The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-09-12
Az ARTISTS REVENGR.
Ho. Brunidi. the Freseoer, Adorned the
Capitol Dome.

How Brumidi. the Freseoer, Adorned the
Capitol Dome.
Washington Cor Nzw YORK World
Il Is recorded that Michael Angelo,
while engaged In his grand work on St.
Peter mad a tilt with a high church
potenCa-e and wreaked an artistic re-
yenge upon him BY delineating his
features upon the face OF the devil In
hls grouping. Whether the story be
true or not is Of little consequence:
but ID a measure We have here IL
Washington. and in the national capi-
to-, an analOglCaliy similar art incl
dent and In itself the most peculiarly
interesting feature Of a historical char
aCter IN the works OF art in the c0un-
try. Yet, oddly enough although
gazed upon by hundreds Of thousands
and though N existence tOr nearly
score OF years its special interest has
been passed by unrecOguized, not even a
single emplOye IN or about the build
ing being aware OF It's existence aud
not a visitor having remarked it. And
yet Il stands III boldest relief and OF
heroic size, furnishing the most strik-
ing feature IN tie alIegOrical series OF
II Is ths description Of the Goddess OF
Liberty defeating treason and destroy
ing dIscOrd- It has a little romance
attached TO its origin. While BrumidI,
the Italian artist OF the capitol, was
engaged IN his labors he met a very
beautiful glrl here, boarded IN the same
house, I believe. Miss Jennie GermOn,
or Lola, as Der family called her. was
without exception the handsOmest
young lady IN Washington. Although
without a trace Of Italian blood IN her
veins, she possessed all the perfect
features Of beauty which poets choose
10 accord their herOInes OF that race,
and, ID addition, was grandly tall and
as taulCless IN physique as a sculptOr's
ideal BrumlGl grew young again ID
ms intense love for her, cOurred and
married her. He was then at least
sixty, and as aged in appearance as If
he had passed the allotted three score
and ten. she was scarcely twenty. She
admired his artistic powers and also
herself, and with a pardOnable vanity
suggested TO him that he perpetuaIe
her as the goddess in his masterpiece.
He acQuIesced and went considerably
further than her suggestion. ItOpened
TO him a fresh idea which he imme-
dlately proceeded to act upon, and
which, completed, furnishes the pecul-
lar bit OF history associated with the
painting.
Treason and Discord' are repre-
sented by FIVE human figures fleeing
into chaos before the Goddess OF Lib
erry, with upraised sword, and pre-
ceded by the American Eagle. Brumidi
chose in his art allegOry FIVE OF the
most prominent faces IN the Just
then dead cOnfederacy with which to
characterize the quintet II process OF
being cast INTO the outer darkness:
Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Stone
wall Jackson, Alex. Stephens and Rob
ert IOOmbs. JacksOn's Is the most
prominent. He Is helmeted and IN
black a-mOr, with a white coat cover
Ing his right arm, which Is raised as he
Is falling to escape the uplifCed sword
Of the Goddess; partly under him. and
TO the left, Is Davis with a face Tesem-
bling one OF M8chetl'- witches IN q
hysterical condition Of fear. and be
yOnd him is Alexander Srephens-the
best portrait Of the lot To the right,
and almost side by side with Jackson
i Lee with dishev=le5 white hair and
King Lear beard. a tattered brick col
cred garment seemingly covering his
body, IN terrOr-stricken flight, while
Boo TOOmbs, who Is making the best
time OF all, Is about two laps ahead,
with hands out-stretched toward Geor- /
gIa. None OF the men 50 caricatured
ever saw the portrais or knew. OF the
fact. The only one Of them who was
ever II the capital subsequent to the
war was Stephens, and he never en- /
tered the rOtunda. Brumidi, the ar
list, Is dead, yet his work viii continue
no doubt as long ast the capitol stands, I
and a generation from now, when
every other relic Of old and bitter sen 4
timent viii have passed away, viii
continue intact.