Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-06
AN ARTISTS REVENGE.
How Brumtdt, the Frescoer, Adorned
the Capitol Dome.

From me Near York World
WASHINGTON, Aug. Lit is recorded
that Michael Angelo, while engaged in his
grand work on ST. Peters, had tilt with
high church potentate and wreaked an
artistic revenge upon him by delineating
his features upon the face Of the devil in
his grouping. Whether the story be true
or not is of little consequences but in
measure we have here IN Washington,
and in the national capitol, an analOgical-
/ ly similar art incident, and in itself the
most peculiarly interesting feature Of a
historical character in the works OF art
in the country. Yet, oddly enough, al
though gazed upon by hundreds OF thou
sands. and though in existence for near
| ly a score Of years its special interest has
been passed by uurecognized, not even a
single employe in or about the building be-
ing aware Of its existence and not Visi-
tor having remarked it. Aud yet it stands
in bodest relief and OF heroic size, fur
nishing the most striking feature in the
allegorical series Of paintings in the
canopy Of the dome. It's the description
of the Goddess Of Liberty defeating trea-
son ana destroying dscord.
1t has little romance attached to its
origin. While BrUInidi, the Italian art
st Of the capitol, was engaged IN his
labors he met very beautiful girl here;
boarded in the same house, believe.
Miss Jennie Germon, or Lola, az her
family called her, was without exception
the handspmest young lady in Wasning-
ton. Although without trace OF Italian
blood in her veins, she possessed all the
perlecting features of beauty which poets
choose to accord their heroInes of that
4 a 4. ILL., All
and as faultless in physique as o scuip-
tors ideal. Brumidi grew young again
in his intense love for her, cOurted and
married her. He WAS then at least go aud
as urged In appearance as if az passed
the allotted three-5cOre and ten; sue was
scarcely 20.
She admired his artistic powers and
also herself, and with pardonahle Yani-
ty suggested TO him that he perpetuate her
as the Goddess in his masterpiece He
acquiesced and went considerably further
than her suggestion. 1t opened to him a
fresh idea which he proceeded TO act
upon, and which. completed, furnishes
the peculiar bit of history associated with
| the painting.
"Treason and Dscordv are represented
by five human figures fleeing into chaos
before the Goddess OF Liberty, with up
raised sword, and preceded by the Amert-
eau t4h&les DINuAul CuDse III ms arr aite-
CORY five Of the most prominent faces in
the just then dead Coniederacy with
which 70 characterize the quintet in pro-
cess Of being cast into the outer darkness:
Jefferson Davis, Robert 4 Lee, Stone wall
jackson Alex. Stephens, and Robert
Toombs. JacSson's is the most promi-
nent. lie is helmeted and in black armOr,
with a white cloak covering bis right
arm, which is raised as he is falling to es-
cape the uplifted sword OF the Goddess;
partly under him, and to his eft, is Davis
with a face resembling one OF MacOeih's
witches in a hysterical condition Of fear,
and beyond HIM is Alexander stephens
the best picture Of the lot. To the right.
and almost side bv side with Jackson, Is
Lee with dishevelled white hair and King
Lear beard, a tattered brick colored gar
ment scantily covering his body, in terror
stricken fight, while Bob To0mbs. who is
making The best time of all, is about two
laps ahead, with hands outstretched to-
wards Georgia.
None of the men so caTicatured ever
saw the portrait or knew of the fact. The
| only one OF them who was ever in tn
capitol subsequent to the war was
stephens. and be never entered the ro-
tunda. Brumidi, the artist. is dead, yet
his work will continue no doubt as long
as the capital stands, and a generation
from now, when every other relic OF old
and bitter sentiment viii have passed
away, will continue intact.