Evening star., 1886-09-04
THE WORK OF ITALIAN ARTISTS.
Some Account Of the Italian Colony In
the Early Days Of the City.

THE WORK OF ITALIAN ARTISTS.
Some Account Of the italian Oeleny in
the Early Days Of the City.
"REMINISCENCES on DESCENDANT OF sHl
ARTIST PRANzoNI-THE TRAGIC DKATH Oh
ONE, THE UNRKoUrTED LOVE OF ASoTHER
"Row long has your house been builts" wa
one Of the questions put to Mrs. LAvinia Con-
molly, property owner, by the hrst Jury ol
award In the pew library site case.
claws sakes!' exclaimed that vivacious lady
can't tell you. know that was born in the
house seventy-nve years ago. My father built
the houae. don't know how long ago"
The members Of the jury laughed, and the
question was not further pressed, IL probably
being thought that the Information obtained as
TO the age Of the house was sufficient A STAR
reporter, hearing o; this episode. concluded that
1t might be of interest TO make call on per-
son who could lay claim to such q long resi-
dence IN this city. Accordingly he went up ON
M one syenl1E enna: and
avenue, be found an old-Gashioned brick
house on the south side, few doors east from
seem 70 be very much out OF place in this To-
csilty. For y nus! bs remembered that on
aud south sides, the first houses ever built in
this city were erected. The vicinity OF the
Oapitol, the Presidents house, Georgetown, aud
aIeenea,s point were the popular localities
in the city may be found. Tie tearing down
pied by the new library building will remove
many an old landniark, which has served TO
connect the past with the present.
very wide front. The two stories are sur
mounted by high pitched slate root, and the
no. house t T. probably oves eighty years old The
enjoying the cool evening air, and seemed to
oe very glad " see = visitor. Her vivacity OF
popular with her acauaintances' aud AS rule rule
she has no lack OF company to talk to. The In
terror of the house is, ike the exterior, old
backed chairs would delight the eyes of those
VINO Take an interest in the antique. Mrs. Con-
noily's early life Is connected With very in
terestng period IN the history OF the District.
her iather was Senor Franzoni, who was one
ot the Italian artists brought here to decorate
the Interior OF the Caption building.
IN THE INFANCY OF AMERICAN ART.
The American artist during the first few
years OF the century, when tine Capitol Was
quilt, was learning the alphabet OF art and it
was necessary TO 60 to Europe for men com.
petent To do such work. With the exec ption of
tue iresco painting, however, nearly all the
artistic WORK on the Capitol building in later
yean was done by American artls1s. and a
study oi the interior decoration OF the building
Wlll show the great strides whicn have been
made In the cultivation oi art in this country,
At Tue beginning OF the present century, how
ever the little group of Italian artists held un-
ulsputeo sway IN their own domain. Among
molly. Unfortunately but little oil his work sur
wives the WantOn destruction of the Capitol by
the BRUSH In 1914, and when the rebuilding
hno redecoratln5 ot the structure was begun he
had passed away and Olher artists from his
nauee land did The work. His brother, Carlo
rnle the "Snk G.asr wcFk sasSa'ed in
as now, is over one OF the entrances
10 statuary hall, and wnen the hall was used
i1r tns meeting OF the House it was opposite
TINS clock, sister of Mrs. Connolly, now dead
a Mrs. Sims. sat as model. The large plaster
hsure hs & 0a Liberty, on The opposite side al the
artist, aud beneath is the American eagle scul u
iufsd In stone by Valperti. There is a sad his-
tory connected with tnis latter work, which Is
relates by guides TO visiiors even to the present
dSy. Soon aiter its conpietion tie artist, Val.
perti, mysteriousiy disappeared. A lew days
afterwards body was IOund in the Potomac
which Was supposed to be that of Vatperli'
However, he never returned, and the money
due him Tor bis work still remains, it is said, as
ne lelt NO heirs, In the U.s. Treasury.
WHAT NOW REMAINS.
Some of the work done by the members ot
this Italian band of artists Is as follows: The
colossal ailegorical group, representing the
Genius OF America" on the tympaI um of the
central pOrLicO Oi the east entrance WAS exc
cuted in sandstone by Persco from designs Nv
john Quincy Adams wneu he was Secretary OF
State. M Adams was intrusted with the au.
tnority " seiect design irOIn Ihose tlat mig u
De submitted 10 him, but none suiteu nis
Taste ne made the design himself, which IL only
another evidence ol the broad culture oil this
remarkable man. One of the large groups in
marble on the top oI 1he steps vi tie central
eSsL p0rtico IL the vol the same artist, Per.
sico, In the nlcues at~ ~SEe siue OF the entrance
doofs are marble statues representing War
and Peace, Also executed by Persicu. Above
the bronze doors is bust of Wasu-
ington, cut In stone by Capellsno, Tue
categorical painting In the canopy Of The dome
representing "Ine ApotneOsls vi Washington
WAS done Ny ConstanLlno Brumiai, anu the
series 0l IrescOes ehcirciing tue rOLunua was
designed and partly executed by the same
artlsi, ana after his death Was continued Uy
CostlSinl. over the four entrance doors OF the
rotunua are alto retieUOs represeutI historical
SUBJECTS cut In stone, Two Dy Causici, pupIi ol
CanOVa; one BY GevelUt aud Que uy CO,tiz lui
Tue artist BrumIdi ueioused, Of course, 10 a
iater generation, and his WORK has d more
recent date. Mrs. COun0uy knew personally
All VI these Italian artists, And speaks of
them as gentlemen anu as men of high cuarac-
Ter Sue reiuelnDers one who went u nis WORK
at the CapltOi eiicn day with his hands Guessed
III dainty Kid gloves and carry ing -ue;,u cd
cane. Tney were received In L.ie ue,t sOcIcLy
vi the day, anu Mrs. Connolly says tnat one
became violently enamored vi y sister of MIR.
GaieS, the meMUer Ol the Wel-knoWu prlulinY
hrm Of Gaies and Seaton, but his suit Was un-
successful. Mrs. Connolly ha, plaster busts of
SiOnrue aud John Quincy Adams, wuicu were
executeu W her uLcie, and other relics OF
bygOue times.