Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-23
New pictures at the Castor.

BTumidi, the Capitol artist, is Just now
engaged or an oil painting on the wall Op-
posite the stairway near the room of the
Senate Committee on the District OF Column
bia, representing Don Barthlehim de Las
Casas, Spanish priest, and subsequently a
bishop, who came to America on the second
voy age OF Columbus, in the act OF writing a
letter TO King Ferdinand. OF Spain, in be-
half Of the natives of Mexico, who by
royal decree had been declared slaves to the
whites. De LasCasas is sitting at his desk
near an open window, listlessIy regarding a
group OF natives dispOrting themsel yes under
two graceful palms, while behind hun stands
his servant, a stalWart Indian, his muscular
arms and breast exposed, his strai ght black
hair cut short, with two eagles feathers. one
red al d the other blue, projecting from his
shspely head. Altogether the picture is
pleaSiTg as q work OF AFT.
Mr.. Brumidi has recently finished frescO
pair tIngS over the doors OF the rooms of the
Committees on Territories, Revision OF the
Laws, and Indian Affairs, which deserve =
passing notice. For the first he has chosen
Ior his subject the conference between Count
Barbe MarbOis, the commissioner Oh the
part of France, and James Monroe and Mr..
Livingston on the part of the United States,
10 negotiate Tor the cesSiOn OF the territory
OF Louisiana. The Count is pointing TO a
large map suspended on his right. He is
dressed in the prevailing style OF that day,
and wears white queue aud top boots.
Monroe and Livingston wear knee brooches,
and are sitting a Short distance IN the rear of
the Count. The expression OF the faces is
good, and the subject chosen very apprO-
pirate, considering the place IL occupies.
The fresco picture over the door of the
Committee on the Revision of the Laws, rep
resents Justice seated on throne, looking
at the code Of laws held up to her by an aged
Lycurgus, while on her right the executive
power is represented by q female figure hold
Ing In one hand her mace of office, aud in the
other the scales OF Justice.
The fresco over the room of the Committee
on Indian Afairs Is an alegOrical picture,
Columbus. In the foreground, seated upon
rock, In the rear of which the Towering
cactus OF the West Indies is seen, is a beau
teous Indian maiden, personifying America
Columbus, who has just landed from a small
bCat, whose PROV projects over the sandy
beach, is standing near, and little
10 the left OF the maiden, from whose
head he has just lifted a serape. Her face
Is turned upward, and she is gazing into
bis with an expression of curiosity, un-
mixed with anything akin TO fear Grace
fully draped across her shoulder is a gauZv
white sash, striped with blue She is dressed
in gayly colOred robe, and altogether is
as one would care To see. The expression on
the face of Columbus, notwiths landing
this, is one of entire Indifference. Not
even ghost OF smile lights up his grim
countenance, as he stands holding up the se-
rape and gazing down into her face. TIE
picture of Columbus was copiet by Mr.. Bru-
midi from an old portrait, while that of the
In the rear, was taken from a drawing of the
vessel, made by Columbus himself TIE in
different manner with which Columbus re-
CARDS the Indian maiden, suggests the idea
that Mrs Columbus was watching her iiege
lord nom the vessel near by.