106th Congress, 2d Session S. Doc. 106–25

Art and Historic Objects

in the Senate Wing

of the Capitol and

Senate Office Buildings

PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF SENATE CURATOR

PURSUANT TO DIRECTION OF

THE SENATE COMMISSION ON ART,

UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE

SECRETARY OF THE SENATE, EXECUTIVE

SECRETARY OF THE COMMISSION ON ART

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON

2000

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UNITED STATES SENATE

COMMISSION ON ART

Pursuant to 40 United States Code, Section 188b

TRENT LOTT, Mississippi, Chairman

TOM DASCHLE, South Dakota, Vice Chairman

STROM THURMOND, South Carolina

MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky

CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut

GARY SISCO, Secretary of the Senate

Executive Secretary of the Senate Commission on Art

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PREFACE

‘‘The Commission [Senate Commission on Art] is hereby

authorized and directed to supervise, hold, place, protect,

and make known all works of art, historical objects, and

exhibits within the Senate wing of the United States Capitol, any Senate Office Buildings, and in all rooms, spaces,

and corridors thereof, which are the property of the United

States, and in its judgment to accept any works of art, historical objects, or exhibits which may hereafter be offered,

given, or devised to the Senate, its committees, and its officers for placement and exhibition in the Senate wing of the

Capitol, the Senate Office Buildings, or in rooms, spaces,

or corridors thereof.’’

Senate Commission on Art

40 USC § 188b–1

Since the Senate Commission on Art was established in 1968, it

has worked to fulfill its legislative authority to care and protect the

art and historical objects located in the Senate wing of the Capitol

and the Senate Office Buildings. The majority of these objects were

acquired by Congress prior to the establishment of the Commission

on Art, with additional pieces added over the past thirty-two years

by the Commission. Some of the oldest and most historically significant objects in the Senate include the relief of Justice in the Old

Supreme Court Chamber, executed in 1817 by Carlo Franzoni;

forty-eight Senate Chamber desks, acquired in 1819 from New

York cabinetmaker Thomas Constantine; the marble bust of Chief

Justice John Jay, executed in 1831 by John Frazee; and the 1832

portrait of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale. These, and the

hundreds of other art and historical objects in the United States

Senate, chronicle the nation’s achievements over the last two centuries, and provide visitors today with a greater appreciation of our

historic past.

The Senate Commission on Art is required to ‘‘publish as a Senate document a list of all works of art, historical objects, and exhibits currently within the Senate wing of the Capitol and the Senate

Office Buildings, together with their description, location, and with

such notes as may be pertinent to their history’’ [40 USC § 188b–

3]. This inventory includes sculpture, paintings, frescos and other

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wall and ceiling paintings, architectural details of artistic significance, decorative arts, engravings, drawings, photographs, manuscripts, publications, memorabilia, foreign gifts, and reproduction

prints. The first section of the document includes such relevant information as catalogue number, category, description, maker, location, floor, and pertinent historical notes. A second section comprises objects currently listed by the Commission.

A number of the items are on loan from other institutions, or are

within inventories provided by the Senate Sergeant at Arms and

the Architect of the Capitol’s Superintendent of Senate Office

Buildings, which have traditionally maintained inventories of these

objects.

Over the years, the Senate Commission on Art has published selective listings of objects in the Senate, including: United States

Senate Graphic Arts Collection: Illustrated Checklist Volume 1; ‘‘A

necessary fence... ’’ The Senate’s First Century; Between the Eyes:

Thomas Nast & the U.S. Senate; and What This Country Needs...

The Senate in an Age of Advertising. This official publication, however, is the first detailed inventory of all art and historic objects

in the Senate, and will be the basis for all future documentation.

The Office of Senate Curator has worked extensively over the past

few years to identify, catalogue, and research these objects, and the

office will continue to update the inventory as new information is

uncovered and new objects are acquired.

GARY SISCO

Secretary of the Senate,

Executive Secretary of the

Senate Commission on Art

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