Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1913-06-05

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- ---- ----.-- -. the canopy within
the dome. This ring of lime and
sand winds around the rotunda at
that height where the masonry of the
central pile ends and the iron of the
dome begins. It is directly over an
entablature which Is supported by
twelve Grecian antae. On this plas-
ter band, the width of which is nine
feet, stand, kneel, march and fight
thirteen groups of pallid figures de-
signed to tell the story Of the discov-
cry of the new world and of the birth
and growth of the great republic.
They seem like effigies cut In stone,
but these sculptured images of men,
women and things were carved not
with mallet and chisel. but with
brush and palette.
The length of this belt is 304 feet
and of this girth the statue-paintings
occupy 277 feet The groups, which
begin over the west door Of the ro-
tunda, circle to the north, turn to
the east, curve to the south and then
bend away to the west again, but do
not extend to the place of beginning,
between which and the final group
there is a gaping space of twenty
seven feet of bald wall, ugly in its
nakedness and blotched with CRIME.
The creator of the statuefresco OF
the Capitol was Constantine Brumidi,
and his assistant and successor was
Filippo Costaggini. Both are dead,
though Costaggini waited long time
for an opportunity to complete the
frieze. His son was recent visitor
at the Capitol. Brumidi came to
Washington during the administra-
ton Of President Buchanan. His
biographer has said that he was Rom
an born, but had studied painting
and architecture at the Academia di
San Lucca and for three years prac-
ticed the art Of fresco on the walls Of
the Vatican when Gregory vi. was
pontiff When the French entered
Rome Brumidi, captain in the Papal
Guards, was imprisoned, but released
through the intercession of Pope
Plus TX He then came to the United
Ststs szca ARdia az At NfM Yo5k IN 1919
lzation in 1852 and went to Mexico IN
1854 In the period between MS ar
rival and departure he painted Tres
Goes in st. Stephens Catholic church
In New York city and the Catholic
Cathedral in Philadelphia. He re-
turned from Mexico and at the IN
stance of the joint committee OF the
library was employed to decorate the
interior walls of the Capitol. Exam
ples of his art may be seen on the
| walls of the corridors In the senate
| wing and in numerous commlttee
rooms on the house and senate sides.
His "Apotheosis of Washington, the
fresco forming the ceiling of the
\ dome. is thought to be, one OF the
4 great frescoes Of the western world
| Il will fresco statues there, saic
Brumidi. 1t has been written ina
Brumidi proceeded with the creation
Of Chiaroscura drawings in distempel
drawings so deceptive in the artfu
distribution of light and shade tina
the white figures stand like marbl'
against the brown background. Wit
Opaque earthly pigments, mixed Will
weak glue instead Of oil, he wrot
history on green plaster. 1t was tru
frescoe and not fresco secco that q
did
Brumidi was stricken with sickness
and died in 1880 The work on tn
frieze was carried on after his deaf
by Costaggini, who used for his te1
the cartoon drawn by the master.
has been thought that Brumidi's d
sign under Brumidi's treatment woul
have filled the belt, but that Costa
gini somewhat crowded the figures
that the fresco did not reach all II
way around When the cartoon
were exhausted the fresco was su
pended, and so long has it been 81
pended that it is now pointed to
II "The Abandoned Fresco.