The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-07
Artists Pronounce State House
Dome Complete.
The Work Has Required Five
Months Application.
COST WAS ABOUT $4,000
Almost Half This Sum Used in
Four Paintings.
Something About the Detail Of
the Work.

oeau transformed. The horrible WOtHS
of art which encircled the upper part
of the dome have been blotted out IN
their place is now to be seen a tasteAul
handling of colors, artistic pictures ana
casts. For several months the artists
have been at work. The entire interior
was a network of staging with so close
rnash that it was impossible to dis
cover what was above or beyond Inc
maze of two by tours and pine stud
ding. TO one who has not craned ms
neck so as to secure a view Of the III
terror since the transformation, the
change is wonderful After look II
resllv. seems as if the millennium were at
hand and the state house nearly com
Dleted two events which nave cdHss0
wonder and doubling Ia the StdLe.
To be sure workmen are stll pound
ing away in the capitol bu1ldAnSs but
that may be expected as long as lnste
are Iab0rers and artisans ana money ia
the treasury to pay them, but the dome
mat part of the big egg shell SNAPPED
roof over the rotunda has been decofa-
ted and finished. Bronze, brass tllAs'
marble, gold, colors ana tlnls ana ~
bolical paintings make up the sCileliS
Of the decoration The architect was lhs
first He drew the angles curves ana
17iclfas of the structure Then the metal
workers capped the TOP WITH " 80 80
dome and studded the floors ana ga
1erfes here and there with bronze guards
and ratings. Then the marble workers
nut in the wainscoting OF tire KINDS OF /
marble and then laid a WHITE mafple
floor. Then the artist came. He viewed /
the work already done and stunned OUT /
a scheme to combine the colors In use,
save the architecture and still carry out
a system of decoration that would De
harmonious and pleasing. he mas sue
ceeded.
The artist was Abner Crossman, Of
Chicago, who has decorated many o.
fra OOH
and his Workmen have been Dusy LoI
five months With the exception OF q
few finished touches they are through
and the DOME so far as they are con
cerned, is ready for the public 10 N
spect. The scheme Of color for the Gee
Grating was dictated by the mass OF
dark copper and bronze IN the dome a
general light yellow and cream coloE
prevails. The highest points reached py
The decorators are the little panels way
up in the top, surrounded by metal
They are dark Shading on a nttle
comes the panels in the frieze just IN
der the bronze. To the four sides OF the
frieze are the four paintings, represent
. ing the attributes OF the state between
them are the four panels. There are
four entrances to the DOME marked Dy
large archWays opening on three uoofs-
Above these tail arches are the TOUR
pediments and above each painting
over the arches in the pediments are
mammoth casts, each alike. in a soft
ivory finish. In the center of the cast
is the great seal of the state of Kansas.
To the right is the reclining Inquire OF a
man, representing the husbandmen OF
the state and to the left is the reclining
figure of a woman holding palm ana
a her feet is a cOrnucopia, representing
the abundance of the products OF the
state. The figures and the seal are IN
high relief. The figures are about life
size. The seal itself is about three feet
in diameter and is copied from the
original seal of she state The figures
are tinted. the stars are of gold, the
Sky is regulation Kansas blue and in
the distance winds the kaW river as
natural as it was the day "Ad astra per
aspera" was chosen as the state motto.
The walls of the dome are in various
light tints of cream and yellow. The
simple relief work is touched with gold
which gives a rich, yet simple effect
which is pleasing and artistic. There is
little narrow border around the dome
an blue with the relief scroll Work
touched with gold 1t a1ds a richness
to the simple tinting Of the walls, which
shade from the dark treatment directly
beneath the metal work of the roof OF
the dome to the lighter tints which END
with the rich marble work Of the Lower
floor.
But the feature of the work of the ar
fist is the cOVing. the large curYins
space where the dome begins to curv'
into the roof. The contract price for tn
decorating of the dome was $4,000. To b
exact the sum to be paid is just 1856
Even painters when they take con
tract are slightly superstitiOus ant
when the round sum for the bid was de
cided upon just a $50 bill was knocke
off for fear that some one else nigh
decide on the same amount and knOc
of only half that amount but thereb
win the contract
OF the eight thousand dollars expend
ed, about half that amount is represent
ed ile the four mural paintings. The
are twenty-five feet long and ten fee
across at the widest point. The Wor
Of painting them represents five month";
work, more than month to each pain
ing Not one artist, but a dozen, wei
employed in making them and a doze
models posed for the symbohcal figure
The story of the pictures and no
they were painted and placed in pos
tiOn is interesting to those who are NJ
In the habit OF seeing mural paintiI
made and placed in position.
The painting of the pictures was dOl
the same as Edwin A. Abbey did Il
famous mural decOra tons fOf the 30
ton public library known as THE Ho
Grail pictures. When Mr.. Crossms
decided that four paintings would
appropriate for the principal featur
Of the decoration of the dome. he fir
made a trip to Topeka from his stud
IN Chicago and took measurements al
studied the dome. Then he went bai
TO his studio and began work on t
pictures He posed models for the Fl
uras. different person for each, ia
ing care in each case to choose a pc
son who would typify the thought to
explained IN the symbolical figure.
The costumes for each model were ma
especially. The models posed five hot
day for several days before the fl
sketches were complete. The artist b
before him a miniature canvas, and
that he painted the pictures exactly
they were to appear in the dome. Th
from the first paintings, wherein he
formed the color scheme and the ide
he and his assistants painted the iari
pictures in the same manner that Abb
employed in making his famous paintin
More than a month"; working every {
with a dozen assistants, was required
each picture before Mr.. Crossman p
nounced them completed The patntil