The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-10
AN ARTISTS REVENGE.
How Brumidi the Frescoer, Adorned the
Capitol Dome.
w ashington Letter.

Letter,
1t is recorded that Michael Angelo. while en-
gagged In his grand work st. Peters, had
tilt with a high church potentate and wreaked
an artistic revenge upon him by delineating his
features upon the face of the devil in his group
ing. 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 analogcally 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. although gazed
upon Oy hundreds of thousands, and though
in existence for nearly q score of years
its special interest has been passed by
unrecognized, not even single employe
In or about the building being aware of
its existence and not visitor having remarked
it. And yet it stands in boldest relief and of
heroic size furnishing the most striking feature
In the categorical series of paintings in the canopy
OF the dome. 1t is the description of the Goddess
OF Liberty defeating treason and destroying dis
cord
1t has little romance attached to its origin.
While Brumdi the Italian artist of the Capitol,
was engaged in his labors he met very beauti-
fui girl here; boarded in the same house, |
oeileve. Miss Jennie Germon, or Lola as her
family called her, was without exception the
handsomest young lady in Washington. Al
though without II trace of Italian blood in her
veins, she possessed all the perfectng features
OF beauty which poets choose to accord their
herOlnes of that race and, in addition was
grandly tall and fautless in physique as
sculptors ideal Brumidi grew young again in
his intense love former, courted and married her.
he was then at least sixty, and as aged in APP
pearance as If he mad passed the allotted three
score and ten; she was scarcely twenty.
She admired his artistic powers and also her
self, and with pard0nabe vanity suggested to
him that he perpetuate her as the Goddess in his
masterpiece. He acQuleSced and went consider
ably further than her suggestion. 1t opened to
him fresh idea which he proceeded 20 act upon,
and which, completed, furnishes the peculiar bit
of history associated with the painting.
II N and Dlscord are represented by five
human Hgures fleeing into chaos before the God
deSs OF Liberty, with appraised sword, and pre-
coded 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 In process of
being cast into the outer Observation-Disclosures
DAVIS. Robert E. Lee Stonewal jackson, Alex
Sta (k4ks and Robert Toombs. Jackson's is the
most prominent He is helmeted and IN black
armor. with white cloak covering his right
arm, which is raised he is falling escape the
uphtted sword Of the Goddess; partly under him.
and to the left is Davis with q face resembling
one of Macbeth's witches in hysterical condi-
sti0n of fear. and beyond him is Alexander
Stephens-the best POI trait of the lot To the
right and almost side by side with jackson, is
Lee with disheveled white hair and King Lear
beard tattered black coored garment scantily
covering his body in terror stricken flight, while
Bob TOombs, who is making the best time of all,
is about two laps ahead, with hands outstretched
towards Georgia.
None of the men so caricatured ever saw the
portrait or knew of the fact The only one of
them who was ever in the Capitol subsequent to
the war was Stephens, and he never entered the
rotunda. Brumidi, the artist, is dead, yet his
work will continue, doubt, as long as the
Capitol stands, and generation from now, when
every other relic of old and bitter sentiment will
have passed away, will continue intact.