistic skill4 ,i can hardly believe that ten years of exile could have so entirely destroyed his capacity or impaired my judgment4 ,had the attack been confined to the ground that artists or workmen of foreign birth who are satisfied with a small compensation should be excluded from the ,capitol in order to have the work done exclusively by natives well paid1 ,i would have nothing to say for ,i keep off entirely from your administrative questions and politics4 ,but on the ground of art and taste a ,roman might be allowed to express an opinion quite different from that of your own correspondent and his friends4 ,fresco painting represents in art what improvisation is in poetry4 ,the artist must execute his work upon a fresh wall1 tracing the outlines by a steel point and using mineral colors which are instantly absorbed and do not show their effect until the wall dries4 ,the artist1 therefore1 must work with great rapidity and has no opportunity for corrections4 ,it does not require a greater capacity than the ordinary painting with oil or water colors on a dry wall1 but the artist must have a peculiar disposition1 and this the ,italian possesses to a greater degree than others4 ,michelangelo had never practiced fresco painting when ,bramante procured him the commission to paint the ceiling of the ,sistine ,chapel with a view to ruin his reputation4 ,michelangelo called from ,florence his former schoolmate1 ,granacci1 and other fresco painters1 to teach him the art4 ,he was much perplexed at the beginning but afterward declared it the best style of painting4 ,i believe that your best painters1 by exerting themselves and gaining experience1 might have succeeded in doing the work accomplished by ,brumidi1 but it would have required a long time and an enormous expenditure4 ,it is a fact that in ,france1 in ,england1 in ,belgium1 in ,italy and everywhere public buildings have been decorated by competent artists1 you meet the same style and symbols1 allegories and classical memories occasionally adopted by ,signor ,brumidi4 ,before condemning him you must find fault with all the best painters who preceded him1 and especially with ,michelangelo and ,raphael who ,illustration3 ,,religion ,four ,brumidi ,madonnas on the frescoed ceiling of the ,president's ,room are of great interest to visitors4 ,the most lasting impression1 however1 is made by 8,religion40 ,the story is often repeated that ,brumidi painted 8,religion0 with an 8all-seeing eye of ,god0 which will follow any individual from place to place inside the room4 ,the 8connections of the pieces of plaster0 which help to identify real fresco are easily discernible in this medallion background4 ,the color beauty of 8,religion0 is illustrated by 8,legislation0 in this book's color section4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,cherub ,,of ,,justice ,well balanced scales and a sword seem to be necessary attributes of ,brumidi's conception of 8,executive ,authority0 in the ,president's ,room4 ,the ,cherub of ,justice and the many other cherubs used so generously in the artist's ,capitol frescoes are favorites with art enthusiasts4 ,all designs and deceptive moldings shown above are painted in oil on dry plaster4 ,the corner of a tall elaborate mirror frame shows at the right4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,winged ,,cherub ,resting midst bundles of papers1 bills1 and ,congressional debates1 the ,winged ,cherub suggests another ,brumidi theme1 8,legislation10 on the walls of the ,president's ,room4 ,the signature 8,c4 ,brumidi1 #ahfj10 can be identified on the packet of ,state papers at the feet of this cherub4 ,the two cherubs on these pages fill decorative niches high on the walls on either side of a huge1 ceiling-to-floor1 gold-framed mirror4 introduced that style of fresco in the ,vatican itself4444 ,it is absurd1 therefore1 to despise the works of ,signor ,brumidi because 8they look foreign and betray the ,italian element10 that is to say1 because they are classical in the subject and artistic in the execution4 ,i confess that my national feelings were a little wounded when ,i saw vituperated to some extent in ,washington an artist much esteemed in ,rome4 ,music and the fine arts are all that remain of our former greatness1 and we are naturally jealous of this glory4 ,besides1 ,i am convinced that ,signor ,brumidi is a good artist and an excellent fresco painter4 ,he has studied long in ,rome1 even from his boyhood1 and visited for instruction all the most important schools of art in ,italy4 ,baron ,camucini was his master in painting1 and the great ,thorwaldsen taught him sculpture4 ,in both arts ,signor ,brumidi has left several specimens of his skill in ,rome4 ,for instance1 he was employed during eleven years in making frescoes and decorations of the villa and of the palace of ,prince ,torlonia in ,rome4 ,these works are admired by visitors4 ,should an ,american admire the works of ,signor ,brumidi at home and despise them when he finds them at ,washington8 ,signor ,brumidi was also employed by the ,government in ,rome1 together with other distinguished artists1 to prepare the chronology of the ,popes1 in the new ,basilica of ,st4 ,paul1 and was allowed to finish his work after the revolution1 notwithstanding that he was persecuted for the part which he took in that movement4 ,the ,republican ,government of ,rome honored ,signor ,brumidi with an important commission as he was much esteemed for his talent and personal qualities4 ,i am glad1 myself1 that he has already executed some works at the ,capitol4 ,they speak for themselves to those who have taste for the fine arts4 ,,guglielmo ,,gajani ,in the ,architect's ,report for #ahei we find this reference to the detrimental influence of the ,artist's ,memorial3 8,the action of ,congress in restricting the expenditure for painting and sculpture to the completion of the painting of rooms in the ,north ,wing already partly done 444 and to such paintings and sculpture as shall have been approved1 first1 by a committee of three ,american artists1 to be appointed by the ,president and then by the ,library ,committee of ,congress1 has prevented the commencement of any new works40 ,it seems certain1 however1 that ,brumidi was not often continuously employed on any one picture4 ,as shown by his vouchers1 if work was held up in one direction he could easily employ himself in another4 ,for example1 he began work in the ,senate ,library in #aheh and the ,architect of the ,capitol records ,illustration3 ,,alexander ,,hamilton ,this portrait of ,alexander ,hamilton is one of the five color representations of ,washington's ,cabinet1 painted by ,brumidi on the walls of the ,president's ,room4 ,the color and design of the frame and panel are equally as beautiful as those surrounding the portrait of ,jefferson in the color section of this book4 ,the portrait of ,george ,washington high above those of his ,cabinet evidently was done with that of ,rembrandt ,peale in mind4 ,all others are thought to be ,brumidi's own conceptions4 the finish of the ,senate ,library ceiling in #ahge4 ,but during those years the #d1ffd square feet of fresco in the ,canopy of the ,dome was finished as well as the ,president's ,room and many committee room frescoes and hall decorations in the ,senate ,annex4 ,references in ,reports and letters usually give the finishing date of the fresco while the beginning date is seldom mentioned4 ,,capitol ,,dome ,the huge fresco on the canopy of the ,dome of the ,capitol ,building is signed 8,c4 ,brumidi1 #ahfe40 ,in the ,annual ,report dated ,november #a1 #ahfc1 of ,thomas ,walter1 ,architect of the ,capitol 7#ahea-ahfe71 we find this reference to the ,dome canopy3 8,the cartoons for the picture on the canopy over the eye of the inner dome are being prepared1 and its execution will be commenced as soon as the iron work which is to receive it can be put in place40 ,certain letters in the ,national ,archives between ,brumidi and ,united ,states officials shed interesting light on the #ahfb negotiations relative to the ,dome ,canopy4 ,extracts from these letters follow3 ,from ,tho4 ,u4 ,walter1 8architect of extension and new ,dome10 to ,constantino ,brumidi1 ,august #ah1 #ahfb3 8,it is intended to have a picture #fe ft4 in diameter painted in fresco on the concave canopy over the eye of the ,new ,dome4 ,i would thank you to furnish me with a design for the said picture at your earliest convenience4444 ,you will also submit with the design an estimate of the cost of executing it in real fresco painted on the fresh mortar40 ,from ,constantino ,brumidi to ,tho4 ,u4 ,walter1 ,september #h1 #ahfb4 8444,i herewith submit to you my design for the fresco picture to be painted on the ,canopy of the ,new ,dome of the ,united ,states ,capitol4 ,the six groups around the border represent1 as you will see1 ,war1 ,science1 ,navigation1 ,commerce1 ,manufacture and ,agriculture4 ,the leading figures will measure some #ae feet4 ,in the center is an apotheosis of ,washington surrounded by allegorical figures of eminent men of the times of ,washington1 which latter will be likenesses4 8,as this picture will be seen at a height of #ahj ft4 the painting must be of the most decided character possible4 ,it will cover #dffd sq4 ft4 and will be worth #ej1jjj to execute it including the necessary cartoons and every expense pertaining to the painting40 ,from ,tho4 ,u4 ,walter to ,constantino ,brumidi1 ,december #bd1 #ahfb4 8,your letter of the #hth of ,september was duly received1 together with your design for the proposed picture in fresco1 for the canopy over the eye of the ,new ,dome of the ,united ,states ,capitol4 ,the design meets my entire approval4 ,it has also the approval of ,major ,b4 ,b4 ,french1 the ,commissioner of ,public ,buildings4 ,i sent it to the residence of the ,hon4 ,caleb ,b4 ,smith1 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 where it has been for several weeks4 ,mr4 ,smith also expresses himself entirely satisfied with the design4 ,i am therefore free to give it my official approval with but one condition and that is that you will consent to execute it at a greatly reduced cost4 8,i am aware1 as you have expressed to me in conversation that there is no picture in the world that will compare with this in magnitude and in difficulty of execution1 being painted on a concave surface1 and ,i am also aware that it covers about eight times more surface than ,mr4 ,lentze's picture which cost #bj1jjj4 ,but in view of the exigencies of the times ,i do not consider that we would be justified in expending so large a sum as #ej1jjj4 8,should you execute this work it will be the great work of your life3 it will therefore be worth on your part some sacrifice to accomplish so great an achievement44440 ,from ,constantino ,brumidi to ,tho4 ,u4 ,walter1 ,december #bg1 #ahfb3 8444,i have come to the conclusion to expedite a settlement as to the price of the painting to be executed on the canopy over the eye of the ,dome of the ,united ,states ,capitol by reducing my offer to #dj1jjj1 which is lower1 considering the subject1 the curved form of the surface on which it is to be painted and the square feet of painting it contains than any real fresco picture ever painted44440 ,from ,tho4 ,u4 ,walter to ,b4 ,b4 ,french1 8,distributing ,agent of ,united ,states ,capitol10 ,december #bi1 #ahfb3 8444,i consider the price 7#dj1jjj7 exceedingly low in view of the fact that it contains #dffd square feet1 that it is all to be painted on a curved surface1 and that ,mr4 ,brumidi is the only real fresco painter in this country capable of executing the work4 ,the design is probably the grandest and most imposing that has ever been executed in the world and ,mr4 ,brumidi has proved by his real frescoes in the ,capitol extension 7all of which were painted by his own hand7 that he is fully equal to the task4 ,the grandeur of this picture1 the great distance at which it will be seen1 and the peculiarity of its light will render it intensely imposing40 ,from ,b4 ,b4 ,french to ,tho4 ,u4 ,walter1 ,january #e1 #ahfc3 8444as there is confessedly no artist in the ,united ,states1 capable of executing a real fresco painting as it should be done1 especially so important a work as the one in contemplation1 except ,mr4 ,brumidi1 and1 as we know from experience his excellence in that art1 ,i do not see how we can do otherwise than employ him44440 ,from ,tho4 ,u4 ,walter to ,constantino ,brumidi1 ,march #aa1 #ahfc4 8444,i have the honor to inform you that your design for painting the ,canopy over the eye of the aforesaid new ,dome is adopted4 ,and1 inasmuch as ,congress has made the appropriation for the completion of that work you are hereby authorized to proceed at once with the aforesaid canopy painting44440 ,two letters1 one from the ,department of the ,interior to the ,capitol ,dispensing ,agent and the other from the ,architect of the ,capitol to the ,department of the ,interior should be quoted at this time as they verify amounts paid the artist and the length of time used in the actual painting of the ,dome canopy4 ,from ,j4 ,p4 ,usher1 ,secretary of ,interior1 dated ,nov4 #f1 #ahfc4 8444#aj1jjj1 one fourth the entire cost of the work 7for painting the canopy over the eye of the new dome of the ,capitol in real fresco71 has already been paid to ,mr4 ,brumidi4 ,i am of the opinion that the progress which has been made does not justify any further payments at present4 ,you will therefore suspend any advances to ,mr4 ,brumidi until further orders40 ,from ,thomas ,u4 ,walter1 ,architect ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 dated ,december #c1 #ahfd4 8,as the canopy for the picture over the eye of the new dome is ready for ,mr4 ,brumidi and as he is now about to commence to work1 ,i deem it proper to say that he has not received any payment on account of his contract since ,november #f1 #ahfc1 and that in the interim he has been occupied in perfecting the full-size cartoons1 which are now ready for the work4 ,i1 therefore1 respectfully recommend that payments to him be resumed in accordance with his contract and that they be continued as the work progresses until he shall have received the aggregate sum of #cj1jjj1 after which no further payments to be made until the work is completed and approved40 ,in the ,annual ,report dated ,november #a1 #ahfe1 of ,edward ,clark1 ,architect of the ,capitol 7#ahfe-aijb71 we find reference to the completion of the canopy3 8,the picture over the eye of the ,dome is all painted in1 but the artist is unwilling to have the scaffolding removed until the plastering is thoroughly dry and the picture toned4 ,as it will at times be viewed by gas light1 he wishes to have the opportunity of trying it by this light before dismissing it from his hands40 ,the following report by ,edward ,clark written in longhand to the ,secretary of the ,interior and dated ,november #a1 #ahff1 is preserved in the ,national ,archives3 8,the fresco picture over the eye of the ,dome has been exposed to view by taking away the scaffolding4 ,it is not1 however1 finished as the artist intends to soften down the harshness at the joinings of the plastering4 ,he was under the impression that these imperfections would disappear when the surface became dry4 ,he holds himself in readiness to do the proper toning and blending whenever the scaffolding is in place for the painting of vault of the ,rotunda4 8,i would call attention to the necessity of ornamenting the #8,belt' between the second and third cornices of the ,rotunda4 ,the original intention was to enrich this member in basso-relievo1 but it is deemed advisable to have it painted in fresco in imitation of basso-relievo4 ,mr4 ,brumidi has submitted a design for its embellishment in this manner consisting of a series of natural pictures arranged in a chronological order4 ,it is hoped this subject may receive attention1 and that his design may be adapted or modified or other designs invited for this decoration from artists of acknowledged merit40 ,brumidi was sixty years old at the completion of this ,dome ,canopy4 ,he had made #d1ffd square feet of fresco in eleven months' time on the inner surface of the ,capitol's ,dome4 ,this ,canopy is #fe feet in diameter1 has a concavity of #ba feet and displays its heroic figures as life-size from the floor of the ,rotunda1 #ahj feet below4 ,the artist called this painting on the ,dome canopy 8,the ,apotheosis of ,washington40 ,the outstanding figure is that of our first ,president attended by ,liberty and ,victory4 ,circling the center of the canopy are thirteen female figures in draperies of pastel beauty1 bearing a ribbon-like banner which displays our treasured motto1 8,e ,pluribus ,unum40 ,the colors increase in brilliance and depth toward the outer borders of the canopy1 blending finally into the intense hues of the six heroic groups about the base4 ,in these groups we find ,minerva1 ,goddess of ,arts and ,sciences1 as the center of her allegorical group2 ,ceres1 of ,agriculture2 ,mercury1 messenger of the ,gods1 symbolizing ,commerce2 ,vulcan1 the ,god of ,mechanics2 ,neptune1 ,god of the ,marine1 and ,armed ,liberty with shield and sword1 symbolizing ,war4 ,s4 ,d4 ,wyeth says1 8,the fresco of ,brumidi 7on the canopy of the ,dome7 arrests the gaze as though the sky had opened and it were permitted to look into the beyond40 ,wyeth1 later1 in referring to the same ,dome canopy described it in this way3 8,clouds of gold1 azure and rose seem hanging there spanned by a rainbow1 and1 floating among them1 forms of exquisite beauty4 ,grand mythological figures1 symbolizing ,force and ,progress1 appear there too1 titanic1 majestic--almost appalling with their great significance40 ,a letter from ,architect ,clark to ,artist ,brumidi1 dated ,september #ah1 #ahfe1 should be quoted in order to appreciate ,brumidi's reply one day later3 8,i learned in an interview with the ,honorable ,secretary of the ,interior1 this morning1 that he was very anxious to have the picture over the eye of the ,dome finished if possible by the meeting of ,congress4 8,you informed me when ,i first saw the work in relation to your ,july bill1 that it was your intention to get it done by that time1 and ,i was surprised to hear from you on ,saturday morning last1 that this was not likely to be done4 ,you stated that you were unwilling to have the scaffoldings taken away before you had the advantage of trying it by gas light4 ,in this you are certainly right1 and ,i have to inform you that arrangements can be made to give you light whenever you need it4 8,please reply as to when it is likely you will have the picture done40 ,brumidi's reply in which he tells of the final touches to this huge fresco is still preserved4 ,in this letter the old artist's concern for the proper finishing and lighting of his masterpiece is uppermost in his thought4 ,the letter follows3 ,washington1 ,sept4 #ai1 #ahfe ,mr4 ,clark1 ,architect of the ,capitol ,extension ,dear ,sir3 ,your letter of yesterday was received and you will do a great favor to me in referring to the ,honorable ,secretary of ,interior1 that about my painting in the ,canopy of the ,dome1 ,i am working at present the last group1 and for the next week ,i have finish to put in color every figure upon the fresh mortar4 ,that remains to do for the completion of it will require only five or six weeks1 but must do it in the proper time1 when the mortar will be perfectly dry1 and the colors do not have any more changement4 ,this last work will cover the connections of the pieces of plaster1 put up in sections at every day1 and giving more union to the colors at the said junctions for to obtain the artistic effect4 ,it is the general rule in doing this kind of work to avoid the damp atmosphere of the winter season1 but ,i will do this last finish as soon as the weather will permit1 early in the spring1 as always ,i have done in every other painting in real fresco in the ,capitol and everywhere4 ,also would be inadvisable to show that large painting without the proper light1 because the windows of the dome are in the rear part of the painting and must be placed the reflectors already calculated in the ,capitol's original plan4 ,i hope when the appropriation will be passed by the ,congress the said reflectors1 and the gas apparatus will be completed1 and ,i will be ready for my part4 ,i am always at work but ,i ask only the bill of ,august last1 and you can assure the ,honorable ,secretary of the ,interior that ,i never will claim any other bill after this1 till my work will be entirely completed4 ,with respect ,i am ,your ,obedient ,servant ,c4 ,,brumidi ,apparently negotiations with ,brumidi for painting the ,dome fresco began with the letter from ,tho4 ,u4 ,walter1 8architect of extension and new ,dome10 dated ,august #ah1 #ahfb4 ,brumidi was authorized to proceed on ,march #aa1 #ahfc4 ,on ,december #c1 #ahfd1 ,tho4 ,u4 ,walter wrote that the canopy for the picture over the eye of the ,dome was ready for the artist and that ,mr4 ,brumidi was 8about to commence to work40 ,on ,november #a1 #ahfe1 ,edward ,clark1 ,architect of the ,capitol1 reported that the picture over the eye of the ,dome was all painted in but that ,mr4 ,brumidi was unwilling to have the scaffolding removed until the plastering was thoroughly dry and the colors had no more 8changement40 ,on ,january #i1 #ahff1 ,edward ,clark wrote the following letter to ,james ,harlan1 ,secretary of the ,interior3 8,i have the honor to state that we are now making preparations to take down the scaffolding over the eye of the ,dome to reveal ,brumidi's picture4 ,it becomes necessary to have some canvas1 or other strong material to place under the scaffolding to catch the dirt1 etc41 that would otherwise fall to the floor of the ,rotunda which might cause inconvenience1 perhaps accident4 8,it is possible that some old sails might be borrowed from the ,navy ,yard for that purpose1 and ,i therefore respectfully ask that you make a request to the ,hon4 ,secretary of the ,navy for the loan of such as may be necessary for this purpose which will be returned as soon as this work is done40 ,,senate ,,appropriations ,,committee ,,rooms ,on the walls of the ,senate ,military ,committee ,room--now one of the ,committee ,rooms on ,senate ,appropriations--are to be found five large frescoes1 lunettes in shape1 depicting scenes from ,american history4 ,these pictures are filled with action and ,american atmosphere and could have been painted only by a lover of ,american liberty4 ,the artist gave these titles to his five ,american lunettes3 8,boston ,massacre10 8,battle of ,lexington10 8,death of ,general ,wooster10 8,storming of ,stony ,point10 and 8,washington at ,valley ,forge40 ,the frescoed ceiling in this ,senate ,committee ,room is conventional in design with victors' wreaths1 shields and other emblems of war predominating4 ,here we have such outstanding color combinations as to lead many ,brumidi enthusiasts to vote this ceiling the ,capitol's best4 ,in this room also are six outstanding panels1 rich in color and different in design1 displaying ,american arms of different periods4 ,never were guns1 pistols1 sabers1 tomahawks1 and flintlock rifles displayed with so much beauty and elegance--and the sword across the shield in the center is said to be a copy of one owned by ,washington4 7,keim attributes these panels to another ,capitol artist47 ,the north room used by the ,senate ,committee on ,appropriations was decorated for the old ,senate ,committee on ,naval ,affairs4 ,the design is that of a ,pompeian fresco with marine gods and goddesses scattered about the ceiling and with ancient porticoes and antique vessels adorning the walls4 ,nine panels in oil with symbolic womanly figures in flowing robes against dark blue backgrounds to represent various attributes of the ,navy finish the wall decorations4 ,on ,february #bd1 #ahhj1 ,senator ,voorhees of ,indiana referred to the ,brumidi decorations of these two rooms in these words3 8,almost every committee-room announces to the eye by historical or allegorical paintings in fresco the duties to which it is dedicated4 ,who ever passed through the room of the ,committee on ,military ,affairs without feeling that the very genius of heroism had left there its immortal inspirations8 ,who would mistake in after ages the use to which the room for the ,committee on ,naval ,affairs had been devoted8 ,the painter has told the whole story in a silent but in an undying language40 ,an #aheh newspaper tells that the following statement was posted that year in the ,senate ,committee ,room on ,naval ,affairs for the 8edification of visitors03 8,senate ,committee on ,naval ,affairs--,the decorative paintings of this room are a specimen of the manner in which the ancient ,greeks and ,romans ornamented their splendid buildings1 some of which are still extant in the precious monuments of ,pompeii and the baths of ,titus4 ,america with the sea divinities are painted on the ceiling in real fresco4 ,these mythological figures are delineated agreeably to the poetical descriptions we have received of them1 and they are ,neptune1 the god of the seas1 ,amphitrite1 his wife1 ,aeolus keeping the winds chained to the rocks1 ,venus the daughter of the ,sea1 ,oceanus with crampfish claws on his head1 ,thetis1 his wife1 and ,nereus1 the father of the ,nereids1 drawn by ,glacus1 and the ,tritons by marine horses or swans1 or else mounted as sea-monsters40 ,,senate ,,reception ,,room ,brumidi decorated also the reception room of the ,senate where constituents may still call upon their ,senators--and admire the ceiling frescoes of the old artist4 ,this room has a vaulted ceiling with two arches4 ,the circular arch has a frescoed center of children and clouds with allegorical groupings about the center designed to represent ,prudence1 ,justice1 ,temperance and ,strength portrayed as beautiful madonnas with pink cheeked children4 ,four allegorical scenes in the groined arch hold forth ,liberty1 ,plenty1 ,war1 and ,peace1 in the purity of other madonna-like groupings4 ,the walls of the ,senate ,reception ,room have many empty and unfinished panels but the 8elaborate ornaments and gilded mouldings around them0 lend their own beauty to this room4 ,the outstanding ,brumidi work in the ,senate ,reception ,room is a large centerpiece in oil on the south wall showing ,george ,washington in consultation with ,thomas ,jefferson and ,alexander ,hamilton4 ,at either side1 according to ,brumidi1 are 8decorative figures in light and shade 7chiaroscuro740 ,the old voucher of #ahgc1 signed by ,brumidi1 and indicating the sum paid for this mural in the ,senate ,reception ,room1 follows3 8,for approximate estimate for painting portraits of ,washington1 ,jefferson and ,hamilton on the walls of the ,senate ,reception ,room--#ejj4jj40 ,two of the ,brumidi letters written in #ahga not only date the frescoes in the ,senate ,reception ,room and those in the ,military ,committee ,room of the ,senate already described1 but also name a lump sum paid the artist for at least a part of this work4 ,these two letters written to the ,architect of the ,capitol ,building and dated #ahga follow3 8,in reply to your request about the completion of the decorative figures in light and shade 7chiaroscuro7 at the three panels in the reception room of the ,senate according to that already painted in the last year4 8,also for three more panels in the walls of the ,senate ,military ,committee room in real fresco with three battles of the ,american ,revolution1 and many other small paintings above a door and at the ceiling1 for the completion of the ibid room1 for the sum of #e1cjj40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,new ,york ,city 8,i read in the ,herald the adjournment of the ,congress and an extra session of the ,senate will meet again for the tenth of ,may4 8,i think that in this present temporary recess1 will be the time to give orders to the plasterer to finish the panels in the ,reception ,room1 as the oil work will require the wall to be perfectly dry1 and of course three or four weeks4 ,every plasterer can do it smooth like the others already painted4 8,i am in attendance of your answer about it1 and some information of ,senator ,wilson's decision on the subject1 for the fresco of this room1 to prepare some sketch and cartoons4 8,i am at work in ,st4 ,stephen's ,church and ,i wish to proceed with it till you will call me for work in the ,senate or if you think necessary an excursion to fix this preparatory work or directions to the plasterer40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,the #ahga letter quoted above1 written from ,new ,york1 is the only reference in a ,brumidi letter of the ,brumidi file in the ,architect's office to any painting of ,brumidi's outside of ,washington4 ,it seems to have been proven1 though1 beyond a doubt that ,the ,crucifixion in ,st4 ,stephen's ,church in ,new ,york is one of at least four such sacred paintings4 ,the picture of ,saint ,peter and ,saint ,paul was painted in the ,philadelphia ,cathedral2 ,the ,holy ,trinity was done in the ,cathedral at ,mexico ,city1 and ,the ,first ,communion of ,saint ,aloysius was placed above the altar in the old ,saint ,aloysius ,church in ,washington4 ,a study of the ,saint ,aloysius mural brought to light a letter written by ,brumidi in ,italian to ,father ,sestini of ,georgetown ,university back in #ahee4 ,father ,sestini is said to have been such a close friend of ,brumidi's that the artist included the ,father in his fresco of ,st4 ,aloysius4 ,this letter to ,father ,sestini1 translated by ,father ,geib of ,georgetown ,university1 is reproduced in its entirety1 it being the only communication found from ,brumidi to a ,father in the ,catholic ,church4 ,the letter to ,father ,sestini follows3 ,november #aa1 #ahee 8,i was displeased at not having been in my studios when you came to talk to me about the painting to be done in ,baltimore4 ,concerning this1 ,i shall be interested to know whether the ,church has a flat ceiling1 since in that case the painting could be easily executed on canvas1 and later on1 be placed against the said ceiling2 this being the only way ,i can actually do anything in the service of the ,society 7of ,jesus71 since my contracted engagements for the ,capitol do not let me move away from ,washington1 having also to offer my assistance to other artists of decorative painting and fresco1 who work under my direction4 8,if1 therefore1 there would be room for a picture 7frame71 as large as might be its size to be placed in the said way1 ,i could paint it in tempera and produce the same appearance of a fresco4 ,this is all ,i can promise in the circumstances in which now ,i am1 and you would not attribute the objections already expressed to a lack of good will4 ,meanwhile1 ,i profess myself entirely obliged for the favors ,i have at all times received from the ,society 7of ,jesus74 8,i repeat myself respectfully your most obliged servant1 ,,constantino ,,brumidi0 ,a certain anonymous letter from the ,brumidi file in the ,architect's office at the ,capitol should be quoted at this time4 ,it was written on ,april #h1 #aheg1 addressed to ,mr4 ,walter1 ,architect of the ,capitol1 and shows ,brumidi the target for more criticism4 ,this crude and biased letter is quoted in full3 ,illustration3 ,,maidens ,,of ,,the ,,navy ,the unrolled map of ocean shoreline1 the compass1 and the telescope carried by the ,maidens of the ,navy1 advance the naval theme in the old ,senate ,committee ,room on ,naval ,affairs4 ,seven other such panels of exquisite design and color complete the wall decorations of this room4 ,the simulated pillars with seaweed carvings and pearl ornaments are as deceptive as the sea shell cornucopias on the ledge at the pillars' base4 ,all are painted in oil on a flat surface of dry plaster4 8,the proteg and a kind of informer of ,cap't4 ,meigs1 an ,italian painter1 ,brumidi1 paid #f daily by ,government1 did three pictures for the churches of ,new ,york and in ,georgetown and for which he received a good pay in hours and during the time which he had no right to dispose of4444 ,his friend is paid too for the thing that he does not understand nor he attends to1 yet all this is allowed and tolerated4 ,what do you say about it8 ,shall we make public notice in papers or will you attend to it80 ,,senate ,,foreign ,,relations ,,committee ,,room ,brumidi painted four large1 bronze-colored medallions on the walls of this room1 each medallion recording the profile of a noted chairman of the ,foreign ,relations ,committee4 ,on the north wall is ,henry ,clay of ,kentucky who served the ,committee as chairman from #ahcd to #ahcf4 ,on the south wall is ,william ,s4 ,allen of ,ohio1 ,committee chairman from #ahde to #ahdf4 ,the east wall portrays ,simon ,e4 ,cameron of ,pennsylvania1 who was chairman from #ahga to #ahgg1 while on the west wall is ,charles ,w4 ,sumner of ,massachusetts1 chairman from #ahfa to #ahga4 ,the voucher paying ,brumidi for this work1 dated ,june #ba1 #ahgd1 reads as follows3 8,for painting four medallion portraits in the ,committee ,room of ,foreign ,affairs1 ,united ,states ,senate1 #ej each--#bjj40 ,,senate ,,district ,,of ,,columbia ,,committee ,,rooms ,two of these ,senate ,annex rooms1 the ,district of ,columbia ,committee ,rooms1 have unusual frescoed ceilings--that of the larger room being equal in workmanship to that of the ,president's ,room4 ,since this large ,committee ,room was originally set apart as a ,senate ,library the groupings were chosen with that in mind1 for there the artist has represented ,geography1 ,history1 ,physics1 and ,telegraph4 ,in each group is the ,brumidi ,madonna and the artist's distinctive cherubs4 ,the walls of this room were never finished but the ceiling colors are as brilliant today as though painted yesterday4 ,in the files of the ,architect of the ,capitol is to be found a collection of original ,brumidi letters4 ,among these are two referring to the ,library decorations1 both written in #aheh--one by a draughtsman1 ,johannes ,oertel1 to ,mr4 ,brumidi1 and one by ,mr4 ,brumidi to ,captain ,meigs1 then superintendent of ,capitol construction4 ,the old artist apparently bothered not to answer ridicule and art criticism but a 8direct reproach0 on the discharge of his duty did not go unchallenged4 ,the two letters follow3 ,from ,mr4 ,oertel to ,mr4 ,brumidi3 8,with much surprise ,i learned that last ,saturday you had commenced to paint the ceiling at the ,senate ,library4 ,this room1 as you are aware1 was assigned to me by ,capt4 ,meigs4 ,i had consequently made preparation to begin it1 and have spent much time in doing so4 ,the work is now useless1 and my labor in vain4 8,common courtesy should have induced you to consult me before beginning yourself4 ,i cannot conceive the propriety of your taking work out of my hands1 to which by commission ,i was fairly entitled4 ,i must regard it as an unjust interference with my rights1 which rights ,i shall endeavor in the future to guard from invasion40 ,from ,mr4 ,brumidi to ,capt4 ,meigs3 8,on the #bfth of ,april #aheh1 ,i received from ,mr4 ,oertel the enclosed letter1 which is very remarkable for the injurious sentiments it contains4 8,i remember very well our conversation ,illustration3 ,,history ,this ,brumidi color lunette in the ,district of ,columbia ,committee ,room of the ,senate1 a part of that room's frescoed ceiling1 was given the name 8,history0 by the artist4 ,all paintings in this room were done with the thought of a decorative motif for a ,senate ,library4 ,the allegory in this lunette might suggest ,young ,america writing her history1 confident and undisturbed either by war or time4 ,if this room has a ,brumidi signature it has not yet been found4 that you had invited a draughtsman to come to ,washington to help me with my cartoons4 ,some days after1 in the beginning of last year 7#aheg71 ,mr4 ,oertel presented himself and told me he was the artist intended to assist me with my designs4 ,i inquired of him if he could paint4 ,he answered no1 that he was only a draughtsman4 ,in proof of this assertion he showed to me an oil painting of small dimension1 representing the head of ,st4 ,paul4 ,such was his only experiment in coloring4 8,after this ,i gave him the measure of six circles on the pilasters in the ,navy ,room1 to make a corresponding number of portraits of celebrated men in the ,american ,navy1 intending to paint them myself4 ,after that day ,i did not again see ,mr4 ,oertel1 because he had received orders from you to make the designs for the stained glass in the ,house of ,representatives4 ,in consequence of which order ,i could not have his services4 ,i have never yet received the designs for the aforesaid portraits1 therefore1 ,i made them myself1 also the cartoons for my other work1 intending to execute them when the weather was favorable4 8,not being able to work in the room of the ,committee of ,war1 as it is at present occupied1 nor in the ante-chamber of the ,senate as there are many workmen employed there1 ,i commenced in the ,senate ,library not having received any information that the frescoes there were intended for ,mr4 ,oertel nor could ,i think that an artist who himself has confessed that he had no practice in painting could think of executing pictures in fresco which is undoubtedly the most difficult of all varieties of painting4 8,if for about fifteen months ,mr4 ,oertel had been under your immediate orders1 ,i could not again employ him without a new order from you1 notwithstanding ,i have only painted one panel in the ,library1 and if you desire that ,mr4 ,oertel shall make his first experiment in fresco in the aforesaid room1 there still remain three vacant panels4 8,in everything concerning the work in the ,capitol ,extension1 it is my duty to receive orders and whatsoever observations may be needed only from you4 ,so that ,i pray you please to make known to ,mr4 ,oertel that neither he nor any other person has authority to send me such an insolent letter1 containing as it does a direct reproach on the discharge of my duty1 and ,i consider he has done me a serious injury40 ,although this ,senate ,library was begun by ,brumidi in #aheh it would seem that only one lunette was finished at that time and that negotiations for its completion were again resumed on ,august #ab1 #ahff1 when ,mr4 ,brumidi wrote the following letter to ,architect ,clark itemizing the completion costs3 8444,the three panels in the ceiling1 painted in real fresco representing allegorical subjects1 corresponding to the original plan1 and to the other already painted by myself1 for #a1ejj each1 making an amount of #d1ejj--;and #ejj dollars more for painting all the figures and ornaments in the same ceiling in correspondence with the others1 making a total cost of #e1jjj4 8,the enclosed account at the old price of daily wages was presented by me to put under consideration what would have been the cost of the work if it had been completed six years ago4 ,the mentioned persons1 ,peruchi and ,geier were employed expressly one to help me as an artist1 and the other to serve me in preparing the cartoons1 the colors1 and to assist me in my private studio as well as in the ,capitol1 and they having nothing to do with the plasterer who fixes the mortar in the wall1 always furnished by the government40 ,architect ,clark's reply a few days later was short and to the point1 8,i do not consider there is three times as much to do as has already been done40 ,brumidi painted in the ,capitol ,building throughout the entire war between the ,states4 ,in the little ante-room of the ,senate ,district of ,columbia ,committee ,room1 originally the office of the ,sergeant at ,arms of the ,senate1 is his only effort to picture that conflict4 ,this small room has four allegorical designs painted about its upper walls and one large fresco in the center of the ceiling4 ,this fresco is signed1 8,c4 ,brumidi1 #ahgf10 and represents 8,columbia ,welcoming the ,south ,back into the ,union40 ,on the east wall is 8,secession0--the breaking of the fasces1 and the rival products of the ,north and ,south2 on the south wall is war and strife2 on the north wall the implements of war are exchanged for those of peace1 while on the west wall the fasces are again united with the words 8,e ,pluribus ,unum40 ,these two ,senate ,committee ,rooms present a great contrast in brilliancy of color4 ,the somber tone of the smaller room might be due to its date of execution1 it having been finished only four years before the artist's death4 ,the larger room is said to have had a bit of restoration at one time during the two restoration periods that some of the ,brumidi frescoes have had in the ,capitol4 ,charles ,ayer ,whipple was employed in #aiai to restore some of the ,brumidi paintings especially in the basement corridors in the ,senate ,annex4 ,this artist is recorded to have said at that time1 8,the ,brumidi decorations are second to none in the whole world40 ,in #aiba ,charles ,e4 ,moberly also did some restoration of ,brumidi paintings but his work was chiefly in the ,house ,committee ,room where a fire had marred the side walls1 and in the ,reception room of the ,senate where a bomb explosion in the early days of ,world ,war ,i damaged the walls and ceiling4 ,,ground ,,floor ,,corridors ,,senate ,,extension ,the ,senate ,appropriations ,committee ,rooms earlier referred to are entered from the ,west ,corridor on the ground floor of the ,senate ,extension4 ,above the door leading into these ,committee ,rooms is the ,brumidi fresco of ,bellona1 the ,roman goddess of ,war1 with her stacked guns1 flag-draped cannon and silent drum and trumpets at her feet4 ,this ,west ,corridor with vaulted ceiling is elaborately decorated in #aeth ,century style1 thought to have been inspired by the ,loggia of ,raphael in the ,vatican at ,rome1 that portion of the ,vatican at one time said to have been restored by ,brumidi4 ,in the ,capitol's ,west ,corridor are studies of birds1 butterflies and children4 ,among the humming birds1 cardinals1 bluejays1 and robins are #ac exquisite landscapes and inimitable medallion profiles of ,john ,hancock1 ,francis ,hopkinson1 ,robert ,livingston1 ,roger ,sherman1 ,john ,jay1 ,charles ,thompson1 ,charles ,carroll and ,robert ,morris4 ,in a special ceiling design are the twelve signs of the zodiac in fields of ,pompeian blue4 ,senator ,voorhees made the following appreciative reference to ,brumidi's ,west ,corridor designs3 8,the poetry of the artist1 if ,i may so express it1 had also its field of display4 ,to one who recalls the great forests of the ,west before they were swept away1 the birds and the specimens of ,american animals with which he has adorned a portion of this ,capitol must be a source of unceasing enjoyment4 ,the birds especially are all there1 from the humming-bird at an open flower to the bald eagle with his fiery eye and angry feathers4 ,i have been told that the aged artist loved these birds as a father loves his children and that he often lingered in their midst as if a strong tie bound him to them40 ,the ,north ,corridor is equally as colorful as the ,west ,corridor4 ,here we find painted on the walls1 parrots and quail1 lizards and chipmunks1 squirrels and mice in their own habitat and color1 midst every kind of flower and fruit imaginable4 ,children dance about the trailing arbutus1 lilies of the valley1 morning glories1 columbine1 bleeding hearts and peonies4 ,panels adorned with clusters and baskets of fruit--purple grapes1 pineapples1 peaches1 plums1 currants and cherries help to frame medallion profiles of ,daniel ,morgan1 ,jonathan ,trumbull1 ,horatio ,gates1 ,israel ,putnam1 ,thomas ,mifflin1 ,silas ,deane1 ,richard ,montgomery1 ,joseph ,warren1 ,thomas ,jefferson and ,benjamin ,franklin4 ,in this corridor also are two large frescoes above other ,committee room doors4 8,the ,cession of ,louisiana10 picturing ,livingston1 ,monroe and ,barbe-,marbois in the act of negotiating the ,louisiana purchase1 is at the west end of this corridor4 ,at the east end of this corridor is 8,the ,signing of the ,first ,treaty of ,peace with ,great ,britain in #aghb0 in which likenesses of ,richard ,oswald1 ,john ,adams1 ,henry ,laurens1 ,john ,jay and ,benjamin ,franklin are portrayed4 ,a voucher1 signed by ,brumidi1 and dated ,november #aa1 #ahgd1 has been found referring to this treaty picture3 8,for painting in ,fresco over the entrance of the room of the ,committee of ,foreign ,affairs1 the picture of the ,signing of the ,first ,treaty with ,great ,britain--#fjj40 ,on the upper walls of the ,patent ,corridor at the extreme east end of the ,north ,corridor are large frescoes of ,fulton and his invention on the ,hudson1 ,fitch working on a steamboat model1 and ,franklin in his laboratory1 while the ceiling displays many small designs of patents important to the ,american people4 ,roses of all colors1 conventionalized or in tall graceful vases1 predominate in this corridor decoration4 ,brumidi is reported to have said that his 8,palisades of the ,hudson0 in the ,robert ,fulton fresco were not strong enough in perspective and that he hoped some day to have time to strengthen that portion of his painting4 ,a ,brumidi voucher dated ,november #bh1 #ahgc1 helps to verify the fact that the ,fulton painting is a fresco3 8,for painting in fresco the picture of ,robert ,fulton in the ,senate wing1 in the passage in front of the room of the ,committee on ,patents--#ejj40 ,the ,main ,corridor on the ground floor of the ,senate ,extension is said to follow the ,byzantine style of decoration with subdued backgrounds that display to perfection #ad more oval-shaped landscapes of marvelous depth and beauty4 ,at the extreme north end of the corridor are the profile portraits of ,andrew ,jackson and ,henry ,clay1 large frescoes of ,justice ,story and ,chancellor ,kent and a ,illustration3 ,,three ,,graces ,four such groups of ,graces in varying attitudes and color combinations are used by ,brumidi as corner motives on the frescoed ceiling of the ,district of ,columbia ,committee ,room of the ,senate4 ,so delicately beautiful are the pastel shades in the maidens' drapery that the studies of graces are equally as popular as the lunettes which they separate4 ,again1 all frames and intricate moldings are painted on a smooth ceiling surface4 ,the working sketch for these ,graces is reproduced in black and white on page #gi4 bust of ,chancellor ,livingstone executed in imitation sculpture4 ,two vouchers signed by ,brumidi and dated ,august #bd1 #ahgd1 fix the date1 price and style of painting in the north end of this main corridor3 8,for painting bust in light and shade of ,chancellor ,livingston at north end of basement story--#ajj40 8,for painting in fresco the portraits of ,justice ,story and ,chancellor ,kent at north end of basement story--#djj40 ,there is also a ,south ,corridor on this ground floor of the ,senate ,extension done in the same subdued ,byzantine style with eight large studies of animals in oval frames painted in oil on the walls and eight other ovals of the same size displaying in each the ,united ,states shield4 ,two facts concerning ,brumidi disturb us at this point in some such way as ,smith ,d4 ,fry evidently was disturbed back in #aiab when he wrote his 8,story of the ,capitol40 ,mr4 ,fry apparently satisfied his own wonder in these words3 8,many people inquire how it was possible for ,brumidi to accomplish such an enormous amount of art work4 ,the great designer and decorator prepared his colors according to methods known only to himself4 ,they were mixed or triturated by employees under ,brumidi's direction4 ,leslie and others covered the walls with backgrounds1 under ,brumidi's direction4 ,other near artists made outlines1 according to directions of the tireless worker4 ,but all of the artistic work was finished by the hand of the matchless ,brumidi himself4 ,that the name of ,brumidi and the story of his wonderful work have not been known to the ,american people is not due to lack of appreciation but to the fact that there has been no one with time and acquaintance with his work to tell the people about it40 ,,capitol ,,rotunda ,on the frieze of the ,rotunda ,brumidi did his last work in the ,capitol ,building4 ,this frieze is a belt nine feet wide which circles the ,rotunda #eh feet from the floor4 ,the ,rotunda is #cjj feet in circumference4 ,on ,october #a1 #ahgg1 the ,architect of the ,capitol gave the following report1 8,the belt of the ,rotunda intended to be enriched with basso relievos is being embellished in real fresco representing in light and shadow events in our history arranged in chronological order1 begining with the ,landing of ,columbus and ending with a period of our ,revolutionary history to be decided later40 ,according to ,brumidi's signed statement of #ahgd1 earlier quoted1 8,that large frieze in the ,rotunda was sketched by order of ,captain ,meigs before the war10 but the artist was #gb years old before he actually was allowed to begin painting the frieze in the difficult ,rotunda location4 ,he had in mind fifteen historical scenes planned to cover fifteen divisions of the frieze and from his file of letters we know how desperately he worked to finish these frescoes before sickness should compel him to lay aside his brush4 ,the following four short letters to the ,architect of the ,capitol during ,brumidi's last months show the heroic effort made by the artist to complete his frieze3 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,october #ae1 #ahgh 8,i have returned at home1 having improved enough and ,i am translating in large proportion the cartoon of ,pocahontas1 and if ,monday the plasterer is ready to proceed with the panel of ,de,soto ,i desire to go on in that work1 if my health will permit me1 as ,i hope40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,december #bg1 #ahgh 8,in this very cold weather ,i am compelled to suspend the work in the ,rotunda where ,illustration3 ,,washington ,,at ,,valley ,,forge ,another lunette painted by ,brumidi high on the walls of the old ,senate ,committee ,room on ,military ,affairs was named by ,brumidi1 8,washington at ,valley ,forge40 ,this portrayal of our ,revolutionary ,general was evidently painted with these words of ,washington in mind3 8,we have this day no less than #b1hgc men in camp unfit for duty because they are barefooted and otherwise naked 444 numbers are still obliged to sit all night by fires40 7,december #bc1 #aggg47 ,could the two soldiers with ,washington be ,brumidi's conception of ,baron ,steuben and ,lafayette8 the heating is not enough to prevent the frost at the surface of the mortar1 that does not remain soft long enough upon the wall for absorbing the colors till the piece of the day would be completed1 causing injury to the work2 for this reason ,i ask the permission to suspend the fresco work for some weeks until the weather will be not so cold4 8,i am proceeding with the cartoon of ,the ,landing of the ,pilgrims1 where ,i have no need of the laborer's assistance40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,orkney ,springs1 ,august #aa1 #ahgi 8,in the month of ,july you agreed to my request to draw the cartoons in my studio4 8,a short time before ,i was attacked by the asthma and finding no relief1 was advised to leave the ,city by ,dr4 ,thompson1 and decided to come here4 ,i suffered only during the night which was very fortunate as it permitted me to work in the day4 ,i have completed three cartoons representing the treaty of ,william ,penn and ,settlement of ,new ,england which comprises two cartoons4 ,i have brought one with me on which ,i work every day4 ,i find the air a great benefit to me1 the water also and expect to be able to continue the ,fresco very soon40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,august #ah1 #ahgi 8,saturday #afth ,i returned in the city1 and ready to proceed with the work in fresco 7with your permission74 ,three cartoons are near completed4 ,i am improved in the general health1 that was the object of my trip and not for the pleasure40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,illustration3 ,,landing ,,of ,,the ,,pilgrims ,of the fifteen historical groups planned by ,brumidi for the frescoed frieze encircling the ,rotunda1 the 8,landing of the ,pilgrims0 is the one in which the attitude of prayer predominates4 ,this frieze is #i feet wide and #eh feet from the ,rotunda floor4 ,brumidi was #gb years old when he began its execution but he had drawn the plans probably twenty years earlier4 ,but this last task he set for himself was too great4 ,of the fifteen scenes ,brumidi planned1 he finished the following six3 ,landing of ,columbus1 #adib2 ,entry of ,cortez into ,mexico1 #aeba2 ,pizarro's ,conquest of ,peru1 #aecc2 ,midnight ,burial of ,de,soto1 #aeda2 ,pocahontas saving ,john ,smith1 #afjf2 ,landing of the ,pilgrims1 #afbj4 ,illustration3 ,,penn',s ,,treaty ,,with ,,the ,,indians ,the seventh group1 chronologically1 on the ,rotunda frieze is 8,penn's ,treaty with the ,indians40 ,it follows the 8,landing of the ,pilgrims0 in ,brumidi's design4 ,it was while working on this group that ,brumidi fell on the scaffolding and was never able to return4 ,the three ,indians at the right were left unfinished1 the lighter background marking the spot from which ,brumidi fell4 ,the artist had the seventh scene1 ,penn's ,treaty with the ,indians1 #afhb1 more than half finished when he fell from the suspended chair from which he worked and was forced to hang by his arms from a ladder until workmen made the rescue4 ,the last few months of his life he worked at his studio on the frieze cartoons4 ,edward ,clark1 ,architect of the ,capitol1 makes reference to the unfinished frieze in his ,report of ,october #a1 #ahhj4 ,said he at that time1 8,but little progress has been made on the frescoes of the belt in the ,dome1 owing to the illness and death of the late ,constantino ,brumidi4 ,philip ,costaggini1 an artist of acknowledged merit1 educated in the same school as the former artist1 is now engaged on these frescoes40 ,one year later1 however1 on ,october #a1 #ahha1 ,mr4 ,clark made the following report3 8,mr4 ,costaggini has painted in fresco on the belt of the ,rotunda the 8,settlement of ,new ,england10 8,oglethorpe and the ,indians10 left unfinished by ,mr4 ,brumidi1 and he is now engaged on the 8,reading of the ,declaration of ,independence40 ,it is proper to state here1 that ,mr4 ,brumidi made the designs for these sections only in small size and ,mr4 ,costaggini has had to make the eight remaining full size cartoons40 ,when ,mr4 ,costaggini finished the work of executing the ,brumidi designs on the ,rotunda frieze he had space enough left to accommodate two compositions of his own choosing4 ,since his designs were never sanctioned by ,congress1 ,mr4 ,costaggini died in #aijg leaving an unfinished frieze4 ,a third artist1 ,charles ,ayer ,whipple1 was employed in #aiah at daily wages to restore some of ,brumidi's paintings on the walls of the ,ground ,floor ,corridors at the ,capitol and to make a sample painting on the unfinished frieze4 ,this trial painting he called 8,the ,spirit of #aiag40 ,the ,committee charged with final decisions concerning the frieze at that time decided against ,whipple's further effort4 ,in #aibe ,mr4 ,whipple referred to his frieze painting in a letter to the ,architect of the ,capitol1 a portion of which follows3 8,as you know ,i painted a group of figures in the frieze with the permission of the ,library ,committee1 to prove that ,i understood the ancient method of ,fresco painting1 that is1 the method of ,michelangelo in the ,sistine ,chapel in ,rome4 ,the frieze is painted in that method and of course must be completed in the mode of the great ,italian ,master1 that of 8lime painting on wet plaster40 ,mr4 ,whipple died in #aibh4 ,the frieze is still unfinished and still of current interest4 ,on ,august #ag1 #aiej1 the ,president of the ,united ,states signed a ,joint ,resolution1 ,h4 ,j4 ,res4 #ba1 8,to provide for the utilization of the unfinished portion of the historical frieze in the ,rotunda of the ,capitol to portray 7#a7 the ,civil ,war1 7#b7 the ,spanish-,american ,war1 and 7#c7 the birth of aviation in the ,united ,states40 ,each new effort to finish the ,rotunda ,frieze is a testimony to the artist1 ,brumidi1 and to his inimitable work4 ,should an artist well schooled in the ,italian fresco process not be found to finish the frieze it is the author's thought that the problem might be solved by adorning the blank portion of the ,rotunda belt with a memorial inscription to ,constantino ,brumidi4 ,illustration ,color ,reproductions ,,of ,brumidi ,frescoes in the ,united ,states ,capitol ,illustration3 ,,brumidi',s ,,frescoed ,,canopy ,,in ,,the ,,eye ,,of ,,the ,,dome ,the ,dome ,canopy as here pictured was photographed from the exact center of the ,rotunda1 #ahj feet below4 ,unavoidably1 the balcony around the ,eye of the ,dome hides the outer portion of all six allegorical groups4 ,in order to make individual 8close-ups0 of these groups our photographer went to the top balcony of the ,dome at night1 carrying his own lighting equipment4 ,his six kodachromes1 each made at a distance of #fe feet1 the diameter of the ,dome at this point1 follow3 7,s4 ,d4 ,wyeth's six-page booklet1 printed in #ahff1 gives the 8,description of ,brumidi's ,allegorical ,painting within the ,canopy of the ,rotunda40 ,since ,brumidi finished this canopy in #ahfe we may reasonably suppose that ,wyeth's interpretations came directly from the artist4 ,for this reason ,wyeth's own legends are quoted on the following six pages47 ,illustration3 ,,agriculture 8,,ceres1 the ,goddess of ,harvests and the ,fields1 with the ,horn of ,plenty1 is in the center4 ,young ,america1 with ,liberty ,cap1 of red1 the bonnet rouge of ,france1 having under his control a pair of vigorous horses hitched to an ,american ,reaper1 in conscious pride is exhibiting his skill4 ,the background is a luxuriant mass of prolific vegetation4 ,flora is gathering flowers1 and1 hovering near1 is a cherub4 ,beyond is ,pomona with a basket of fruit40 ,,wyeth--#ahff ,illustration3 ,,mechanics 8,,vulcan1 the old stalwart ,tubal ,cain of ,grecian mythology1 is the colossal genius of this group4 ,his right foot rests on a cannon4 ,machinery1 forges1 mortars1 and cannon balls1 strewn around1 remind us of forging thunderbolts1 as well as of combat with1 and victory over1 the giant forces of nature1 and making them subservient to human will and purposes40 ,,wyeth--#ahff ,illustration3 ,,commerce 8,,mercury1 the ,protector of ,travellers and ,merchants1 holds in his hand a bag of gold1 to which he is directing the attention of ,robert ,morris1 the ,financier of the ,american ,revolution4 ,it was he who guided to a successful issue the entangled pecuniary embarrassments of our country in its struggle for independence4 ,alas6 for himself1 he died a bankrupt1 and in confinement for debt4 ,boxes of merchandise1 and bales of goods1 with men at work among them1 are to be seen4 ,two sailors point to a gunboat in the distance40--,,wyeth--#ahff ,illustration3 ,,marine 8,,neptune1 in marine state1 bearing his trident1 in his car1 accompanied by his charioteer and attendants1 is emerging astonished from the deep4 ,the beautiful ,aphrodite 7,venus71 born of the sea foam1 half risen from the waves1 holds in her hand the ,atlantic cable1 given her by a winged cherub1 and is about dropping it into the sea40--,,wyeth--#ahff ,illustration3 ,,arts ,,and ,,sciences 8,,minerva1 the ,goddess of ,wisdom1 stands gloriously prominent1 with helmet and spear1 as she springs1 full grown1 from the brain of ,jupiter4 ,in meek attitudes1 but with glowing faces1 attentive to her teachings1 are ,benjamin ,franklin1 ,printer and ,philosopher1 ,robert ,fulton1 of ,steamboat renown1 and ,s4 ,f4 ,b4 ,morse1 the generally acknowledged inventor of the ,magnetic ,telegraph4 ,there are also boys1 with wondering eyes1 and expressive gestures1 listening to the instructions of a school teacher40--,,wyeth--#ahff ,illustration3 ,,war 8,,freedom1 terrible in vengeance1 with upraised sword1 is striking down ,tyranny and ,kingly ,power4 ,they are overcome1 and flee from her wrath in dismay2 with them is ,anger1 and also ,vengeance and ,discord bearing the incendiary torch4 ,an angry ,eagle1 striking with his beak1 is fighting for1 and by the side of1 ,freedom40 8,,washington1 the ,savior of his ,country1 apotheosized1 appears seated in majesty4 ,on his right is the ,goddess of ,liberty1 and on his left is a winged idealization of ,victory and ,fame1 sounding a trumpet1 and in triumph displaying the victor's palm4 ,forming a semicircle are thirteen female figures1 representing the thirteen ,states40--,,wyeth--#ahff ,illustration3 ,,thomas ,,jefferson ,of the five portraits in color of ,washington's first cabinet1 painted by ,brumidi on the walls of the ,president's room1 that of ,thomas ,jefferson is considered by many to be the most lifelike4 ,brumidi gave ,jefferson the favored location beneath the portrait of ,george ,washington1 thus bestowing honor on the ,secretary of ,state1 the highest ranking ,cabinet officer4 ,the delicate graceful carvings of the picture frame are another ,brumidi delusion4 ,both the portrait and the frame are painted in oil on dry plaster4 ,mr4 ,fairman suggests that there is enough resemblance between the ,brumidi ,jefferson and the ,trumbull ,jefferson in the ,declaration of ,independence in the ,rotunda 8upon which to base a theory that ,brumidi was at least influenced by the work of ,trumbull40 ,illustration3 ,,washington-,,jefferson-,,hamilton ,brumidi was paid #ejj for this mural of ,washington-,jefferson-,hamilton on the south wall of the ,senate ,reception ,room as indicated by an #ahgc voucher4 ,portions of two empty medallions showing in this reproduction beyond the 8decorative figures in light and shade 7chiaroscuro70 remind us of ,brumidi's sorrowful words in #ahgd3 8,now many panels remain empty1 disfiguring the elaborate ornaments and gilded mouldings around them1 which sooner or later must be completed40 ,illustration3 ,,washington ,,at ,,yorktown ,this ,cornwallis-,washington mural on the wall of the ,house of ,representatives ,chamber was criticized in #aheg as 8unsuited to halls of deliberation where calm thought and unimpassioned reason are supposed to reside40 ,for architectural reasons1 however1 the painting will presently be removed from the ,house ,chamber to a spot more accessible to ardent friends of ,brumidi4 ,on the strap of the brief case1 lower right1 is the famous ,brumidi signature1 8,c4 ,brumidi1 artist4 ,citizen of the ,u4 ,s40 7,brumidi's ,dome ,canopy signature can be found on page #eb47 ,illustration3 ,,benjamin ,,franklin ,brumidi's choice of ,benjamin ,franklin as an ,american statesman to represent 8,history0 in the decorative scheme of the frescoed ceiling of the ,president's ,room is appropriate4 ,it may be that one of the half dozen sheets of parchment shown in the picture is meant to represent the ,declaration of ,independence1 and the five others to represent the ,constitution of the ,united ,states4 ,franklin helped to write both of these immortal documents4 ,it has been said that ,franklin is here at once easily recognized since this picture contains 8all the characteristics of his many portraits and statues which are generally known40 ,illustration3 ,,storming ,,of ,,stony ,,point ,of the five frescoed lunettes in the larger ,appropriations ,committee ,room of the ,senate painted by ,brumidi1 the 8,storming of ,stony ,point0 is probably the most colorful4 ,a voucher signed by ,brumidi and dated ,october #ai1 #ahga1 reads1 8,for painting in fresco three panels in ,committee ,room on ,military ,affairs1 ,senate ,wing1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 viz3 ,washington at ,valley ,forge1 ,storming of ,stony ,point1 ,boston ,massacre1 #ajjj each40 ,said ,senator ,voorhees in #ahhj1 8,who ever passed through the room of the ,committee on ,military ,affairs without feeling that the very genius of heroism had left there its immortal inspirations40 ,illustration3 ,,telegraph ,the laying of the ,atlantic cable1 with its great significance1 has been painted by ,brumidi into two ,capitol frescoes4 8,telegraph0 is ,brumidi's own title for this lunette painted as a part of the ceiling fresco in the ,district of ,columbia ,committee ,room of the ,senate4 ,the beauty1 freedom1 and plenty of ,america extending a welcome across the seas1 as here portrayed1 was always in the heart of the artist4 ,the working sketch for this lunette was among the ,brumidi paintings stored in a ,washington bank vault for forty years4 ,illustration3 ,,legislation ,one of four ,madonnas from the frescoed ceiling of the ,president's ,room1 ,senate ,annex4 ,the ,artist's ,compensation ,preserved today in the ,capitol's ,brumidi file is a statement signed by ,brumidi in #ahgd1 but written in the third person 8,relative to his ,employment at the ,capitol40 ,a portion of that statement follows3 8,at one time ,brumidi was employed in decorating the ,capitol at the same compensation allowed ,congressmen1 and when that compensation was increased that benefit was also extended to him4 ,at the breaking out of the ,civil ,war ,captain ,meigs was promoted1 and all the work at the ,capitol was suspended but ,senator ,foot1 ,chairman of the ,senate ,committee on ,public ,buildings and ,grounds1 as an exception retained ,brumidi at work1 and placed his name on the roll of the ,senate official employees4 8,after the war some paintings were completed under the orders of the ,secretary of the ,interior1 and the ,committee on ,public ,buildings and ,grounds1 executed by contract under the control of the ,architect of the ,capitol1 but many long interruptions occurred1 and much valuable time was lost for want of available appropriations4 8,now many panels remain empty1 disfiguring the elaborate ornaments and gilded mouldings around them1 which sooner or later must be completed2 also that large frieze in the ,rotunda sketched by order of ,captain ,meigs before the war1 and intended to represent the history of the country4 8,the artist ,brumidi humbly proposes to proceed with the work on the economical system of daily wages as the only manner to avoid the inconvenience of interruptions for want of available appropriations40 ,known evidence seems to indicate that ,brumidi died poor4 ,this has led many to believe that the ,government of the ,united ,states did not pay him sufficiently for his services4 ,even ,george ,c4 ,hazelton stated in #aijc1 8,the late artist's designs 7for the frieze7 were promptly appropriated without remuneration to his family for the thought and labor which they contained40 ,were it not for the fact1 already quoted1 from the ,report of the ,architect of the ,capitol for ,october #a1 #ahha1 that the designs for these sections of the frieze were left by ,brumidi only in small size and that ,mr4 ,costaggini had to make the full sized cartoons1 we might not recognize ,hazelton's error of statement4 ,it is well to remember that ,mr4 ,brumidi was working on a per diem basis 7#aj4jj a day7 during the last few years of his life when his labors were interrupted by sickness4 ,it is well to remember also that the artist worked for #h4jj per day during the years #ahee and #ahef4 ,during #aheg1 #aheh1 #ahei1 #ahfj1 and part of #ahfa1 he worked also on a per diem basis1 but at a salary of #aj4jj per day4 ,monthly vouchers for these years1 averaging about two hundred sixty dollars per month and signed 8,c4 ,brumidi10 are preserved today by the ,architect's office4 ,in fact1 most of the money paid the artist by the ,government of the ,united ,states during his twenty-five years of service is recorded in voucher form and each voucher signed 8,c4 ,brumidi40 ,from #ahfa to #ahgb were ,brumidi's best years financially1 these being the years he received contract prices for his paintings4 ,on ,march #aa1 #ahfc1 ,mr4 ,brumidi signed a contract with the ,government to paint the ,canopy of the ,dome for #dj1jjj4jj4 7,this contract is preserved in the ,capitol ,brumidi file47 ,a portion of a letter written by the ,secretary of the ,interior1 dated ,november #f1 #ahfc1 refers to this contract3 8,in ,march last an agreement was entered into with ,mr4 ,c4 ,brumidi for painting the canopy over the eye of the new dome of the ,capitol in real fresco at an entire cost1 including the cartoons and every other expense of not over #dj1jjj1 payment to be made in monthly bills as the work progresses1 not to exceed #b1jjj each40 ,according to the old vouchers in the ,architect's office1 the artist was actually paid #ci1ejj 7chiefly in #b1jjj installments7 between #ahfc and #ahff1 five hundred dollars having been withheld until the canopy should be declared finished4 ,brumidi died before this five hundred dollars was paid4 ,the years #ahgb1 #ahgc1 and #ahgd were still contract years1 but they were lean years1 as only six vouchers totaling #b1cej can be found that were issued to the artist during those three years1 and we find no ,brumidi vouchers in the architect's file for the years #ahge and #ahgf4 ,with the beginning of #ahgg1 however1 ,brumidi was evidently re-employed at the ,capitol at the rate of #aj per day as shown by two old 8,time ,books0 which indicate month by month the hours worked and the total amount earned by the old artist from ,january #ahgg up to the time of his death on ,february #ai1 #ahhj4 ,these ,time ,books consistently carried ,mr4 ,brumidi as fresco artist among its employed personnel of laborers1 masons1 plasterers1 finishers1 and painters4 ,a ,brumidi letter written to ,architect ,clark ,july #af1 #ahgi1 is the artist's own verification that the ,government of the ,united ,states paid him consistently for art work during his last years ,illustration3 ,,horatio ,,gates ,profiled midst laurel1 fruit1 flowers1 and birds1 ,horatio ,gates is one of twenty ,american profiles painted by ,brumidi1 each set in its own panel1 on the basement walls of the ,senate ,annex4 ,the many bird decorations used to adorn these walls are so accurate that bird enthusiasts have been known to identify as many as sixty species4 ,senator ,voorhees of ,indiana knew of ,brumidi's love for birds and made reference to it in this manner3 8,he 7,brumidi7 loved these birds as a father loves his children and he often lingered in their midst as if a strong tie bound him to them40 when much of that work had to be done in his studio because of failing health4 ,the #ahgi letter follows3 8,i received yesterday the visit of ,mr4 ,mc,tynchon1 and ,i was glad to show him the progress of my work in the cartoon for the ,dome1 that your kindness permits me to proceed it at my studio at home4 8,i have completed the cartoon of the ,treaty of ,william ,penn1 also the retouching of the cartoon of ,pizzarro1 making the light permanent with glue as ,i did at the large cartoon of ,columbus4 8,i have commenced the cartoon of the settlement of ,new ,england4 8,i hope you and your family will enjoy your summer residence1 and ,i will continue to progress with my work hoping to give you the desired satisfaction4 8,with my best regards to ,mrs4 ,clark1 and family1 ,i remain0 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,it seems reasonably certain that the ,architect of the ,capitol and other friends of ,brumidi in the ,congress of the ,united ,states at the time of ,brumidi's death wanted the old artist to have every dollar due him for the ,capitol decorations1 even to the extent of using the #bjj--;apparently earlier appropriated for ,dome scaffolding construction--to defray funeral expenses4 ,then1 too1 there is one voucher in the ,brumidi voucher collection1 dated ,february #ai1 #ahhj1 the day the artist died1 8for #ac days' services as artist at #aj4jj--acj4jj40 ,this voucher is not endorsed4 ,it is evidently true1 also1 that ,brumidi died poor4 ,in the following letter to ,architect ,clark1 dated only five months before his death1 and only two days before he fell from the frieze scaffolding we have the picture of a lonely artist facing lean years with fear--and a bit of remorse3 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,september #bi1 #ahgi 8,i received the visit of ,dr4 ,taylor and ,i hope to obtain much benefit by his prescription2 but my sickness proceeds more by the mental than physical weakness1 because my mind is much worried by the terrible future prospect of starvation as soon as my bad health prevents me to do the daily work1 having saved nothing in the past when the fortune provided me with very profitable works4 ,probably you know that when the superintendent ,meigs was promoted as ,quartermaster ,general the ,senator ,foot1 ,president pro tempore of the ,senate1 put my name in the roll of the employee and was continuing to work1 and the decorations of the basement corridor of the ,senate was made in that time at the roll pay4 ,now1 sickly and old1 with #bf years' service as an artist in the ,capitol1 ,i ask the comfort to be replaced in the roll as a reward for my work and gain again the tranquility of the mind40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,four days after the artist's death a bill was introduced into the ,senate of the ,united ,states which read as follows3 8,be it enacted4444 ,that the ,secretary of the ,interior be1 and he is hereby1 directed to pay to the heirs of ,constantino ,brumidi1 deceased1 the sum of #ejj1 that being the amount reserved from the last voucher paid him for painting in fresco the picture on the canopy of the ,dome of the ,capitol2 and also to pay to said heirs the sum of #bjj to defray the funeral expenses of said deceased2 said payments to be made out of moneys appropriated by an act approved ,march #c1 #ahgi40 ,upon introducing this bill1 ,senator ,voorhees of ,indiana made the following explanation3 8,mr4 ,president1 the reason for the introduction of this bill grows out of the following facts3 ,the ,government made a contract with ,mr4 ,brumidi for the painting1 in fresco1 on the canopy of the ,dome of the ,capitol4 ,the scaffolding necessary to enable the artist to do his work was furnished by the ,government4 ,when the painting was finished and the scaffolding removed the ,secretary of the ,interior withheld the sum of #ejj of the contract price as a guarantee for any retouching which the work might need after it dried out and became thoroughly seasoned to the air4 ,this amount was held back1 to be paid to ,mr4 ,brumidi for such future attention on his part as the painting might be found to require4 8,he was at all times in readiness to comply with the wishes of the ,government on this subject4 ,no scaffolding1 however1 was ever replaced on which to work in the ,canopy of the ,dome1 nor was he ever called on by the officials having this matter in charge to give his painting there any further attention4444 ,both branches of ,congress made the following provision in the sundry civil act for the fiscal year ending ,june #cj1 #ahhj3 8#8,to pay ,c4 ,brumidi for retouching and blending the picture in fresco on the ,canopy of the ,dome of the ,capitol and for constructing a scaffolding under said picture1 #gjj4' 8,the money thus appropriated has been available nearly a year1 yet no steps were taken by the proper authorities to enable ,mr4 ,brumidi to ascend again into the ,canopy of the ,dome of this ,capitol1 and none now ever will be4 ,in the exact and legal fulfillment of a contract it is our duty to pay this sum of #ejj to his heirs4 ,on this point ,i conceive there can be no difference of opinion4 ,i have ventured1 however1 in the bill just introduced to ask ,congress to apply the remaining #bjj of the appropriation of ,march #c1 #ahgi1 to the payment of the funeral expenses of the great artist who has just passed away40 ,senator ,morrill of ,vermont followed ,senator ,voorhees on the ,floor of the ,senate on that #bdth day of ,february back in #ahhj to add his sanction to the bill introduced4 ,said ,senator ,morrill3 8,mr4 ,president1 ,i desire to express my hearty approval of the measure proposed by the ,senator from ,indiana4 ,it is only justice--and that coldly measured--that we should now pay all we ever promised to one who can make no further demands upon us1 but whose works will live to remind us of his twenty-five years of most valuable service in a branch of art where he stood on this continent confessedly foremost1 whether among foreign or native artists4 ,he leaves a daughter in ,italy dependent upon a regular remittance from her father1 and he leaves an adopted son beginning to be taught in the line of his father's vocation1 but not so far advanced as to give support4 ,i hope it will be the pleasure of the ,senate unanimously to pass the bill whenever it comes up for action40 ,senator ,morrill who made the above speech in the ,senate of the ,united ,states is the same ,senator ,morrill to whom ,brumidi referred in the following letter written to ,mr4 ,clark1 ,architect of the ,capitol1 and dated ,november #cj1 #ahgd3 8,the ,thanksgiving day ,i received the kind visit of ,senator ,morrill at the ,providence ,hospital4 ,on that occasion ,i gave him a paper containing the information of the time ,i was working in the ,capitol by daily wages and also retained at work by ,senator ,foot1 ,chairman of the ,senate ,committee on ,public ,buildings and ,grounds in the time of the war4 8,the annexed paper is the copy of that ,i presented to ,senator ,morrill4 ,i would have submitted it for your examination but in the many times ,i have been in your office ,i had not the chance to find you1 nor in your house some afternoon4 8,mr4 ,morrill told me1 that ,i would have work at the ,capitol after the recess of the ,congress1 but about my proposition1 he cannot tell me anything at present1 but will take this matter in consideration and he asked me what will be my demand about the wages4 ,i replied that before the war ,i had ten dollars in gold1 that was a sufficient wage at the time but now all the wages are generally increased1 ,i hope to obtain the same consideration40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,according to endorsed vouchers and ,time ,book entries preserved by the ,government of the ,united ,states in the ,architect's office of the ,capitol1 actual payment in money was made to ,mr4 ,brumidi of something over #hj1gjj during a period of twenty-five years4 ,while an average of #c1bjj a year from #ahee to #ahhj was not over-payment for ,mr4 ,brumidi's services1 yet1 by the same reasoning it cannot in truth be termed under-payment for those same years4 ,illustration ,brumidi's ,american ,wife and ,children ,every proof that my government was not responsible for ,mr4 ,brumidi's last hard years helped to focus my interest on the artist's family1 the family that should have eased the burdens of their benefactor4 ,i remembered that in a letter written to the ,capitol ,architect by ,brumidi1 the same year1 #ahgd1 that the artist prepared the statement1 8,relative to his ,employment at the ,capitol10 is a reference to his temporary residence at ,marine ,hall4 ,this letter contains also the artist's first reference to a physical disability3 8,you would be surprised for having not seen me more at the ,capitol4 8,the large drawing or cartoon is done at ,marines ,hall where ,i have a temporary residence in the same building4 8,it was my intention to commence the work as soon as the plasterer is ready1 but ,sunday last1 a painful rheumatic attack at my knee on the left side obliged me to remain in bed for some time4 8,yesterday the same rheumatic pain is come also at the other knee1 that does not permit me to walk any step around my room without assistance4 8,this deplorable incident1 very strange at this season1 compels me to postpone the work1 hoping in some weeks to be able to do it40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,it is entirely possible that domestic difficulties had a bearing on the lean years and on the artist's health4 ,however1 it is also possible that these were the years he used for work outside the city of ,washington2 it was in ,april #ahga that ,brumidi wrote to the ,architect of the ,capitol mentioning the decorations in ,st4 ,stephen's ,church in ,new ,york4 ,i remembered1 also1 that the ,congressional ,bill1 finally signed by the ,president on ,june #i1 #ahhj1 directing the payment of #ejj to the children of ,brumidi1 actually named these children as 8,elena ,brumidi of ,rome1 ,italy 8,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi of ,washington1 ,district of ,columbia40 ,immediately ,i attached added significance to two letters about ,brumidi that ,i had recently found in the ,capitol ,brumidi file4 ,one of these1 a letter written in ,rome1 on ,june #ad1 #ahgi1 by ,brumidi's daughter1 ,elena1 evidently to the ,architect of the ,capitol1 reads as follows3 8,i hope1 if ,i mistake not1 that you have a memory of my name4 ,when ,i came to ,washington in #ahga to embrace my poor father1 ,i had the pleasure to be introduced by him to you4 ,i beg your pardon if ,i take now the liberty to disturb you1 but ,i am sure you will do me the good office ,i ask because ,i know your kindness4 8,it is today a month since ,i have not received any news from my father1 and it is the first time since #bg years he resided in the ,united ,states4 ,unhappily ,i know that he is very sick since some time and confined in the bed1 as you surely know4 ,but1 though in that state he has always written regularly to me4 ,i am dreadfully afraid for this long silence2 ,i fear some great misfortune4 ,i beg you to inform me about his health1 whatever it may be4 ,at the same time ,i am desirous of learning something about the real situation of his private interest1 and you understand the reason of this inquiry4 8,i am obliged to apply to you1 sir1 because you are a friend of my poor father1 and ,i rely upon your kindness for him and also for his daughter1 beyond your situation in the ,capitol4 ,i pray you to keep the secret about this my letter4 8,i beg to forgive my troubling you so much4 ,i wait your answer truly with a great trepidation and ,i send to you in advance my sincere thanks40 ,,elena ,,brumidi ,this letter from ,elena1 written about six months before her father's death expressing fear at her father's silence and concern about his 8private interest0 is practically all we know about ,elena1 the daughter ,brumidi left behind in ,italy4 ,we do know1 however1 that she received her half of the #ejj paid by ,congress to the ,brumidi heirs1 as this payment is recorded in an old ,department of ,interior account book now in the ,national ,archives4 ,this ,archives' record contains an itemized statement of the actual expenditure of the #gjj asked for in the ,senate ,bill introduced four days after ,brumidi's death4 ,even the #bjj set aside for funeral expenses for the artist is accounted for by the ,department of ,interior1 item by item4 ,the old artist fell from the frieze scaffolding on ,october #a1 #ahgi4 ,six weeks later a petition1 written in a strange hand but signed by ,brumidi1 was sent to the ,congress of the ,united ,states4 ,it gives ,brumidi's account of his accident and formally asks that he be put on the regular payroll of the ,capitol employees4 ,the petition is preserved in the ,capitol's ,brumidi file and is given here in complete form3 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,november #ag1 #ahgi ,to the ,senate and ,house of ,representatives3 ,your petitioner1 ,c4 ,brumidi1 seventy-five years of age1 the artist of the ,capitol1 originally from ,rome1 ,italy1 but now for twenty-seven years past a duly naturalized citizen of the ,united ,states1 ,respectfully represents--,that upon the #ast day of ,october ult1 he was engaged at work upon the ,historical ,painting in fresco in the ,frieze of the ,rotunda of the ,capitol1 and while sitting upon a temporary scaffold and near the edge1 the chair turned from under him and threw him over4 ,he caught the round of a ladder and remained suspended by the strength of his arms for the space of fifteen minutes1 till officer ,lammond descended from the top of the ,dome to the scaffold and called two men from the floor of the ,rotunda to assist in the rescue of your petitioner4 ,a miraculous escape from falling to the floor of the ,rotunda a distance of fifty-eight feet was effected but the fright and shock to the nerves of your petitioner resulted in a ,illustration3 ,,mr4 ,,and ,,mrs4 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,pictured here are the artist and his young ,american wife1 ,lola ,germon1 taken from old photographs saved by ,lola in her album of memories4 ,the originals have been cherished through the years by ,mildred ,thompson 7of ,washington1 ,d4 ,c471 ,lola's great-grandniece4 ,we believe that both photographs were taken about the time of the ,brumidi-,germon marriage1 around #ahfj4 ,from #ahfj to #ahfe was ,brumidi's period of greatest financial success in ,america and probably his years of greatest acclaim and happiness4 ,it was on the back of this photograph of ,lola ,germon that her little boy ,laurence chose to write1 8,this is my lovely ,mamma40 very severe attack of asthma which now prevents him from constant work upon the scaffold but he is able and desirous1 however1 to continue work in his studio upon the ,designs and ,cartoons which of course require to be made before they can be copied or painted upon the walls4 ,the late ,senator ,s4 ,foot1 acting ,president of the ,senate1 at one time placed your petitioner upon regular payroll of the ,capitol employees4 ,now1 therefore1 in view of these facts that your petitioner became injured in the performance of his duty1 that he is unable to perform continuous service on the scaffold1 your petitioner respectfully requests that the ,honorable ,committee will cause his name to be again placed upon the regular ,payroll of ,capitol employees in order that the work may be continued as the health of the petitioner may permit him to work upon the scaffold in fresco or upon the cartoons4 ,the petitioner hopes to obtain this benefit as a reward of the long life spent in the service of the government4 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,the other letter of interest about a member of ,brumidi's family found in the ,brumidi file at the ,capitol was written from ,paris1 ,france1 ,april #d1 #ahid1 and is signed 8,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi40 ,laurence is the boy to whom ,senator ,morrill referred in his ,senate speech on ,february #bd1 #ahhj1 as the 8adopted son0 of ,brumidi4 ,this letter from ,laurence to the ,architect of the ,capitol leads us to believe that ,laurence is the artist's own son4 ,the letter is quoted in full as it is the only original document in the ,brumidi file throwing any light on the ,american born son of the artist3 8,it may seem strange after so many years' silence ,i recall myself to you4 ,necessity compels me to claim not only your remembrance1 but also your favorable attention4 ,first1 ,i will offer for consideration my petition then my reasons for making it4 ,i have in my possession a portrait of my father1 also a sketch of the ,dome1 8,the ,apotheosis of ,washington40 ,these ,i would gladly sell to the ,government or ,corcoran ,art ,gallery for one thousand dollars4 8,only a pressing need could cause me to offer these precious souvenirs of my father for sale4 ,but the moment has arrived when all must be sacrificed in order to assure future prosperity4 ,now the last four years have been spent in ,paris pursuing my studies in the art chosen when ,i little knew the sacrifices required by it4 8,i have exposed in the ,paris ,salon for several years and this year have been promised an honor1 and my picture will be reproduced in a number of illustrated art publications4 8,by this you will perceive that could ,i pursue the route now open to me for another year ,i could grasp the fortune offered by success4 ,unfortunately ,i find myself quite exhausted by these last efforts and today without funds4 8,if the souvenir of my father's friendship for you will aid my cause ,i invoke that souvenir knowing that a kindness to his son would be the happiest return for his esteem and friendship4 8,if instead of purchasing the pictures in question you could give me some work to execute here and bring home with me next year1 that would be more agreeable providing ,i could thereby obtain some money immediately4 ,i can very easily execute any commission you care to give me4 8,trusting that this application made at the last moment and after years of hard effort will meet your approval and bring the desired aid so urgently required40 ,,laurence ,,brumidi ,illustration3 ,,working ,,sketch ,,for ,,three ,,graces ,lola ,germon is responsible for the early preservation of this little sketch of ,brumidi's nine beautiful maidens4 ,it was a gift to ,mrs4 ,ashmun ,brown from her ,aunt ,lola4 ,these maidens as painted in fresco on the ceiling of the ,district of ,columbia ,committee ,room of the ,senate are reproduced elsewhere in this book4 ,this working sketch has had tender care1 the colors being as softly beautiful today as those in the ceiling fresco itself4 ,this letter from ,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi stirs many a question but the next truth uncovered about ,laurence ,brumidi left only silent years following the letter from ,paris4 ,laurence was admitted to ,st4 ,elizabeth's asylum in ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 on ,may #bf1 #aiaf1 and1 according to the ,st4 ,elizabeth records1 he died there on ,november #i1 #aibj1 at the age of fifty-four4 ,since the birth records at the ,vital ,statistics ,bureau of the ,district of ,columbia go back only as far as #ahgb1 it has been impossible to find a record of the birth of ,laurence4 ,the ,district ,records in the ,marriage ,license ,bureau of the ,muncipal ,court in ,washington do not record a marriage for ,mr4 ,brumidi in the early #ahfj's4 ,the marriage1 of course1 could have taken place in any nearby city4 ,in #ahgi ,mr4 ,brumidi made a ,will which was filed1 but not probated4 ,in this ,will1 a copy of which follows1 the artist referred to ,laurence as 8my boy10 bequeathed to him all of his 8estate and property1 real and personal0 and made no mention of ,laurence's mother or of his half-sister1 ,elena1 in ,italy3 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,june #bg1 #ahgi 8,in the name of ,god1 ,amen1 8,i1 ,constantino ,brumidi1 of ,no4 #iba ,g4 ,street1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 make this my last will4 8,i give1 devise and bequeath all my estate and property1 real and personal1 to my boy1 named1 called and known by the name of ,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi1 as follows1 that is to say3 8,all engravings1 works of art1 paintings and apparatus pertaining thereto that ,i now or may hereafter possess2 all designs or sketches and tracings for the frieze of the ,capitol of the ,united ,states and any other purpose2 my gold watch and chain1 bookcase1 library and all objects and things in my room2 all money that ,i have in possession1 or that may be due me at the time of my demise1 from the ,united ,states government or any other source4 8,these things and any or all property1 real and personal1 that ,i may now have or may hereafter possess do ,i convey to said ,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi1 to be enjoyed by him1 his heirs or assigns1 forever1 free from all claim or claims of any1 every and all persons1 whomsoever1 claiming or to claim the same or any part thereof1 by1 under or through me or any of my heirs4 8,i appoint ,robert ,mason of ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 my executor1 who shall receive no reward40 ,,constantino ,,brumidi ,this ,will of ,constantino ,brumidi was brought to light in ,washington in #aiai when a lengthy article appeared in the ,washington ,sunday ,star of ,november #b1 entitled3 8,brumidi ,paintings ,found in ,washington ,after a ,search of ,forty ,years40 ,it seems that in #aiai1 ,the ,national ,savings and ,trust ,company1 on ,new ,york ,avenue1 about a block from the ,white ,house1 found in their storage vault two large boxes containing twenty-four ,brumidi paintings including a sketch of the ,dome canopy--a circular canvas upon which was painted the design for the ceiling of the ,dome4 ,when and by whom these boxes were stored will probably never be known but it is entirely possible that they were packed away in the early years after having been willed to ,laurence ,brumidi4 ,the newspaper article for ,november #b1 #aiai1 quotes the accumulated storage charges as #cjj4 ,it states also that 8the packing evidently was done by ,brumidi himself because they were arranged so expertly as to sustain no damage whatever40 ,the boxes were opened by ,court ,order by ,mr4 ,edward ,p4 ,schwartz who was named executor of the #ahgi ,brumidi will1 and also 8named committeeman by the ,court0 for ,laurence who had been committed to ,st4 ,elizabeth's ,hospital4 ,all of these ,brumidi paintings found in #aiai are reported to have been sold at auction1 including two large portraits of ,lola ,germon1 ,brumidi's ,american-born wife and the mother of ,laurence4 ,the ,sunday ,star1 in the above-mentioned article1 reproduced the portrait of ,lola and commented upon her beauty as well as upon her likeness to many of the ,madonnas in the ,capitol frescoes4 ,charles ,e4 ,fairman1 art curator of the ,capitol1 was present at the time these storage boxes were opened and has left a list of the contents of each box4 ,he records a total of twenty-four paintings4 ,fairman also makes mention of the two portraits of ,lola ,germon in heavy gold1 oval-shaped frames4 ,but no one connected with the ,capitol ,building1 so far as ,i have been able to learn1 made a bid for any of the stored ,brumidi paintings4 ,i have found1 however1 that two letters are on file from ,mr4 ,edward ,p4 ,schwartz to ,capitol authorities giving detailed information concerning the stored paintings4 ,the ,schwartz letter dated ,october #ba1 #aiai1 follows3 8,sometime ago ,i was made ,executor under the ,will of ,mrs4 ,lola ,v4 ,kirkwood1 who was the widow of ,constantino ,brumidi1 the artist who devoted more than #be years of his life to the beautification of the ,capitol4 ,mr4 ,brumidi has a son who is now in the ,insane ,asylum and under ,mr4 ,brumidi's ,will1 which was filed and never probated1 he left all of his etchings of the ,capitol and designs1 etc41 together with other paintings to his son4 ,the ,court appointed me ,committeeman of this son with instructions to examine the several boxes that have been in storage for over thirty years and have their contents appraised and report to the ,court4 ,if you are interested1 call by my office and we will go over and have these boxes opened to see what they contain as you may be able to make some suggestion as to their disposal40 ,on ,february #ba1 #aibj1 ,mr4 ,schwartz wrote again to the ,capitol1 this time to the ,joint ,committee on the ,library3 8,i am sending herewith enclosed an item in the ,sunday's ,star entitled #8,brumidi ,paintings found in ,washington after a ,search of ,forty ,years4' ,you will notice that these paintings are the original1 or the copies from which ,brumidi decorated the ,capitol4 ,among the twenty-seven oil paintings of various sizes belonging to the estate of ,brumidi1 of which ,i am the ,executor and ,committeeman for his son1 ,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi1 who is now in ,st4 ,elizabeth's ,asylum for the insane1 there is one worthy of consideration1 and that is the original oil painting of the ,rotunda of the ,capitol which ,i have in storage and is in excellent condition4 ,this miniature is in oil1 about #ce inches in diameter from which1 no doubt1 he copied his wonderful ,rotunda painting4 ,it is quite an education and shows the process of making a great picture4 ,there are quite a number of his paintings in the collection1 and ,i was wondering if the ,committee on the ,library would be sufficiently interested to confer with the object of offering a suggestion as to the final disposition of these paintings4 ,it is my judgment they should be in the ,capitol1 as they are all1 ,i believe1 originals1 and the only ones existing4444 ,personally1 ,i would like to see these paintings in the ,capitol40 ,mr4 ,fairman has left the following memorandum1 dated ,october #bb1 #aiai1 in the ,capitol files referring to the information from ,mr4 ,schwartz3 8,called on ,edward ,p4 ,schwartz at #gcd ,fifteenth ,street1 ,n4 ,w41 in relation to attached letter4 ,mr4 ,schwartz showed me a copy of the ,will of ,constantino ,brumidi1 executed at #iba ,g ,street1 ,n4 ,w41 ,june #bg1 #ahgi1 in which he appoints ,robert ,mason of ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 his executor4 ,the ,will is witnessed by ,wm4 ,h4 ,appleton1 ,a4 ,h4 ,whittaker1 ,martha ,dent1 and ,robert ,mason4 ,i made a copy of one section of the ,will4 ,while the entire ,will is in favor of ,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi1 this paragraph seems to be the only one in which this office is interested3 8#8,all engravings1 works of art1 paintings1 and apparatus pertaining thereto 444 all designs1 sketches and tracings for the frieze of the ,capitol of the ,u4 ,s4' 8,mr4 ,schwartz also showed me his authority as ,committeeman for ,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi 7insane7 and stated that he was also the executor of the ,will of ,lola ,v4 ,kirkwood1 former wife of ,constantino ,brumidi1 that ,mrs4 ,kirkwood married a second time one ,kirkwood an ,army officer1 that he had searched for the boxes referred to in his letter and finally found them in storage at the ,national ,savings and ,trust ,co41 corner of ,n4 ,y4 ,ave4 #aeth ,st41 where they had been for over thirty years1 and on which he had paid storage for that period amounting to about #chf4 ,he further stated that ,mrs4 ,kirkwood and ,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi had forgotten where the two boxes were stored4 ,he will fix a date for opening the boxes and phone me so that ,i can be present and see the contents of the boxes40 ,on ,january #af1 #aibe1 the ,capitol authorities were again informed concerning the pending auction of these ,brumidi originals1 this time by a newspaper correspondent living in ,washington4 ,his name was ,ashmun ,brown and this is what he wrote3 8,it may interest you to know that a considerable collection of the paintings of ,brumidi1 the fresco artist1 is to be sold at auction at ,sloane's ,gallery1 on ,january #bhth and #bith1 by order of the ,probate ,court incident to the settlement of the estates of his widow and son4 ,the pictures are to be open to inspection at ,sloane's on ,january #beth-#bhth4 ,while ,i have never seen this collection1 ,i understand that it contains several of ,brumidi's original studies for frescoes which now adorn the walls of the ,capitol4 ,i am told that at one time a valuation of about #bj1jjj was placed on this collection4 ,however1 when it was offered for sale at auction several months ago1 the highest bid obtained was only #hjj4 ,so at the insistence of the heirs another offering has been ordered4 ,it occurred to me that you might be interested in the matter40 ,illustration ,brumidiana ,outside the ,united ,states ,capitol ,reference by ,charles ,e4 ,fairman to two portraits of ,lola ,germon painted by ,brumidi and preserved in heavy gold frames that were finally sold at auction in the ,capitol ,city of the ,united ,states in #aibe fired my interest anew in the ,american-born wife of ,brumidi1 the beautiful girl who is said to have modeled for many of the ,madonnas painted on ,capitol walls and ceilings4 ,while searching for something tangible about ,lola ,germon ,i was led to an extensive inquiry as to ,brumidi's burial place4 ,,brumidi',s ,,grave ,at the very point of giving up the quest for ,brumidi's grave ,i called all the old burial grounds in the ,district and asked that they search their records for a ,brumidi burial in #ahhj4 ,glenwood ,cemetery in ,northeast ,washington soon reported that ,constantino ,brumidi was recorded to have been buried there on ,february #ba1 #ahhj1 in ,lot #gj1 site #f4 ,on my first visit to the old section of ,glenwood ,cemetery ,i searched out ,lot #gj4 ,it was surrounded by an iron fence bearing the name ,germon1 #ahgg1 on a sagging gate4 ,there was no marker on site #f1 to indicate the burial place of ,brumidi4 ,it seemed clear to me that ,lola ,germon must have buried her artist husband in the old family burial plot since two small white stones1 on sites #a and #b of ,lot #gj1 evidently marked the burial places of ,lola's father and mother1 the father having been buried there in #ahee and the mother some twenty years later4 ,as ,i looked upon ,brumidi's unmarked grave1 the unknown grave of the artist who spent his last twenty-five years decorating the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states1 ,i decided that sometime ,i would paint the little white-washed iron fence around ,lot #gj as my personal tribute to those twenty-five ,brumidi years4 ,several years went by4 ,it was the spring of #aidf before ,i began painting the iron fence4 ,on my first painting day1 as ,i labored1 weaving highly colored fiction about the beautiful ,american girl and the romantic old artist1 three times her age1 ,i was startled by a young voice directly behind me which excitedly asked1 8,why are you painting the fence around this ,cemetery ,lot80 ,i turned to find a lovely girl watching my efforts with deep concern4 ,i was so startled as to be unable to give any logical reason for painting an old fence partly hidden by poison ivy in the oldest corner of an old cemetery1 so ,i asked the young visitor this question1 8,why are you interested80 ,she replied quickly and firmly1 8,i have a right to know40 ,soon ,i found myself telling this girl the whole story of ,brumidi and his unmarked burial place4 ,she listened with an unbelievable concern and then launched forth with a story of her own that so far outmatched mine as to appear at first a bit of imaginative make-believe4 ,said she3 8,all my life ,i have heard my people talk about this artist1 ,brumidi1 and it seems that ,i have always known he was buried inside this little iron fence4 ,his unmarked grave has had a strange fascination for me1 ever since childhood4 ,every time ,i pass the cemetery in a street car ,i look over at this little iron fence on the hillside and think about this forgotten grave that means so much to me4 8,as ,i was riding past today1 wondering if ,i would forever be the only one interested in the lonesome little ,brumidi fence1 ,i suddenly thought ,i saw a woman painting that very fence4 ,i kept telling myself it was not true1 that ,i must have imagined such an unheard-of thing1 and all the time my street car carried me farther and farther away4 ,finally1 unable to stand the suspense any longer ,i got off the car1 took a trolley back--and here ,i am--and there you are--10 and she stopped for breath4 ,sensing my completely mystified expressions1 she added1 8,you see1 it was my great-grand aunt1 ,lola ,germon1 who modeled for the ,capitol ,madonnas and later married ,brumidi40 ,i went home with ,lola ,germon's great-grandniece1 ,mildred ,thompson1 and met the ,thompson family4 ,mildred's mother slightly doubted my sanity for painting a cemetery fence belonging to a stranger but presently she laid before me a deed to the cemetery lot and a family album given to her by ,lola ,germon4 ,mrs4 ,thompson's cemetery deed had been issued by ,glenwood ,cemetery to ,eliza ,a4 ,germon1 ,lola's mother1 in #ahff and verified the cemetery records that show ,brumidi as buried in ,lot #gj1 site #f2 ,laurence ,brumidi in site #d2 and ,lola ,brumidi in site #e4 7,only1 ,lola ,germon ,brumidi was ,lola ,virginia ,kirkwood at the time of her death in #aiah1 and both she and her third husband1 ,edward ,kirkwood1 are buried in site #e47 ,,lola ,,germon',s ,,album ,it was a great disappointment to me that the ,thompson family knew so few facts about ,lola and her artist husband1 but by means of ,lola's album and by word of mouth they verified certain facts in my mind4 ,illustration3 ,,brumidi',s ,,grave ,the grave site of ,constantino ,brumidi1 in ,glenwood ,cemetery 7,washington1 ,d4 ,c47 will soon bear a marker from the ,government of the ,united ,states4 ,in this picture1 taken in early spring1 we can locate the burial site of the ,capitol artist in the immediate foreground1 just inside the little iron fence1 that being site #f of ,lot #gj4 ,twin shafts on sites #a and #b within the fence mark the graves of ,lola ,germon's parents4 ,the deed to this lot1 issued in #ahff to ,eliza ,germon1 ,lola's mother1 is now in the possession of ,lola's great-grandniece1 ,mildred ,thompson1 of ,washington4 ,they knew that ,lola ,germon had married ,brumidi when she was about eighteen years old2 that ,laurence was their only son2 that the beautiful ,lola had modeled for many of the ,capitol paintings2 and that at one time1 as ,mrs4 ,brumidi1 ,lola attended a ,white ,house reception with her artist husband1 in the most beautiful gown he could afford to buy4 ,the hallowed old album in which ,lola had chosen to preserve her treasured ,brumidi memories held many pictures of ,brumidi1 of ,laurence1 and of the young ,lola1 but for the most part all pictures were undated and unmarked--all1 save one4 ,on the back of a photograph of a very beautiful young girl 7,lola ,germon7 were these words1 written in a childish hand1 8,this is my lovely mama40 ,four small unmarked photographs on the last pages of the old album are of special interest since they are reproductions of religious paintings4 ,it was my guess that they were photographs of ,brumidi's working sketches for church decorations--and to date two of these have been identified4 ,the huge fresco over the main altar in ,st4 ,stephen's ,church in ,new ,york1 some #gj feet in height1 is the same 8,crucifixion0 as that in the little photograph in ,lola's album1 and the large fresco over the main altar in the ,cathedral of ,st4 ,peter and ,paul in ,philadelphia is the same 8,crucifixion0 scene only with outstanding figures of ,saint ,peter and ,saint ,paul at the foot of the cross4 ,,mildred ,,thompson',s ,,collection ,mildred ,thompson1 ,lola ,germon's great-grandniece1 later salvaged a packet of old letters and legal documents from ,laurence ,brumidi's trunk now stored at the home of a relative1 all of which helps to unravel the tangled ,brumidi story4 ,a deed to certain ,washington property dated ,november #ai1 #ahfd1 and signed by ,constantino ,brumidi and wife1 ,lola ,v4 ,brumidi1 is the earliest document found containing ,lola's signature4 ,the latest document in this ,thompson collection signed by ,lola as ,mrs4 ,brumidi is an indenture signed by both ,constantino ,brumidi and ,lola ,v4 ,germon ,brumidi borrowing #b1ejj in #ahgj4 ,the next document in point of time bearing ,lola's name in this collection is a letter written to ,mrs4 ,lola ,v4 ,walsh1 #iaa ,g ,st41 ,n4 ,w41 on ,march #bb1 #ahgi1 by a ,washington lawyer announcing that he had obtained a loan of #c1ejj on the premises at #iba ,g ,st4 7where the old artist later died7 and stating that since the deed conveying the property to ,lola was in his possession she could take charge of the property and begin her repairs at once4 ,sometime1 then1 between #ahgj and #ahgi ,lola was evidently divorced from the ,italian artist and married to a ,mr4 ,walsh4 ,tax receipts1 insurance receipts1 and interest statements in this same ,thompson collection1 signed by ,lola and dated from #ahhj to #ahib indicate that ,lola ,v4 ,walsh married a ,mr4 ,kirkwood sometime between ,august #ca1 #ahia1 and ,august #cj1 #ahib1 at which later date a fire insurance receipt bears the signature1 ,mrs4 ,lola ,v4 ,kirkwood4 ,the packet of documents from ,laurence's trunk contains also the following valued items3 7#a7 ,two letters written by 8,c4 ,brumidi0 to the ,architect of the ,capitol--one1 dated ,august #bf1 #ahgf1 and the other dated ,november #bf1 #ahgi1 the latter being probably the last letter ever written by the artist to the ,architect4 ,these two letters were no doubt given to ,laurence from the ,brumidi file by ,architect ,clark himself4 7#b7 ,two letters written to ,c4 ,brumidi by ,senator ,morrill of ,vermont--one1 dated ,may #aith 7probably #ahfe7 and the other1 dated ,june #bj1 #ahgh4 7#c7 ,a ,illustration3 ,,lola ,,germon',s ,,album ,in the showing before you the artist and ,lola focus attention to the upper half of the right-hand page4 ,the lower half portrays ,elena ,brumidi1 the artist's daughter left behind in ,italy1 and the artist's son1 ,laurence1 the child of his ,american wife ,lola1 in ,washington4 ,on the left-hand page are pictures of four religious paintings4 ,the upper two have been identified as photographs of working sketches for ,brumidi paintings in ,st4 ,stephen's ,church1 ,new ,york ,city1 and the ,cathedral of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul1 ,philadelphia4 ,the lower two have not been identified4 business letter from a ,washington lawyer to ,laurence in ,paris in #ahic1 forwarding to him certain papers to be signed which would ultimately give him #fjj from his mother4 7#d7 ,laurence's application in ,washington for a loan of #ejjj in ,august1 #ahie4 7#e7 ,consummation of that #ejjj loan in ,september1 #ahie1 by ,laurence's mother4 7#f7 ,a letter from a ,london artist to ,laurence in ,washington in #ahig in which the ,londoner wrote1 8,i hope you are increasing your bank account and that some day we will see you back again as ,i suppose you long to be4 ,now brace up4 ,i don't think you will ever be happy outside ,paris or ,italy40 7#g7 ,two letters from ,lola ,v4 ,kirkwood to ,laurence in ,washington in #aijb4 7#h7 ,a photograph of the original working sketch of the ,dome ,canopy4 7#i7 ,an old clipping entitled 8,his ,wife ,his ,model40 7#aj7 ,the ,bible given to ,c4 ,brumidi by the ,american ,bible ,society when the artist landed in ,new ,york in #aheb4 ,the two ,brumidi letters kept through the years by ,laurence will be quoted in full1 as they are further proof that ,brumidi was paid by the ,government of the ,united ,states for his work on the ,rotunda frieze designs during his last years even when confined by illness to his studio4 ,brumidi's conscientious effort to make each day profitable to his government as well as to himself is also a part of the following letter3 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,august #bf1 #ahgf 8,martin mentioned to me that you wished my report for the month4 ,i lost two days1 those consumed in traveling1 the remainder of my stay was spent working on the cartoons4 8,now ,i have completed the ,treaty of ,william ,penn and the ,settlement of ,new ,england1 all ready for transfer in full size4 8,with many thanks for your kindness and obligation40 ,the following #ahgi letter to ,architect ,clark is the only one found written by the artist himself after his almost fatal fall from the frieze on ,october #a1 #ahgi3 8,for answer to your desire for making the report of the time worked in the present month of ,nov4 #ahgi1 ,i can tell to have employed all the working days in drawing the cartoons for the frieze now in progress in the ,rotunda of the ,capitol1 and having completed the subject of ,oglethorpe1 and the ,muskogee chief1 with a portion of the ,insurrection of ,lexington4 8,i work sometime with difficulty when ,i am troubled by the asthma1 but after some rest ,i proceed with my work4 ,i hope you will be very kind in recommending my petition to the ,honorable ,committee40 ,c4 ,,brumidi ,senator ,morrill's friendship for ,brumidi is forever recorded in the following two letters written to the artist3 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,may #aith 8,i expected to have returned in time to see you on ,saturday4 ,i am so well pleased with what ,i have that more seems unnecessary4 ,possibly ,i may in the fall or winter do a little something on the ,library4 ,if you choose to put some heads on canvas for that object you can do the three heads enclosed and get one more of ,clark or such as you choose40 ,,justin ,s4 ,,morrill 7,this letter must have been written after ,may1 #ahfe1 as that was the date ,edward ,clark became ,architect of the ,capitol47 ,united ,states ,senate ,chamber ,june #bj1 #ahgh 8,i was surprised upon reaching home this morning to find an oil painting in my parlor1 being a copy by your son ,laurence1 from ,guidorini4 8,it is quite a pleasing picture1 and considering the short time he has attempted any work of this kind ,i think it betokens a talent of which his father may reasonably be hopeful4 8,of course he cannot expect to equal you with your forty years of experience4 8,i am just leaving the city and have only time to render to him my thanks40 ,,justin ,s4 ,,morrill ,lola ,germon ,kirkwood was about sixty years old and ,laurence ,brumidi was forty-one when the following two letters were written from the mother to the son3 ,home 7,richmond71 ,may #bi1 #aijb 8,the check and #8heads' came safely1 and would have been acknowledged sooner1 but ,i hoped to write a longer letter1 and waited for a more encouraging mood1 but none came4 8,i wish ,i could sell them for you but an art man told ,mr4 ,kirkwood this was a poor city for such sales1 the people being too poor4 ,you see they are just about recovering from the results of the civil war4 ,then besides people want large showy things4 ,in other words1 they want big things for little money4 ,they are beautiful but if ,i had to buy them ,i would too want something larger4 8,i am sorry you sent anything you put so much work on4 ,i thought ,i made myself plain4 ,i wanted something big too4 ,even a landscape thrown roughly on4 ,there would have been likely no visitor here to have told good work1 and if asked ,i would have said it was sent me by a young student4 ,but if ,i should get a chance to sell1 you know how glad ,i shall be4 ,i am quite sure if ,whitney1 ,morgan1 ,carnegie or any of those great rich men were properly approached they would give perhaps thousands of dollars for the original copy of the dome1 alone4 ,i should think it would be a great thing for them to have in their private gallery4 ,in the meantime why don't you try a letter to these men80 ,,mother ,home 7,richmond71 ,october #i1 #aijb 8,i am sorry to hear you have been again sick1 and thought as much when the letter came a little later than usual4 8,yes1 when the lawyer's letter came ,i found myself disappointed1 though ,i had promised myself not to be4 ,if we had of gotten any money you could easily put through that claim at ,congress and could also have made money out of those sketches of your father's dome pictures and others4 ,it takes money to make money1 unfortunately4 8,i have always tried to coax you to keep up correspondence with ,elena4 ,i don't know why it is but ,i have lived in the hope that the agent may sell enough of your father's pictures in the fall to give you some comfort for the rest of your life4 ,i should think the sketch of the dome alone would do that4 ,and then ,i feel the moment you did not of necessity require it you would be able to sell as many of your own as you would desire4 ,keep up good spirits40 ,with love as ever1 ,,mother ,the photograph of the original working sketch for the ,dome ,canopy saved through the years in the trunk of ,laurence ,brumidi is clear and the figures very distinct4 ,this photograph no doubt was mounted for the purpose of registry in the ,district1 for beneath the picture is the following printed notation3 8,entered according to act of ,congress in the year #ahff by ,constantino ,brumidi1 in the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court of the ,district of ,columbia40 ,on the back of this picture is an ,internal ,revenue stamp cancelled on ,may #ab1 #ahff4 ,it was the original of this photograph1 oil on canvas1 some thirty-six inches in diameter1 which was among the ,brumidi paintings found in #aiai in ,washington after being stored away for forty years4 ,as we examine closely the characters portrayed on the small photograph of ,brumidi's original working sketch for the ,rotunda canopy1 or on any canopy photographs taken in the ,rotunda1 the figure of ,columbia is outstanding4 ,columbia is pictured as armed ,liberty with 8sword1 shield1 and angry eagle driving out tyranny1 pestilence and fear40 ,however1 it is the faded old clipping that ,lola saved with the #ahff photograph that adds the romantic luster to ,columbia in this ,dome ,canopy design1 especially since we remember the exact words of ,mildred ,thompson3 8,aunt ,lola always said she modeled for ,freedom in the ,dome ,canopy40 ,the faded clipping is quoted in full3 8,visitors to the ,capitol who admire the beautiful decorative work to be seen in the rotunda and in the corridors1 especially on the ,senate end of the building1 will find additional interest in the work of the artist when they learn the source of his inspiration for many of the female figures that appear in the designs4 8,the aged artist1 ,brumidi1 whose brush did most of the most beautiful of the decorative work of the ,capitol1 married in ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,miss ,lola ,germon1 a young lady well known for her beauty1 which has been perpetuated in many of the paintings executed by her husband4 ,features a little too well rounded to be thoroughly classic1 black hair1 a fair complexion and blue eyes1 together with a shapely form1 were the characteristics of ,mrs4 ,brumidi4 ,she was greatly admired not only for her beauty of person1 but for her qualities of mind1 which made her a general favorite in that city4 ,one of the figures in the ceiling of the rotunda is said to be an exact likeness of the artist's beautiful wife1 while most of the figures he painted in the ,capitol portray some of her characteristics40 ,the old ,bible given to ,mr4 ,brumidi by the ,american ,bible ,society in #aheb when the artist landed in ,new ,york no doubt was originally saved by ,lola ,germon for her son ,laurence4 ,on the inside front cover are these words written in the ,c4 ,brumidi hand3 8,constantino ,brumidi from ,rome1 ,italy1 arrived in ,new ,york1 ,america1 the #ahth of ,september1 #aheb4 ,presented to me by the ,american ,bible ,society40 ,the only other writing in the ,bible is the following on a blank page for births--also in the ,c4 ,brumidi hand3 ,constantino ,brumidi born in ,rome1 ,july #bfth1 #ahje1 by ,stauro ,brumidi of ,shiliatra1 province of ,arcadia in the ,peloponnesus 7,greece7 and ,ann ,bianchini of ,rome4 ,daughter1 ,maria ,elena ,brumidi born in ,rome the #aeth of ,august #ahcb4 ,sons1 ,joseph ,brumidi1 born in ,rome1 #agth ,january1 #ahdb2 ,laurence ,s4 ,brumidi born in ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 7,america7 ,may #abth #ahfa4 ,,brumidi ,,working ,,sketches ,brumidi's technique is of great interest4 ,first1 he executed his design in color on a small canvas in oil4 ,this he termed a working sketch4 ,then he drew the large outline figures which he called cartoons with the miniature oil before him4 ,these large cartoons served as stencils through which he dusted powder or charcoal1 thus outlining his groups quickly upon the wall or ceiling4 ,the ,brumidi working sketches found in ,washington during recent years are in a wonderfully fine state of preservation1 whether they have come directly from the hand of ,lola ,germon or from ,laurence ,brumidi's storage cache found in #aiai1 or from other sources4 ,most of the canvases have in no manner been restored or retouched but the colors are soft and true and pleasing4 ,those art lovers who fear that certain ,capitol decorations may have suffered by 8restorations0 have but to compare the ,capitol fresco with its working sketch to be reassured4 ,mrs4 ,ashmun ,brown owns working sketches for four of the frescoes in the ,capitol ,building1 8,history10 8,physics10 and 8,the ,three ,graces0 in the ,district of ,columbia ,committee ,room of the ,senate1 and for the 8,cornwallis-,washington0 mural in the ,house of ,representatives ,chamber4 ,mrs4 ,brown also has the ,brumidi working sketches for four of his religious paintings4 ,in addition to being the grandniece of ,lola ,germon1 ,mrs4 ,brown is the wife of the late ,ashmun ,brown1 the ,washington correspondent who wrote the ,capitol officials back in #aibe advising them that an auction of ,brumidi paintings was scheduled1 and urging the ,government to investigate the treasures4 ,mrs4 ,brown received four of her ,brumidi paintings direct from ,aunt ,lola ,germon1 and five more were purchased at the auction in #aibe4 ,she regrets not having bought1 at that auction1 the two portraits of ,lola ,germon by ,brumidi1 as these two paintings have not yet been found4 ,mrs4 ,harvey ,hunt who attended the ,brumidi auction of #aibe with ,mrs4 ,ashmun ,brown1 purchased four of the ,brumidi paintings4 ,two of these are working sketches of cherubs1 one bearing the ,brumidi signature2 another1 a sketch of ,lola ,germon used for 8,prudence0 in the ,senate ,reception ,room2 and the fourth1 an oval landscape much like those painted on the walls of the main corridor on the ground floor of the ,senate ,annex4 ,mrs4 ,hunt being a grandniece of ,lola ,germon gave three of her treasures to a grandnephew of her ,aunt ,lola so today three of these working sketches are in the home of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,frank ,b4 ,germon4 ,mrs4 ,mc,cook ,knox owns the two original working sketches for 8,telegraph0 and 8,columbia ,welcoming the ,south ,back into the ,union0--8,telegraph0 being one of four large lunettes in the main ,district of ,columbia ,committee ,room of the ,senate while the fresco depicting the ,civil ,war theme covers the ceiling in this ,committee's ante-room4 ,this ante-room was originally the ,senate ,sergeant at ,arms' office4 ,mrs4 ,knox purchased her oil studies from ,mr4 ,h4 ,o4 ,bishop4 ,her study of 8,telegraph0 was reproduced in the ,washington ,star in #aiai as one of the originals stored away for #dj years4 ,both of the above mentioned pictures now owned by ,mrs4 ,knox were purchased by ,mr4 ,bishop at the ,c4 ,g4 ,sloan auction rooms in #aibe4 ,captain ,alexander ,macomb1 ,u4 ,s4 ,navy1 inherited nine ,brumidi working sketches from his father1 ,colonel ,augustus ,c4 ,macomb4 ,these paintings can be traced to the same ,captain ,meigs with whom ,brumidi carried on early correspondence4 ,being such a prolific painter1 ,brumidi1 no doubt1 remembered his friends generously with original sketches4 ,at the death of ,general ,meigs in #ahib1 his ,brumidi originals were given to a nephew1 ,lieutenant ,augustus ,c4 ,macomb1 who later became a ,colonel in the ,united ,states ,army4 ,the present ,captain ,alexander ,macomb who now owns the nine ,brumidi working sketches has given them the best of care through the years4 ,two of these ,macomb canvases are the working sketches for frescoes in the ,appropriations ,committee ,room of the ,senate--8,the ,battle of ,lexington0 and 8,the ,storming of ,stony ,point40 ,a third canvas is the sketch of the entire groined arch in the ceiling of the ,senate ,reception ,room and displays the four allegorical groupings--8,liberty10 8,plenty10 8,war10 and 8,peace40 ,captain ,macomb tells how his father traveled from one army post to another over a quarter of a century taking with him his family and his household possessions and always the beautiful ,brumidi paintings went along4 ,those nine ,brumidi originals hung in an adobe house at ,ft4 ,huachuca1 ,arizona1 from #aijj to #aije4 ,mrs4 ,edmund ,b4 ,montgomery who owns the working sketch for the ,dome ,canopy1 now has it hanging in ,collingwood near ,mount ,vernon where it can easily be seen by visitors4 ,this ,dome ,canopy sketch1 some #ce inches in diameter1 was also in the 8storage find0 of #aiai and sold at auction1 according to ,mrs4 ,ashmun ,brown1 for #cjj in #aibe4 ,this sketch is definitely authenticated by means of the circular photograph saved in ,laurence ,brumidi's trunk and bearing the ,internal ,revenue ,stamp dated ,may #ab1 #ahff4 ,it is indeed fortunate that we have located not only the original working sketch of this ,dome ,canopy but a photograph of this sketch made in #ahff originally owned by the artist himself and saved for us by ,laurence ,brumidi1 son of the ,capitol fresco painter4 ,warrenton ,house owns1 and has on display in ,warrenton1 ,virginia1 the working sketch of the group painting in the ,senate ,reception ,room--,washington1 ,jefferson and ,hamilton in consultation4 ,this small painting about ten inches square no doubt was originally sold at the ,sloan auction in #aibe4 ,mrs4 ,murray ,russell is the owner of two portraits done by ,brumidi4 ,these are of added interest as ,brumidi treasures because of the story attached to them4 ,the paintings portray the grandparents of ,mrs4 ,russell--,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,andrew ,j4 ,joyce4 ,according to ,mrs4 ,russell1 it was her grandmother's brother1 ,john ,norris1 a student in ,rome around #ahej studying to be a priest1 who influenced ,brumidi to come to ,america with him in #aheb4 ,brumidi is reported to have lived at the ,joyce home in ,washington at one time and so great was his appreciation for this haven that he painted the portraits of his benefactors1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,andrew ,j4 ,joyce4 ,ceylon ,m4 ,boswell purchased at auction several years ago the portrait of a woman4 ,the painting bore the ,brumidi signature and has hung in the ,boswell home where it has received excellent care4 ,by means of a small photograph in ,lola ,germon's album1 we have been able recently to identify the likeness as that of ,mrs4 ,edward ,clark1 wife of ,mr4 ,clark who was ,capitol architect during most of the time ,brumidi painted at the ,capitol ,building4 ,two paintings in the ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 home of ,dr4 ,edward ,c4 ,morse have been in the family since about #ahge4 ,one is the portrait of ,dr4 ,morse's maternal grandfather bearing the ,brumidi signature1 while the other is a copy of the famous 8,titian's ,daughter40 ,the latter bears no signature but both pictures have been known as ,brumidi's through the years4 ,each bears the label of having been originally framed by 8,mc,elroy's ,art ,store1 #ajjc ,pennsylvania ,avenue1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c40 ,miss ,charlotte ,clark1 late of ,sandwich1 ,mass41 granddaughter of ,edward ,clark1 ,architect of the ,capitol from #ahfe to #aijb1 had inherited from her parents two family ,illustration3 ,,working ,,sketch ,,of ,,dome ,,canopy ,the ,dome fresco shown at right could not have been photographed from any spot in the ,rotunda because all six allegorical groups about the center 8,apotheosis of ,washington0 are here shown without obstruction4 ,this reproduction is from a photograph of ,brumidi's working sketch of the ,dome which is mounted on ornamental cardboard1 said photograph on cardboard having been saved through the years in ,laurence ,brumidi's trunk4 ,the photograph was apparently mounted in this manner for registration purposes in the ,district ,court as the cancelled stamp on the back is marked1 8,internal ,revenue1 ,proprietary1 ,may #ab1 #ahff40 portraits painted by ,brumidi4 ,one of these is the portrait of ,mrs4 ,edward ,clark holding her small son1 ,watson ,clark4 ,the other is that of ,edward ,clark's twin daughters4 ,in ,lola ,germon's old album are two small faded photographs1 one of ,mrs4 ,clark and baby1 the other of twin girls4 ,these two pictures were evidently used as studies at the time ,brumidi painted the large portraits for the ,clark family4 ,edith ,smith ,hawes has inherited the working sketch for the altar mural1 8,crucifixion10 in ,st4 ,stephen's ,church1 ,new ,york ,city4 ,it was given to ,mrs4 ,hawes' father1 ,amzi ,smith1 by ,brumidi during the years ,mr4 ,smith had charge of the ,senate ,document ,room4 ,mrs4 ,hawes remembers having heard her father tell often of his close friendship with the ,capitol artist4 ,her father's most vivid story told of ,brumidi's hasty visit one day to the ,senate ,document ,room and how the artist said to her father1 8,amzi1 please sit down and put your hand on the arm of that chair40 ,mr4 ,smith obeyed4 ,mr4 ,brumidi sketched rapidly4 ,as the artist left he called back1 8,here ,i go to put ,amzi ,smith's hand on ,thomas ,jefferson40 8,and10 says ,mrs4 ,hawes1 8,i still visit the ,senate ,reception ,room to see my father's hand on the great ,jefferson40 ,the ,sisters of the ,visitation ,convent in ,bethesda tell that in ,january1 #ahgh1 ,sister ,aloysius ,gardiner of the ,visitation ,convent on ,connecticut ,avenue and ,l ,streets1 where the ,mayflower ,hotel is now situated1 celebrated the 8,silver ,jubilee of her profession40 ,at that time her uncle1 ,mr4 ,philip ,simms of ,new ,orleans1 wishing to commemorate the event in a fitting manner1 employed the artist1 ,constantino ,brumidi1 to paint a large picture for the ,convent chapel4 ,the subject was 8,the ,apparition of our ,lord to ,saint ,margaret ,mary40 ,the canvas measured #ag feet in height with the figures life-size4 ,the painting was done by ,brumidi in the ,distribution ,hall of the old ,convent school and then hung in the chapel over the altar for forty-one years4 ,in #aiai when the old ,convent was sold and the ,sisters moved to their new ,convent in ,bethesda1 ,maryland1 the ,brumidi painting was found to be too large for the new chapel so it was given to ,holy ,trinity ,church1 ,georgetown1 where it still adorns a side wall near the altar4 ,st4 ,aloysius ,church in the ,capitol ,city displays three paintings by ,brumidi--the large mural over the central altar and two ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,aloysius ,,mural 8,st4 ,charles ,borromo giving ,holy ,communion to ,st4 ,aloysius ,gonzaga0 is the title of this ,brumidi picture1 painted in #ahei1 which is over the main altar of the ,st4 ,aloysius ,church1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,brumidi gave to the kneeling figure at the extreme right the features of ,father ,benedict ,sestini1 ,s4,j41 professor at ,georgetown ,college1 ,architect of ,st4 ,aloysius ,church and close friend of ,brumidi4 ,mrs4 ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas is said to have modeled for the beautiful mother of ,st4 ,aloysius4 ,brumidi's own likeness1 faintly painted1 can be identified in the center background beneath the ciborium held by ,st4 ,charles ,borromo4 ,the present low altar of ,st4 ,aloysius ,church lays bare the lower part of the ,brumidi mural which was intended to be covered permanently by the original high altar4 medallions over the side altars4 ,the church is especially proud of the central mural as ,brumidi painted into the picture the likeness of ,father ,sestini1 architect of the church and friend of ,brumidi4 ,the diary of the ,st4 ,aloysius ,church has the following entry dated ,october #c1 #ahei1 8,today the picture over the main altar is finished and the last scaffolding is removed from the church40 ,another entry in the church diary of interest to us here is dated ,february #ai1 #ahhj1 8,father ,sestini came in the evening in response to a letter sent him by ,mr4 ,brumidi's adopted son1 telling him that his master was dying and wished him present but ,father ,sestini was too late as he 7,mr4 ,brumidi7 had already died in the morning4 ,the eminent artist and ,father ,sestini are intimate friends and it was through their united efforts that ,st4 ,aloysius ,church received the beautiful pictures it now possesses4 ,though ,mr4 ,brumidi was not always a practicing ,catholic he was induced to practice his religious duties during the last year of his life by ,father ,sestini4 ,may he rest in peace40 ,the author was able to identify in ,st4 ,stephen's ,church in ,new ,york1 another ,brumidi painting--a life-size portrait of the ,christ1 displayed in a gilded frame4 ,st4 ,stephen's had no written record and no word-of-mouth record that this outstanding portrait had been done by ,brumidi but always the painting had occupied a choice location in the church because of its strength and beauty4 ,one of the little photographs of religious groupings saved by ,lola ,germon in her old album of memories served as identification for the ,new ,york portrait to the satisfaction of the author and to the surprise and gratification of the pastor4 ,,the ,,brumidi ,,desk ,the ,brumidi desk was given by the ,italian artist to ,george ,strieby at the time of the artist's death4 ,mr4 ,strieby not only was a friend of ,brumidi's but was employed to help the artist with the huge mural in ,st4 ,aloysius ,church4 ,the desk was cherished by ,mr4 ,strieby and at his death was given to his son1 ,philip4 ,during the lifetime of ,philip the ,brumidi desk occupied an honored place in the young ,strieby household4 ,at ,philip's death a relative cleaned out the old desk1 without the knowledge of ,mrs4 ,strieby1 and burned certain of ,brumidi's famous 8cartoons0 that had been used in making the ,capitol frescoes in the ,president's ,room and which had been stored through the years in the secret compartment of the old artist's desk4 ,however1 ,mrs4 ,philip ,strieby continued to watch over the desk with consistent vigilance--out of sentiment for her husband1 her father-in-law and ,brumidi4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,capitol ,,dome ,the ,dome of the ,capitol ,building of the ,united ,states actually symbolized to ,constantino ,brumidi 8life1 liberty1 and the pursuit of happiness40 ,in return for that liberty and security this ,italian refugee dedicated himself in service to his adopted country4 ,he spent the last twenty-five years of his life 8making beautiful the ,capitol of the one country on earth in which there is ,liberty40 ,his crowning effort was the huge canopy in color--#d1ffd square feet of concave fresco--covering the inside of the ,dome of the ,capitol of the country he had learned to love4 ,it was of great interest to ,mrs4 ,strieby to learn that ,i had found the name of ,george ,w4 ,strieby listed as 8fresco painter0 in the two old ,time ,books in the ,architect's office at the ,capitol which books consistently give the earnings both of ,strieby and of ,brumidi during the last three years of ,brumidi's life--#ahgg1 #ahgh1 and #ahgi4 ,in many instances the ,strieby signature followed the ,brumidi signature in the old ,time ,books in spite of an otherwise alphabetical listing of ,capitol employees4 ,all of this lends credence to the story of ,mrs4 ,strieby that ,philip's father loved the old artist1 helped him through his last hard years1 and finally shared responsibility for the burial of ,brumidi in ,glenwood ,cemetery4 ,the ,brumidi desk is of ,cuban mahogany on wild cherry1 made around #ahbj4 ,it has recently been restored with great skill by ,charles ,mc,gahan who has given it a fine finish and a dignified beauty that speaks of ,brumidi and his art4 ,the old desk is on display in ,congressman ,murdock's office--held in trust for ,mrs4 ,strieby until such time as it can be a part of a ,brumidi memorial cared for by the ,government of the ,united ,states4 ,mrs4 ,strieby died one week after urging the author to take over responsibility for the desk4 ,she did not live to see the restored beauty of ,brumidi's last gift to ,grandfather ,strieby1 but she was happy knowing that her obligation to ,brumidi and to his good friend1 ,grandfather ,strieby1 had been fulfilled4 ,,national ,,recognition ,the ,congress of the ,united ,states recently voted an appropriation which provided a marker and perpetual care for the long lost grave of ,constantino ,brumidi in ,glenwood ,cemetery4 ,this legislation was signed by ,president ,truman on ,june #cj1 #aiej4 ,the marker will soon be put in place with appropriate ceremony and loving tribute4 ,even the best #aiej eulogy to ,constantino ,brumidi1 however1 cannot surpass the simple statement of appreciation and understanding offered on the ,floor of the ,senate of the ,united ,states soon after the death of the great artist4 ,said ,senator ,voorhees of ,indiana on ,february #bd1 #ahhj3 8,mr4 ,brumidi was engaged at the time of his death on what he regarded as the greatest work of his life4 ,he was unfolding with the magic of genius in the ,dome of the ,capitol the scroll of ,american history1 from the landing of ,columbus to the present day4 ,he earnestly desired to live long enough to complete this vast conception4 ,but he has left an empty chair1 and his great design unfinished1 as others have done and will continue to do in other places4 8,at no distant day some memorial will be erected in some appropriate place in the ,capitol to his memory4 ,he who beautifies the pathway of life1 who creates images of loveliness for the human eye to rest upon1 is a benefactor of the human race4 ,he will be crowned by the gratitude of his own and of succeeding generations4 ,in the older countries of ,europe1 where the profession of art has a higher rank than here1 ,brumidi would have had a public funeral1 and his remains would have been deposited in ground set apart for persons of distinction4 ,in ,england he would have had a place and a tablet in ,westminster ,abbey4 8,it matters little1 however1 whether we or those who come after us do anything to perpetuate his memory4 ,the walls of this ,capitol will hold his fame fresh and ever increasing as long as they themselves shall stand40 ,supplement ,,reading ,,list ,,books ,,brown1 ,,glen4 ,history of the ,united ,states ,capitol1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 #aijj-jc4 ,,fry1 ,,smith ,,dunbar4 ,thrilling ,story of the ,wonderful ,capitol ,building and ,its ,marvelous ,decorations1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 #aiaa4 ,,fairman1 ,,charles ,e4 ,art and ,artists of the ,capitol of the ,united ,states1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 #aibg 7#fith ,congress1 #ast ,session1 ,senate ,document #ie74 ,,fry1 ,,smith ,d4 ,fry's ,patriotic ,story of the ,capitol1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,rufus ,h4 ,carby ,printing ,company1 #aiaa4 ,,hazelton1 ,,george ,c4 ,the ,national ,capitol1 ,its ,architecture1 ,art1 and ,history1 ,new ,york1 ,j4 ,f4 ,taylor and ,company1 #aijc4 ,,hepburn ,,and ,a ,,commission1 ,documentary ,history of the ,construction and ,development of the ,united ,states ,capitol ,building and ,grounds1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 #aijc-jd 7#ehth ,congress1 #bnd ,session1 ,house ,report ,no4 #fdf74 ,,keim1 ,,de ,b4 ,,randolph4 ,keim's ,capitol ,interior and ,diagrams1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,mc,gill ,witherow1 #ahgd4 ,,wyeth1 ,s4 ,d4 ,description of ,brumidi's ,allegorical ,painting within the ,canopy of the ,rotunda1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,gibson ,bros41 ,printers1 #ahff4 ,,romano1 ,,filippo ,,agricola1 ,report of ,restorations of the ,vatican upon ,those ,painted by the ,school of ,raphael4 ,printing ,house of ,crispino ,puccinelli1 ,rome1 #ahdb4 ,,dennison1 ,,eleanor ,e41 ,the ,senate ,foreign ,relations ,committee4 ,stanford ,university ,press1 #aidb4 ,,newspapers ,the ,washington ,post 8,death of ,brumidi10 ,feb4 #bj1 #ahhj4 8,historical ,frieze in ,capitol ,finished after ,many ,years10 ,jan4 #af1 #aiba4 ,the ,washington ,star 8,funeral of ,constantino ,brumidi10 ,feb4 #ba1 #ahhj4 8,the ,president's ,room at the ,capitol10 ,april #ac1 #aiac4 8,artist ,is ,restoring ,capitol's ,great ,paintings10 ,april #ac1 #aiai4 8,brumidi ,paintings ,found in ,washington after a ,search of ,forty ,years10 ,nov4 #b1 #aiai4 8,moberly ,restoring ,brumidi ,decorations at ,capitol10 ,aug4 #ad1 #aiba4 ,the ,daily ,evening ,telegraph 8,death of ,brumidi10 ,feb4 #ai1 #ahhj4 8,constantino ,brumidi10 ,feb4 #bj1 #ahhj4 ,the ,new ,york ,daily ,tribune 8,the ,decoration of the ,capitol10 ,may #ag1 #aheh4 8,the ,decorations of the ,capitol10 ,signed ,guglielmo ,gajani1 ,may #ca1 #aheh4 ,,public ,,documents ,,american ,,artists4 8,memorial to the ,senate and the ,house of ,representatives of the ,united ,states10 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 ,march #c1 #ahei4 7#ceth ,congress1 #bnd ,session1 ,report ,no4 #aih47 ,,curtis1 ,,carlton ,b4 8,defence of ,italian ,art10 ,congressional ,globe1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 ,june #ae1 #ahfj4 ,,harris1 ,,cong4 8,condemning ,brumidi ,art10 ,congressional ,globe1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 ,june #ae1 #ahfj4 ,,lovejoy1 ,,owen4 8,ridicule of ,brumidi10 ,congressional ,globe1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 ,may #ai1 #aheh4 7#ceth ,congress1 #ast ,session47 ,,morrill1 ,,senator ,,justin ,s4 8,eulogizing ,brumidi10 ,congressional ,record1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 ,feb4 #bd1 #ahhj4 ,,sheppard1 ,,cong4 ,,harry4 8,poems by ,carlyle on ,brumidi10 ,congressional ,record1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 ,march #ca1 #aidd4 ,,voorhees1 ,,senator4 8,eulogizing ,brumidi10 ,congressional ,record1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office1 ,feb4 #bd1 #ahhj4 ,,reports ,,of ,,capitol ,,architects ,,meigs1 ,,captain ,m4 ,c4 ,annual ,report1 ,oct4 #bg1 #ahei1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 7,completion of ,president's ,room47 ,,walter1 ,,thomas ,u4 ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahfc1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 7,beginning of ,dome ,canopy47 ,,clark1 ,,edward ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahfe1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 7,completion of ,dome ,canopy47 ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahgj1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 7,senate ,reception ,room47 ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahga1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 7,military ,affairs ,committee ,room47 ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahgb1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 7,senate ,reception ,room47 ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahgd1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 78,signing of ,first ,treaty with ,great ,britain407 ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahge1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 78,session of ,louisiana10 and 8,bellona407 ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahgg1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 7,rotunda ,frieze47 ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahhj1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 7,death of ,brumidi47 ,annual ,report1 ,nov4 #a1 #ahha1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,government ,printing ,office4 7,brumidi's small-sized cartoons47 ,,miscellaneous ,,brumidi ,,letters--,compiled by the ,architect's ,office of the ,capitol4 ,,brumidi ,,letters--,saved by ,laurence ,brumidi4 ,,brumidi ,,album--,saved by ,lola ,brumidi4 ,,brumidi ,,vouchers--,compiled by the ,architect's ,office of the ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol4 7,july #c1 #ahee1 to ,feb4 #ai1 #ahhj47 ,,dictionary ,,of ,,american ,,biography 7,authenticated ,article on ,brumidi74 ,,encyclopedia ,,americana 7#ag lines on ,brumidi74 ,,tighe1 ,,josephine ,,gillenvater--8,brumidi1 ,michelangelo of the ,capitol40 ,fine ,arts ,journal1 ,aug4 #aiaj4 ,,thieme ,,and ,,becker--,short ,sketch of ,brumidi4 ,brumidi ,paintings ,found in ,washington after a ,search of ,forty ,years4 ,,box #a #a ,framed ,picture1 ,five ,female ,figures #a ,framed ,picture ,panel #a ,framed ,picture ,panel #a ,framed ,picture1 ,woman and ,man #a ,oval ,portrait 7,mrs4 ,brumidi7 #a ,large ,picture1 ,the ,five ,senses 7,same as at ,museum7 ,,box #b #a ,sketch1 ,child ,study #a ,framed ,bust ,portrait1 ,female #a ,study1 ,cross #a ,study1 ,presentation in the ,temple #a ,painting1 ,mother and ,child #a ,sleeping ,child #c ,studies #a ,sketch for ,dome ,ceiling #a ,sketch1 ,transportation #a ,oval ,sketch1 ,nuts and ,trees #a ,portrait of ,washington1 after ,g4 ,stuart #a ,framed ,study #a ,portrait ,boy ,franklin #a ,oval ,portrait of ,mrs4 ,brumidi #a ,portrait ,study1 ,prayer #a ,circular ,canvas1 ,design for ,ceiling of ,dome ,above list presumably compiled by ,charles ,e4 ,fairman1 ,art ,curator1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 who was present at the time the boxes containing the ,brumidi ,paintings were opened4 ,,brumidi ,,capitol ,,decorations ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,,committee ,,room 7,old ,agriculture ,committee ,room7 ,wall ,frescoes ,calling of ,cincinnatus from the ,plow ,calling of ,putnam from the ,plow to the ,revolution ,ceiling ,fresco ,groups ,spring ,summer ,autumn ,winter ,medallion ,heads in oil 7wall7 ,washington ,jefferson ,scenes in ,oil 7wall7 ,cutting ,grain with a ,sickle ,harvesting ,grain with a ,mc,cormick ,reaper 8,painted in #ahee0 7from a statement left by ,brumidi7 ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,,chamber ,wall painting 7working sketch saved by ,lola ,germon7 8,washington at ,yorktown receiving the officer sent by ,cornwallis to ask a two days' cessation of hostilities40 8,c4 ,,brumidi1 artist1 ,citizen of the ,u4,s40 ,letter to ,superintendent of ,capitol ,extension1 ,december #ad1 #aheg ,,president',s ,,room1 ,,senate ,,extension ,symbolic ,fresco ,groups 7ceiling ,madonnas7 ,executive ,authority ,legislation ,liberty ,religion ,life-size ,ceiling ,portraits in ,fresco ,brewster 7,religion7 ,columbus 7,discovery7 ,franklin 7,history7 ,vespucius 7,exploration7 ,ceiling to ,floor ,panels with ,portraits of ,washington's ,first ,cabinet ,thomas ,jefferson1 ,secretary of ,state ,edmund ,randolph1 ,attorney ,general ,henry ,knox1 ,secretary of ,war ,alexander ,hamilton1 ,secretary of ,treasury ,samuel ,osgood1 ,postmaster ,general ,oil ,portrait of ,george ,washington 7decorative7 8,will be finished by the next meeting of ,congress0 7,from ,architect's ,report1 ,oct4 #bg1 #ahei7 ,,capitol ,,dome ,apotheosis of ,washington 7,fresco7 7working sketch sold in #aibe auction7 ,washington ,freedom ,victory #ac ,female ,figures ,emblematic ,groups 7,fresco7 ,agriculture 7,ceres7 ,mechanics 7,vulcan7 ,commerce 7,mercury7 ,marine 7,neptune7 ,arts and ,sciences 7,minerva7 ,war 7,freedom7 8,c4 ,,brumidi1 #ahfe0 ,architect's ,report1 ,november #a1 #ahfe ,,senate ,,appropriations ,,committee ,,rooms ,,south ,,room 7,,old ,,military ,,affairs ,,committee ,,room7 ,large ,lunettes 7,wall ,frescoes7 ,boston ,massacre1 #aggj ,battle of ,lexington1 #agge 7working sketch saved by ,capt4 ,meigs7 ,death of ,wooster1 #aggg ,washington at ,valley ,forge1 #aggh ,storming of ,stony ,point1 #aggi 7working sketch saved by ,capt4 ,meigs7 ,frescoed ,ceiling ,victors' ,wreaths1 ,shields1 and ,emblems of ,war ,medallion ,head of ,liberty ,,north ,,room 7,,old ,,naval ,,affairs ,,committee ,,room7 #i ,panels in oil 7walls7 ,female figures with ,navy attributes ,ceiling ,frescoes ,marine ,gods and ,goddesses ,ancient ,porticoes in oil 7wall7 ,architect's ,report1 ,november #a1 #ahga ,letter to ,architect ,clark1 ,may #a1 #ahga ,,senate ,,reception ,,room 7,name not changed7 ,allegorical ,groupings in ,fresco 7ceiling7 ,groined ,arch 7working sketch saved by ,capt4 ,meigs7 ,liberty ,plenty ,war ,peace ,circular ,arch ,prudence ,justice ,temperance ,strength ,panels in chiaroscuro 7walls7 ,decorative ,figures ,wall ,centerpiece in ,oil 7working sketch owned by ,warrenton ,house7 ,washington in ,consultation with ,jefferson and ,hamilton ,architect's ,report1 ,november #a1 #ahgb ,letter to ,architect ,clark1 ,may #a1 #ahga ,,senate ,,district ,,of ,,columbia ,,committee ,,rooms ,,large ,,room 7,,decorated ,,for ,,senate ,,library7 ,allegorical ,groups 7,ceiling ,frescoes7 ,geography ,history 7working sketch saved by ,lola ,germon7 ,telegraph 7working sketch sold at #aibe auction7 ,decorative ,groups 7,ceiling ,frescoes7 ,three maidens each 7working sketch saved by ,lola ,germon7 ,,small ,,room 7,,old ,,sergeant ,,at ,,arms ,,office7 ,allegorical ,designs 7,wall ,frescoes7 ,secession and ,products of ,north and ,south ,war and ,strife ,rods ,united--8,e ,pluribus ,unum0 ,implements of ,war ,destroyed ,ceiling ,fresco 8,columbia ,welcoming the ,south ,back into the ,union0 7working sketch sold in #aibe auction7 8,c4 ,,brumidi1 #ahgf40 ,architect's ,report1 ,november #a1 #ahge ,,corridors1 ,,ground ,,floor1 ,,senate ,,annex ,,south ,,corridor #h ,studies in oil 7,animals7 #h ,ovals in oil 7,u4 ,s4 ,shields7 8,,patent ,,corridor0 ,wall ,frescoes ,robert ,fulton 7called also 8,palisades of the ,hudson07 ,john ,fitch 7working on model of steamboat7 ,benjamin ,franklin 7in his laboratory7 ,brumidi ,voucher1 #ahgc ,,north ,,corridor ,profiles in oil 7,medallions in wall ,panels7 ,jonathan ,trumbull ,daniel ,morgan ,israel ,putnam ,horatio ,gates ,thomas ,mifflin ,silas ,deane ,joseph ,warren ,richard ,montgomery ,thomas ,jefferson ,benjamin ,franklin ,large ,fresco1 8,signing of the ,first ,treaty of ,peace with ,great ,britain1 #aghb0 ,john ,adams ,benjamin ,franklin ,john ,jay ,henry ,laurens ,richard ,oswald 7for ,great ,britain7 ,large ,fresco1 8,cession of ,louisiana0 ,robert ,livingston ,james ,monroe ,barbe-,marbois 7for ,france7 ,architect's ,reports1 ,november #a1 #ahgd1 and ,november #a1 #ahge ,,west ,,corridor #ac ,oval ,landscapes in ,oil 7,walls and ,ceiling7 #ab ,signs of the ,zodiac 7ceiling7 ,profiles in oil 7,medallions in wall ,panels7 ,john ,hancock ,francis ,hopkins ,robert ,livingston ,roger ,sherman ,john ,jay ,robert ,morris ,charles ,thompson ,charles ,carroll ,large ,fresco1 ,bellona1 ,roman ,goddess of ,war ,vaulted ,ceilings1 ,walls and ,pilasters 7,style of #aeth ,century7 ,architect's ,report1 ,november #a1 #ahge ,,main ,,corridor #ad ,oval ,landscapes in ,oil 7,walls and ,ceiling7 ,large ,portraits in ,oil 7,walls7 ,justice ,story ,chancellor ,kent ,profiles in ,oil ,andrew ,jackson ,henry ,clay ,imitation ,sculpture ,chancellor ,livingston ,brumidi ,voucher1 ,august #ba1 #ahgh ,,the ,,senate ,,foreign ,,relations ,,committee ,,room ,large ,medallions 7,profiles of ,committee ,chairmen7 ,north wall--,henry ,clay1 ,chairman1 #ahcd to #ahcf ,south wall--,william ,s4 ,allen1 ,chairman1 #ahde to #ahdf ,east wall--,simon ,e4 ,cameron1 ,chairman1 #ahga to #ahgg ,west wall--,charles ,w4 ,sumner1 ,chairman1 #ahfa to #ahga ,brumidi ,voucher1 ,june #ba1 #ahgd ,,capitol ,,rotunda ,frieze ,frescoes in ,imitation ,sculpture 7,seven finished by ,brumidi7 ,landing of ,columbus #adib ,entry of ,cortez into ,mexico #aeba ,pizarro's ,conquest of ,peru #aecc ,midnight ,burial of ,de,soto #aeda ,pocahontas ,saving ,john ,smith #afjf ,landing of the ,pilgrims #afbj ,penn's ,treaty with the ,indians #afhb ,frieze ,frescoes in ,imitation ,sculpture 7,original ,designs made by ,brumidi7 ,scene in ,plymouth ,colony #afbj ,peace ,treaty1 ,oglethorpe and the ,indians #agcb ,battle of ,lexington #agge ,reading of ,the ,declaration of ,independence #aggf ,surrender of ,cornwallis at ,yorktown #agha ,death of ,tecumseh #ahac ,general ,scott's ,entry into ,mexico #ahdg ,discovery of ,gold in ,california #ahdh ,architect's ,reports1 ,october #a1 #ahgg2 ,october #a1 #ahhj2 ,october #a1 #ahhd #ahee ,july #c1 #ahee--;,fresco work1 extension of ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 ,april #a to ,june #cj1 #ahee2 #gh days #h per day--#fbd4jj ,aug4 #b1 #ahee--;,fresco work1 extension ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 ,july #a to ,july #ca1 #ahee2 #bf days #h per day--#bjh4jj ,nov4 #cj1 #ahee--;,fresco work1 extension ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 ,aug4 #a to ,nov4 #cj1 #ahee2 #aje days #h per day--#hdj4jj #ahef ,mar4 #d1 #ahef--;,fresco work1 ,agricultural ,committee ,room1 ,dec4 #a1 #ahee1 to ,feb4 #aa1 #ahef2 #fb days #h per day--#dif4jj ,color and ,brushes1 ,agricultural ,com4 ,room2 #h paintings #ac4ej--ajh4jj ,fresco work1 extension ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 ,feb4 #ab to ,feb4 #bi1 #ahef2 #af days #h per day--#abh4jj ,june #bf1 #ahef--;,designs and cartoons1 ,capitol ,extension1 ,ceiling ,fresco work1 ,march #a to #ca ,may1 #ahef2 #gi days #h--fcb4jj #aheg ,jan4 #i1 #aheg--;,fresco work1 extension ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 ,june #ab to ,dec4 #ca1 #ahef2 #ahc days #h per day--#a1dfd4jj ,july #f1 #aheg--;,fresco work1 extension ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 ,april #a to ,june #cj1 #aheg2 #gh days #aj per day--#ghj4jj ,nov4 #d1 #aheg--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,sept4 #a to ,oct4 #ca1 #aheg2 #ec days #aj per day--#ecj4jj ,dec4 #d1 #aheg--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,nov4 #a to ,nov4 #cj1 #aheg2 #be days #aj per day--#bej4jj #aheh ,jan4 #f1 #aheh--,painting rooms1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,dec4 #a to ,dec4 #ca1 #aheg2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,feb4 #c1 #aheh--,painting rooms1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,jan4 #a to ,jan4 #ca1 #aheh2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,mar4 #e1 #aheh--,painting rooms1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,feb4 #a to ,feb4 #bh1 #aheh2 #bd days #aj per day--#bdj4jj ,mar4 #ca1 #aheh--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,mar #a to ,mar #ca1 #aheh2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,sept4 #a1 #aheh--,painting rooms1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,aug4 #a to ,aug4 #ca1 #aheh2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,sept4 #cj1 #aheh--,painting rooms1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,sept4 #a to ,sept4 #cj1 #aheh2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,nov4 #a1 #aheh--,painting rooms1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,oct4 #a to ,oct4 #ca1 #aheh2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,dec4 #a1 #aheh--,painting rooms1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,nov4 #a to ,nov4 #cj1 #aheh2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj #ahei ,jan4 #a1 #ahei--;,for services during month of ,december1 #aheh2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,feb4 #a1 #ahei--;,for services during month of ,january1 #ahei2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj 7,one day overpaid4 ,corrected in ,mar4 voucher7 ,mar4 #a1 #ahei--;,for services during month of ,february1 #ahei2 #bd days #aj per day--#bdj4jj ,mar4 #ca1 #ahei--;,for services during month of ,march1 #ahei2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj 7,less #a day overpaid in ,january7--#bfj4jj ,may #a1 #ahei--;,for services during month of ,april1 #ahei2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,june #a1 #ahei--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,may #a to ,may #ca1 #ahei2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,aug4 #a1 #ahei--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,july #a to ,july #ca1 #ahei2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,sept4 #a1 #ahei--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,aug4 #a to ,aug4 #ca1 #ahei2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,oct4 #a1 #ahei--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,sept4 #a to ,sept4 #cj1 #ahei2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,nov4 #a1 #ahei--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,oct4 #a to ,oct4 #ca1 #ahei2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,dec4 #a1 #ahei--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,nov4 #a to ,nov4 #cj1 #ahei2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj #ahfj ,jan4 #b1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,dec4 #a to ,dec4 #ca1 #ahei2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,feb4 #a1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,jan4 #a to ,jan4 #ca1 #ahfj2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,mar4 #a1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,feb4 #a to ,feb4 #bi1 #ahfj2 #be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,apr4 #f1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,mar4 #a to ,mar4 #ca1 #ahfj2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,may #a1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,apr4 #a to ,apr4 #cj1 #ahfj2 #be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,june #a1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,may #a to ,may #ca1 #ahfj2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,july #b1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,june #a to ,june #cj1 #ahfj2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,aug4 #a1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,july #a to ,july #ca1 #ahfj2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,sept4 #a1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,aug4 #a to ,aug #ca1 #ahfj2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,oct4 #a1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,sept4 #a to ,sept4 #cj1 #ahfj2 #be days --#aj per day--#bej4jj ,nov4 #a1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,oct4 #a to ,oct4 #ca1 #ahfj2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,dec4 #a1 #ahfj--;,fresco work1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol ,extension1 ,nov4 #a to ,nov4 #cj1 #ahfj2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj #ahfj--,vouchers ,nos4 #ba1 #ab1 #d1jjj4jj 7,for work on ,dome ,canopy cartoons7 #ahfa ,jan4 #a1 #ahfa--;,for services in painting from ,dec4 #a to ,dec4 #ca1 #ahfj2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,feb4 #a1 #ahfa--;,for services in painting from ,jan4 #a to ,jan4 #ca1 #ahfa2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,feb4 #bh1 #ahfa--;,for services in painting from ,feb4 #a to ,feb4 #bh1 #ahfa2 #bd days #aj per day--#bdj4jj ,apr4 #a1 #ahfa--;,for services in painting from ,mar4 #a to ,mar4 #ca1 #ahfa2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,may #a1 #ahfa--;,for services in painting from ,apr4 #a to ,apr4 #cj1 #ahfa2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,june #a1 #ahfa--;,for services in painting from ,may #a to ,may #ca1 #ahfa2 #bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj #ahfc ,aug4 #d1 #ahfc--;,for work on ,cartoons for fresco painting over the eye of the new ,dome--#b1jjj4jj ,aug4 #d1 #ahfc--;,for services1 painting in fresco1 from ,may #i to ,june #cj1 #ahfc2 #de days #aj per day--#dej4jj4 ,less income tax1 #de days #bd;c per day--#aj4hj--dci4bj ,aug4 #ca1 #ahfc--;,for work on ,cartoons for fresco painting on canopy over the eye of the ,new ,dome--#b1jjj4jj ,sept4 #cj1 #ahfc--;,for work on ,cartoons for fresco painting on canopy over the eye of the ,new ,dome--#b1jjj4jj #ahfd ,dec4 #c1 #ahfd--;,for work on ,cartoons for fresco painting on canopy over the eye of the ,new ,dome--#a1jjj4jj ,dec4 #c1 #ahfd--;,for services1 painting in fresco in ,sergeant-at-arms room1 ,u4 ,s4 ,senate1 from ,july #a to ,july #ca1 #ahfc2 #bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj4 ,less income tax of #aj4di--bdi4ea #ahfe ,aug4 #a1 #ahfe--;,for work on the ,fresco painting over the ,eye of the ,new ,dome1 month of ,july--#b1jjj4jj ,aug4 #ca1 #ahfe--;,for work on the ,fresco ,painting over the ,eye of the ,new ,dome1 month of ,august--#b1jjj4jj ,dec4 #a1 #ahfe--;,for work on the ,fresco ,painting over the ,eye of the ,new ,dome1 from ,sept4 #a to date--#b1jjj4jj4 ,vouchers #ba1 #e1 #aa--b1ejj1jj4 #ahff ,apr4 #ah1 #ahff--;,for work on the ,fresco ,painting over the ,eye of the ,new ,dome from ,dec4 #a1 #ahfe1 to ,jan4 #af1 #ahff--b1ejj4jj4 ,vouchers #a1 #f1 #g1 #h--h1jjj4jj ,june #i1 #ahff--;,balance of contract price of #dj1jjj for ,dome ,canopy1 less #ejj4jj retained until ,picture is properly toned and blended--#i1ejj4jj #ahfg ,nov4 #bj1 #ahfg--;,for finishing the ceiling of the ,post ,office ,room of the ,u4 ,s4 ,senate1 as per authority of the ,secretary of the ,interior1 dated ,aug #ac1 #ahff1 for designing and painting three panels and three corner groups of figures1 all in real ,fresco--#d1ihi4jj #ahgj ,nov4 #bb1 #ahgj--;,for decorating ,south wall of ,senate ,reception ,room--#a1jjj4jj #ahga ,may #g1 #ahga--;,for approximate estimate for painting one panel in the ,room on ,military ,affairs of ,u4 ,s4 ,senate--#ejj4jj ,july #h1 #ahga--;,for approximate estimate for painting one panel in the room of ,military ,affairs of the ,u4 ,s4 ,senate--#bej4jj ,july #ag1 #ahga--;,for decorating one ,lunette on the ,south wall of the ,senate ,reception ,room--#a1jjj4jj ,aug4 #bh1 #ahga--;,for approximate estimate for painting in fresco on walls and ceiling of ,senate ,committee ,room on ,military ,affairs--#a1jjj4jj ,oct4 #ai1 #ahga--;,for painting in fresco #c panels in ,committee ,room on ,military ,affairs1 ,senate ,wing1 ,u4 ,s4 ,capitol1 viz3 ,washington at ,valley ,forge1 ,storming of ,stony ,point1 ,boston ,massacre1 #a1jjj each--#c1jjj4jj ,for painting in ,fresco #c groups of children over doorways--#cjj4jj ,nov4 #bc1 #ahga--;,for decorating three panels consisting of figures and medallions in the ,reception ,room of ,u4 ,s4 ,senate--#b1jjj4jj #ahgb ,nov4 #b1 #ahgb--;,for approximate estimate for painting medallion in ,committee ,room of ,foreign ,affairs of the ,senate and for decorating the ,senate ,reception ,room--#bej4jj ,nov4 #bi1 #ahgb--;,for approximate estimate for painting picture of ,washington1 ,jefferson1 and ,hamilton on the walls of the ,senate ,reception ,room--#bej4jj #ahgc ,may #bf1 #ahgc--;,for approximate estimate for painting portraits of ,washington1 ,jefferson and ,hamilton on the walls of the ,senate ,reception ,room--#ejj4jj ,nov4 #bh1 #ahgc--;,for painting in ,fresco the picture of ,robert ,fulton in the ,senate ,wing1 in passage in front of the room of ,committee on ,patents--#ejj4jj #ahgd ,june #ba1 #ahgd--;,for painting four medallion portraits in the ,committee ,room of ,foreign ,affairs1 ,u4 ,s4 ,senate1 #ej each--#bjj4jj ,nov4 #aa1 #ahgd--;,for painting in ,fresco over the entrance of the room of the ,committee of ,foreign ,affairs1 the picture of the ,signing of the ,first ,treaty with ,great ,britain--#fjj4jj ,painting a medallion bust in the same room--#ej4jj #ahgg ,,time ,,book ,,entries ,march #ahgg--ab days #aj per day--#abe4jj ,april #ahgg--ab days #aj per day--#abe4jj ,may #ahgg--ae days #aj per day--#aee4jj ,june #ahgg--ac days #aj per day--#acj4jj ,july #ahgg--be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,aug4 #ahgg--bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,sept4 #ahgg--be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,oct4 #ahgg--bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,nov4 #ahgg--be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,dec4 #ahgg--ac days #aj per day--#acj4jj #ahgh ,,time ,,book ,,entries ,jan4 #ahgh--ac days #aj per day--#ace4jj ,feb4 #ahgh--ab days #aj per day--#abj4jj ,mar4 #ahgh--ac days #aj per day--#acj4jj ,apr4 #ahgh--bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,may #ahgh--bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,june #ahgh--be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,july #ahgh--bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,aug4 #ahgh--bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,sept4 #ahgh--be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,oct4 #ahgh--af days #aj per day--#afe4jj ,nov4 #ahgh--bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,dec4 #ahgh--be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,aug4 #bd1 #ahgh--;,for painting in ,fresco the portraits of ,justice ,story1 ,chancellor ,kent1 at ,north end of ,basement story--#djj4jj ,for painting ,bust in light and shade of ,chancellor ,livingston at same location--#ajj4jj #ahgi ,,time ,,book ,,entries ,jan4 #ahgi--bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,feb4 #ahgi--bd days #aj per day--#bdj4jj ,mar4 #ahgi--bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,apr4 #ahgi--bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,may #ahgi--bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,june #ahgi--be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,july #ahgi--bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,aug4 #ahgi--bd days #aj per day--#bdj4jj ,sept4 #ahgi--bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj ,oct4 #ahgi--bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,nov4 #ahgi--be days #aj per day--#bej4jj ,dec4 #ahgi--bf days #aj per day--#bfj4jj #ahhj ,,time ,,book ,,entry ,jan4 #ahhj--bg days #aj per day--#bgj4jj ,,brumidi ,,earnings ,,by ,,years #ahee #a1fgb4jj #ahef #a1cfd4jj #aheg #c1jbd4jj #aheh #b1jhj4jj #ahei #b1hgj4jj #ahfj #g1adj4jj #ahfa #a1efj4jj #ahfc #f1dci4bj #ahfd #a1bdi4ea #ahfe #h1ejj4jj #ahff #bj1jjj4jj #ahfg #d1ihi4jj #ahgj #a1jjj4jj #ahga #h1jej4jj #ahgb #ejj4jj #ahgc #a1jjj4jj #ahgd #hej4jj #ahgg #a1iee4jj #ahgh #c1abj4jj #ahgi #c1jhj4jj #ahhj #bgj4jj ---------- ,grand ,total #hj1gab4ga ,illustration3 ,,working ,,sketches ,,for ,,the ,,rotunda ,,frieze ,,recently ,,found ,the availability of the priceless scroll of working sketches for the ,rotunda ,frieze has been too late for detailed study at this time and almost too late for a place in this ,brumidi book4 ,however1 the sketch of the ,landing of the ,pilgrims reproduced above gives the reader an opportunity to make his own comparisons between one working sketch and its actual rendition in fresco on the belt encircling the ,rotunda of the ,capitol1 as appears on page forty-four4 ,james ,h4 ,rowe1 grandnephew of ,lola ,germon1 owns these working sketches for the ,rotunda ,frieze4 ,the groupings1 as planned by ,brumidi and sketched on a long and narrow piece of brown wrapping paper1 frequently spliced1 bears the ,brumidi signature and is dated #ahei4 ,this prize scroll1 thirteen inches wide and some thirty feet long1 was given to ,mr4 ,rowe by his grand aunt1 ,lola ,germon4 ,it has been well protected4 ,the outline drawings themselves are executed in sepia water color with shadows in black and high lights in white4 ,the original titles given to these scroll groupings and written by ,brumidi in pencil beneath each sketch vary somewhat from the list preserved in the ,architect's office of the ,capitol1 yet the subject matter is essentially the same4 ,brumidi's title for this 8vast conception10 so far as ,i know1 appears in no other record4 ,at the beginning of the scroll is the artist's own penciled legend for the ,rotunda ,frieze1 8,america and ,history40 ,,this ,,study ,,of 8,constantino ,brumidi1 ,,michelangelo ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,capitol10 ,,was ,,published ,,by ,,the ,,monumental ,,press1 ,,inc41 ,,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,,december #aiej4