The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-04
SENATE WAITING. RooN
DECORATED BY BRUMiDI

doris. owing TO the excellence OF Brumidrs
method in applying the coiors. are as
pure and brilliant as when first laid or
and are pointed out with pride
Plans for the ROtunda.
Constantio Brumidi did the work IN
committee room and corridor faithfully
and well. but his heart and soul were in
bigger things. The decoration Of the ro-
tunda was the dream of his life. The
tremendous height and the great width
of the vaulted room he knew would more
than happily lend itself to mural decora-
ton. and he worked every spare moment
upon the cartoons FOR the adornment Of
the canopy and the frieze. In 1862 the
Congress. and Brumidi commissioned TO
begin the great work.
At fifty-seven years OF age. an age
when most men prepare to lay,aside the
burden OF years and begin TO enjoy life.
the Italian artist mounted a scanold $50
feet high and began upon the fresCO.
The conception OF the artist. because OF
the great height from the observer. was
drawn in heroic proportions and covers
nearly 5000 square feet. Brumidi finished
this piece Of work In 1865 and received
for it $4,000 This is the only decoration
for which the artist received a lump sum.
When be began his work in committee
rooms and corridors he was paid s.
day, but upon the suggestion Of jefferson
Davis, who was great admirer Of the
artist. the stipend was increased TO SO a
day.
Superior TO Present-dny Work.
The excellence Of Brumidis methods
can best be attested by opinions expressed
In 1895 by a group OF American artists
who had been employed to decorate the
Library Of Congress. They were in the
Capitol studying the work Of Brumidi in
the rotunda. and says George Hazelton
in his book. The National Capitol:" zone
Of the artists said; we have nothing to
equal this in the Library. There is no
one who can do such work to-day"
The real art Of the fresco is alone I'M
derstoOd by the Italian. The French and
their mural decorative work either paint
in oils upon the walls or else upon can
vas. which Is afterward coated with
gluey substance and pressed firmly down
upon the wall surface until it closely
adheres. 1t is this last method that was
mainly employed in the ''fresco" work in
the Library Of Congress.
Fresco is the Italian word for fresh"
and the painting is done in mineral or
earthly colors. mixed with or ground in
water. and which are applied 10 the sur
face Of plaster or stuCco, while the
plaster IS sufficiently wet or fresh TO
imbibe or incorporate. It is comparative
" indestrucuble and will retain its
original color and briTliancy for centuries
lin fact as long as the wall upon which
ii is painted remains intact In the
process Of the execution only as much
surface Of plaster is prepared at once
as can be completely finished while IT is
wet
Progress by PiecemeaI.
Thus the picture has to progress by
piecemeal, each little section being COM
pleted so as to harmonic with the rest
OF the composition. and there is abso-
lutely no possibility Of retouching 1t after
it is dry. The colors when applied TO the
plaster are much darker than they Will
finally appear when thoroughly dry. Add
to this the fact that only nine colors can
be used upon the plaster las the lime
eats up all others, and it will be seen
what tremendous difficulties the fresco
artist has TO cope with. The frescoer
prepares designs known as cartoons.
When these are finished they are per-
forated and the designs transferred 10 the
surface to be painted upon.
Brumdi worked in the spirit Of decora-
ton, which was compromise between
history and mythology, and most Of his
designs are historical as well as ane-
goricaI
He tried Also this Italian-American ar
fist (Brumidi was naturalized when he
had been a resident of the United States
the requisite time). to make his work
American.
Conception Wen Worked Out.
The conception Of the canopy which
forms the ceiling Of the rotunda repre-
sents the "Apothesis Of George Wash !
ington." On his right sits Freedom" on
his left Victory" while grouped around
him are the thirteen female figures en-
olematic Of the thirteen original States.
Around the base OF the canopy are
groups Indicative OF the Spirit of Revo- |
luton" and Progress" as suggested by
he history OF the young republic: Lib
erty Vanquishing Royalty" Minerva" |
the goddess Of arts and science; Ceres. |
Mercury. Vulcan. dnd Neptune. In
Illustration OF Brumidrs work being his /
orioally allegorical. Mercury. IN the can
)py group. who represents Commerce. /
S the portrait of Robert Morris. and /
Wisdom" represented absTactly BY /
Minerva is individualized In the figures
4 Fulton. Franklin, and Morse
The designs for the frfeze were accepted
~ Congress in 1859. but owing to a pro-
legislature actual work upon
he frieze was not begun untilf1S7S. This
work was Initiative Of sculpture. in alto
'elievo; a series of scenes representing
important events in the history OF Amer