Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-10
THROUGH FOREIGN GLASSES.
What an Observant German Thinks of
the National Capitol.
Iitor Of The EVENING STAR:

To the Editor of The EvKSIsG STAR:
MCLHEIM ROHR, GERMANY, March %, 1889.
The edition of your valuable paper of Febru-
airy IA contained. among other articles of inter-
est, one on the capitol, the pride of the nation,
with woodcuts, and take the liberty of adj
dressing to you a few lines on the subject, for
publication. should YOU find space in your col
umns for them. The capitol is to you Ameri-
cans what that wonderful specimen of Gothic
art, the cathedral of Cologne, is to US Germans,
and two years ago when visited Washington,
a city as fine any of its size in the Old World,
my first steps led me to your pride" where I
fingered for hours admiring its magnifcence
in general
1t will, no doubt, be in time the finest profane
building in existence, but / cannot agree with
you if you consider il such at present. II
the new west improvements have done much to
complete and put the finishing touch to that
hitherto neglected front there is undoubtedly
still much work to be done on the east facade
before Won can be fully justified in calling it a
masterpiece and model OF beauty. Permit me-
therefore. in few words. to draw your atten-
ton to few of the defects which are most
detrimental to the artistic effect. That which
mars the effect OF the east facade. spoils the
harmony and unity of the whole, Is, first of all
that the middle tract or old building, is still in
the original sandstone, painted a blaish-white
with red sandstone steps, and the pillars of the
portico are smooth cut. whereas the adjoining
wings are Of cream-colored marble and the
monolithic columns of the porticoes are richly
nuted- The tympanum of the northwest por-
flco has also not vet been filled with appropri-
ate sculpture, and that of the central one could,
most assuredlg. suffer little improvement
without risk. Then the supurb and graceful
dome loOses much in sohdity (Gediegenheit)
when We learn that it is of iron and the row of
cOrinthian columns encircling it are of the
same material.
The dome proper can we'll be of that material
but the rotunda and columns, and especially
the latter. should most decidedly be of marble,
and correspond to the wings. whereby the
effect of unity, essential in architectural art
would be attained as far as the material goes
and the whole mass would then present itself
TO the eye as if hewn from a mountain of stone.
THE INTERIOR OF THE RoTuNDA
needs restoration very much and freshening up
more than that of st. Paurs in London. The
plastic work. noticed by every one ascending to
the lantern. dingy with the accumulation of
dust and cObwebs should make YOU Washing
tOnianS blush a little that so fine a chamber
should be sadly neglected When all this
has been done the building will indeed be with
out a rival.
You Americans have money in superfuitv;
why not appropriate part of it for art pur-
poses You need a national gallery. a national
opera and theater above all things and there
is no reason why they should not equal any,
thing of the kind in Europe. and be worthy of
the city, the seat OF your government. II you
can spend a million for pile of stone without
the least pretentlons 70 art. as your so-called
monument Is. then assuredly You have means
for nObler specimens of monumental work.
Further, give your President respectable
house TO live in; il il not necessary that il
should be palace. III the European sense but
II could be fine and grand mansion worthy of
the head of great nation.
Trusting you will pardon the interest for
eigner has taken in your city and its architect
ural development. and which has led him SO
far as to drop you few lines on the subject, /
am. dc, I. 2. H.