The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-05-03
The Bronze Doors Of the National
Capitol.

1t is known that the artist rogers was
commissioned 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,
giyes>the following description Of the de-
signs which ornament them:
1.-The bronze doors intended for the
Capitol at Washington, designed and mod
elled 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
foundry, is admirable. There is a sharp
ness in the lines, and finish in the mi
nutcst detail, which are in the highest de-
gree crcditable. Of the doors themselves
it is not easy to convey an adequate idea
by mere description; for enumeration OF
all that is represented might induce the
belief that there was a crowding Of OBJ
jects, and that the allotted space was over
filled and this is not the case. Each
door-thc whole forms a folding door-is
divided into four compartments or panels.
nus, W IlII u 6toSS oOONSp
which has the breadth of both the doors
together, there are nine divisions, in each
Of which an important moment of Colum-
bus life is represented.
"The figures stand out in full relief,
and some Of the groups are eminently sue
cessful. The crowning event Of the dis
coverer's career occupies the commanding
spot over the top Of the doors. Here Co.
lumbus, standing on mound, forms the
central figure. He has just landed from q
boat, and with the standard Of Arragon
and CASTLE planted on the new soil, and
with sword upraised in his right hand, be
takes possession Of the land in the name
of his sovereigns. Some bOatmen are
still in the Skiff, others are kneeling on the
shore, while a group Of Indians, peepi"g
from behind a tree on the opposite side,
look on in wondering astOnishment. In
one compartment is represented the tri-
umphal entry of Columbus into Madrid,
on his first return from America, amid
crowds of gazers at him, the hero of the
triumph, and at the Indians who preceded
the procession, with paroquets on their
appraised arms.
The next panel is occupied with a
saddle: story. Here Columbus, in chains,
surrounded by a sorrowing population, is
about to embark for Europe. Then, the
last scene of ALL accomplishing his
Strange, eventful history we see him or
his death-bed, attended only by a nun
and some priests, who administer to him
the consultations of religion. His son
stands beside him. In the thickness o
the door itself, inches are formed at GER
tain intervals, and in these are small
whole.length figures of the great contem
porarieS Of Columbus-kings, statesmen
ecclcsiastics and warriors. In the centre
close to each other, are two such lines O.
inches, while, on both sides, single 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
the heads of animals indigenous to thl
country, with fruits and flowers entwined
also characteristic of the New World. -
Every ornament is appropriate, and tho
they are manifold, there is no confusion
AS there will be no chance of the worl
being forwarded to the place of its desti
nation for some time. it might be possibl,
to induce the authorities to allow it to b
sent to England meanwhile. where it coulG
not fail to be looked at with the greatesi
interest. The exhibition Of next yea
might present the desired opportunity fOl
taking such step. The artist would b,
glad that 30 good an occasion offered fOl
making his work known; and the Amer
leans would surely not be unwilling Il
show the world how muni6cently theJ
had come forward to erect . grand nation
| nj monument"