St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1879-02-15
THE RATIONAL CAPITOL,
1Eie Ereacoes i'm she EGoturada-'E7,e work
f:ss.& &isRra:' s.rue,IAis IL DcincS

just at prcaa; Sienor Brun2idi j.
sketcbirg what viii be the sixth @, the
contemplated scFies, q composition treat
Ing the i-cDs5;ng Of the Pilgrims" The
five already completed represent the
'Lanijn:: Cf Columbus" "Cortez En-
tering TIE s.Ecmples OF Mexico. "E"Pjz-
FARO Marching 70 Peru" The Burial of
DrSoto,' ard "ptcahontas Saving the
Lie Of O.! tain Smith. There remains
ii &a'iticn u he Handing OF the PHI
criH1s,' "Penn Treating with the 4ndi-
air" "Enc Colonization of Jamestown
"OG'tthorpe and Muscosee Chief"
G2!.!o Of Lexington" DECLARATION OF
3"Hsndcnce," O. sSurrt;3der 0! Cornwall
lis, > "Dacatur at Tripo,i," 'D9ath of
Ttcumseh,'' "Seo;t's Entry into the
City Of Naxic,,' and '1ne Discovery
Of Gold in California" These designs
have all been drawn in a crude form,
maSiGg iony roll suggesting an eastern
manuscript. Thence they are transferred
to large streets, where the theme is elab-
orated sufficiently to be sgain copied on
sheets OF Ire iuI: proportions of the tres
Goes themse VS.. These are taken to
the rotuuda and !,laccd over the space
+4signed to be next a:!a.krd,
aud g"rforattd with lines OF dots along
which charcoal is rubbed 80 az to leave
impressions on the plaster beneath. The
drawing is then renlyVed, and the artist,
having suitably prepared the mortar,
proceeds 10 copy the design, section by
section, till the whole is trans erred to
the wall. Il will be seen that several
reproductions OF the original sketch are
required, and TIE nature OF the fresco
press itself not to SPEAK OF the inciden al
difficulties Of the position, weather, etc,
makes the advance slow. Brumidi has
been occupied nearly two years in COM
plotting the fltst quadrant, and does not
anticipate fi1ihing the entire series in
less than four years or more. Whatever
diversity Q: opinion may prevail. as to
the merits CT the previous work done by
this artist, there Is scarcely room Tor
difference in regard to the excellence of
these jrescoes in black and white. The
designs are NJ bic and graceful, and the
execution is wonderful. TIE frescoes
are per ect to the degree OF optical de-
fusion. It is difficult to persuade a
stranger that the work is not in relief,
and among the amusing incidents Of
daily lie at the Capitol is the dogged
unbelief OF visitors in the tales Of guides
and watclmen III explanation OF the
paintings. It is comic sight to see one
of these guides blandIY explaining the
trescoes, while the elderly ladies Or the
bridal pair in tow stand regarding him
with suspicious chances which say very
plainly, No Tricks On travellers, if you
please" And even one more accus-
toned to the Fl ,ures shrinks and instinct
igely lodges IS lie gees above him Col
umbus walking The plank il an absent
m;n}ed way, as il about to step down
and ouS Some ninety feet upon the place
beneath. Hokusai, the Dare of Japan,
depicts in Ole OF his clr:cature an artist
at his benci, who has drawn such a
perfect horse that the beast is quietly
srabling out of The door. Let us hope
Brumidi Will stop this sile OF so homi-
cidal an excellence as that. Il this con-
nection few words concerning the life
aud labors Of the artist may be found
interesting. Constantine Blumidi WAS
born at E,me in 1905, and is now, there.
fore, seVenty-three years OF age. He
received 4 thorough professional educa-
ton, his instructors being Camucini in
painting and Thorwa!dsen in sculpture.
Hi tal,nts received early recognition,
the young artist being employed for
eleven years in the decoration of The
villa and palaces of Prince Torlonia in
R'me. Under Pope Gregory XVI he
vas commissioned, with three other
painters of distinction, to restore the
upper tory of the 5oggi1 of Raphael in
the Vatican. In 1S45 he painted the
portrait Ct the late Pope Plus XII, and
ubst quently rfsurrectiou of Lsztrus,
which was purchased by the Princess
A bertina, of Prussia Sinking the artist
IN the patriot. however, he beams in
vov>d i'll the revolutionary troubles
1S49 and in consequence WAS obliged to
flee. He came to Washington in 1868
and applied for naturalization papers,
but left soon alter for the CITY OF Mexico,
where he painted in the cathedral. Re.
turning, be passed five years in tresco
painting in the cathedral in Philade]
ph;a and in ST. Stephens Church in New
York. In 1855 he began the work of de-
corating the Capitol by fresco in the
House Committee room on Agriculture,
and since that time has been constantly
employed in various labors and places;
now designing the bronze ratings of the
Senate and House private staircases in
the basement, now suspended at dizzy
height decorating the canopy OF the ro>
tunda. Signor Brumidi is not only an
accomplished artist, buI of singularly
sweet and attractive disposition and