Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-01-02
THE BRONZE DOORS FOR THE NATION
AL CAPITOL.


1t is known that the artist Rogers was COM
missioned some years ago by our Government
to model, and have cast in bronze, folding
doors for the Capitol The doors have just
been cast at Munich, and an English writer,
who has seen them, gives the following de-
scrption of the designs which ornament them:
"The bronze doors intended for the Capitol
at Washington, designed and modelled at Rome
by the American artist, Rogers, have lately been
on view at the Royal Foundry, where they were
cast. The workmanship, as is always the case
with whatever emanates from the Munich foun-
dry, is admirable, There is a sharpness in the
lines, and finish in the mnutest detail, which
are in the highest degree creditable. OF the
doors themselves it is not easy to convey an
adequate idea by mere description; for emu
meraton of all that is represented might in
duce the belief that there was crowding Of
objects, and that the allotted space was over
filed and this is not the case Each door
the whole forms folding DOORS divided in
to four compartments or panels. Thus, with a
semi-circular space above which has the
breadth of both the doors come together, there
are nine divisions, in each of which an impor-
tant moment of Columbus's life is represented.
"rhe figures stand out in full relief, and some
of the groups are eminently successful. The
browning event of the discoveries career oc-
cupies the commanding spot over the top of
the doors. Here Columbus, standing on a
mound, forms the central figure. lie has land
ed from boat, and with the standard of ARA
gon and CASTLE planted on the new soil, and
with sword appraised III his right hand, he takes
possession of the land in the name of his SOW
ereigns. Some boatmen are still in the skiff,
others are kneeling on the Shore while group
of Indians, pcepng from behind a tree on the
opposite side, look on in wondering astonish-
ment. In one department is represented the
triumphal entry of Columbus into Madrid, on
his first return from America amid crowds of
ga2ers at him, the hero Of the triumph, and at
the Indians who ptecedc the procession with
paroquets on their upraised arms.
"The next panel is occupied with a sadder
story. Here Columbus, in chains, surrounded
by a sorrowing population is about to embark
for Europe. Then, the 'last scene of ALL ac-
complishing his strange eventful history we
see him on his deathlbed, attended only by a
nun and some priests, who administer to him
the consultations of religion. His son stands
beside him. In the thickness of the door itself
inches are formed at certa II Intervals and in
these are small, whole length figures OF the
contemporaries Of Coumbus-kings, states
men, eccesiastcs, and warriors. In the center,
close to each other, two such lines of inches,
while, on both sides, singles row of figures,
one above the other, fills up the intermediate
space between the outer edge of the panels and
the door-post. The large bosses so often seen
on doors are here the heads of those historians
who have written on the discovery of America.
"The ornaments below each niche are heads
of animals indigenous to the country, with
fruits and flowers entwined also Characteristic
of the New World Every ornament is appro-
pirate, and though they are manifold. there is
no confusion AS there will be no chance of
the work being forwarded to the place of its
destination for some time to come, it might be
possible to induce the authorities to allow it to
be sent to England MEANWHILE where it could
not fail to be looked at with the greatest inter-
est. The exhibition of next year might present
the desired opportunity for taking such step.
the artist would be glad that so good an occa.
sion offered for making his work known; and
the Americans would surely not be unwilling to
show the world how nunifcently they had
come forward to erect grand national monu-
ment."