The Washington times., 1901-10-27
THB UNFINISHED FRIEZE.
History of the Famous Paintings
in the Capitol Dome.
Work Has Been Suspended for Years
Awaiting Action by Congress
Brumidi's Narrow Escnpe-DesiGns
by Costaggini Not Yet Accepted.


With all the improvements that are
at present going on in the Capitol there
still remains a glaring defect that is at
once detected by the visitor in the Ro-
tunda This is the unfinished portion OF
the frieze representing scenes in the
history of the country. Work upon the
frieZe has been suspended since May
1889, for the reason that no subjects
have been determined upon for the iinla
groups.
Brumidi, the original artist, was TAX
en- ill in 1880, shortly after finishing the
figure of William Penn, and died Feb
ruary 4. quite advanced in years, prob
ably from the effect of the shock pro-
duced by partial fall from the scat
folding upon which he worked. This
scaffolding could, until recently, be
seen hanging upon the wall just as 1t
was left by Costaggini, Brumidfs sue
cessor in the work. The story of Bru-
midTs fall upon this scaffold is told by
the watchInan who witnessed 1t. This
man stood just below the canopy and
vas accustomed to follow with his eyes
the progress of the artist below. He
saw him fall, and, running down the
long flight of steps, succeeded in rescu-
ing the old gentleman as he clung
nearly exhausted to the ladder. In an
other moment he would have fallen and
been dashed to pieces on the floor be-
Meath The chair in which he sat in
order to paint had been pushed back
ward on the small platform and as his
assistant was absent there was no one
on the scaffold to rescue him.
Upon the death of Brumidi Filippo
Costaggini, another Italian artist, was
midi's original designs were used by his
successor the first of whose figures
may be readily discerned as the one to
the right OF William Penn. The first
entire group executed by Costaggini
represents a scene in Plymouth Colony
in December, 1920, described by Governor
Bradford in the Log of the Mayfiow-
er''-"and afterward took better view of
the place ana resolved where to pitch
their dwelling, and the 25th day began
to erect the first house, for common
use, to receive them and their goods"
All of Brumidi's designs have been
executed. 1t was his intention to have
but one more picture in the belt. Cos
taggini. however. in placing the de-
signs of his predecessor in the frieze
has crowded them to make room for
two sketches by himself. He proposes
the junction of the Union and Central
Pacific Railroads at Promontory Point,
Utah, with Leland Stanford driving the
golden spike which bound the iron
girders connecting the Atlantic and Pa
cific Oceans, and the opening of the
Worlds Fair, with President Cleveland
touching the button which set the
wheels in motion
On June 1, 1896, Mr.. Hansbrough re-
ported to the Senate a joint resolution,
without amendment, For completing
the painting of the frieze in the Ro-
tunda of the United States Capitol by
Filippo Costaggini after designs to be
furnished by him and approved by the
Joint Committee on the Library $1,000
or so much thereof as may be neces-
sary" Mr.. Hawley said: II am not
quite satisfied with the manner in
which the frieze is being finished or
conducted. / make no especial criti-
cism upon the President of the United
States for various reasons, and he
might find his place upon ii, but l am
not quite satisfied with an attempt to
approve history of the United States,
which the frieZe is supposed to suggest,
that omits George Washington and
Abraham Lincoln and presents Mr..
when we consider the re-
spective positions of Mr.. Lincoln and
Mr. Cleveland during the great war of
the rebellion" In replying to the Con-
necticut Senator and in support of his
Mr.. Hansbrough said: Il have
here two sketches which it is proposed
to use in completing the fresco work.
The one that the Senator from Con-
necticut objects to, or believes he OBJ
jects to, represents President Cleveland
pressing the electric button which no
titled the world that the Worlds Fair
was open. 1t also represents in the
back ground the Duke of Veragua and
his family, the remnants of the Colum-
bus family, and all there is left of it.
1t will be remembered that the first
fresco representing Columbus landing
in America The last one will be a
fresco representing the opening Of the
Worlds Fair, attended by the only liv-
ing descendants of the Columbus fam
ily. The committee thinks it a very APP
sketch"
To this Mr.. Hawley replied: Il won
der how a man giving the history of the
United States could entirely skip the
g.fy Tvaf. .
how 1 would put it upon the frieze, If l
did nothing else l would represent the
apple tree at AppomattoX and Grant
and Lee shaking hands. with surround
ing touches and intimatiOns of troops
and various designs l do not object to
the Senator's idea of giving a hint of
the great exhibition at Chicago, but |
object to the utter absence of the great !
est historical event since the war of the
Of the greatest in
all history" The resolution passed the |
Senate
on the 9th of the same month Repre-
Boutelle introduced into the |
House joint resolution which called |
for some suitable design which should |
symbolic the great events in the ma
tonal life since the close of the Mexi- |
can war and appropriately commence
rate the preservation OF the Union and |
the establishment OF universal freedom |
by heroic valor and sacrifice of the citi- |
ems of the Republic under the leader |
shipOf Abraham Lincoln" This is as |
far as the matter has gone
According to the criticisms of artists. |
Rrumidis work is finer than that of |
his successor. this superiority being |
more especially noticeable in the first |
three groups 1t is said that an artist |
on the decoration of the Con- |
gressional Library Building studying |
the work of Brumidi on this frieze. ex- |
claimed: We have nothing equal to |
this in the Library There 10 M ON.