Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-05

in the rotunda Of the Capitol is
again the subject Of discussion.
1t was recently published in the news
that, "Yor the purpose of making a
thorough and comprehensive study of
questions relating to the development
of the city of Washington, the mem
bers Of the national commission Of fine
arts would devote their full days to
a personal survey and inspection of
the topography Of the District in con-
nection with certain projected i'm
provements. and tina 1.-THE commits
would visit the Capitol for the purpose
of considering tho desirability of COM
pleting tho historical friese around the
dome. in imitation of marble, in ac-
pleted work Of Brumidi. or of substi-
tuting entirely new work in real
marble or other material"
The fresco which will engage tho at
tention of the commission is remark
able in a number OF particulars. The
creator of the statue fresco of the Cap
itol was Constantine Brumidi and his
assistant and successor, Ftlippo Cos
taggini. Both are dead. though Cos
taggini waited a long time for an OPP
portunity to complete the frieze. His
son was a recent visitor at the Cap
1tol.
Brumidi came to Washington during
the administration of President Blu
chanan. 1t was in the year 1859 that
Brumidi arrived and applied to Capt.
Meigs. then in charge of the Capitol
building. for permission to prove his
the building. The first work to which
the artist set his brush was the paint
ing of the walls of the room of the
Senate committee on agriculture, the
central design being "Cincinnatus at
book on The National CAPITOL, de-
clares this to be the finest example of
mural painting in America. The SEN
ate waiting room next claimed Bru-
midfs attention land a few years ago.
while visiting in this country, Prince
Henry of Prussia said: This room is
the most beautifully decorated one in
the world. 1t is marvelously lovely"
Brumidi had long felt the ambition to
paint the ceiling of the dome. and he
began the painting of the canopy in
1852, painting that covers 5000 square
feet of space The scaffold was $50
feet above the stone floor of the ro-
tunda, and it has been written that "a
small, specially designed lounge on
rollers nabled him to lie fiat the great
er part of the time and to wheel him
self from one part of the overhanging
bowl to another as the work pro-
crossed" The subject is entitled, THE
Apotheosis of Washington" and the
work has been given great praise. an
art writer having said: 1.-The subject
matter is exquisitely drawn and pro-
portioned and painted with admiral Bile
regard to historical facts allegorically
portrayed The colors are flaming,
breathing. leaping with life; altogether.
1t Is a mighty. finished and fitting
picture for the imposing proportions of
the magnificent rotunda. The color1ng
Is little less than astonishing, because
of the fact that in fresco but nine col
ors are available. lime in the plaster
eating up all the rest
Finishing the canopy, Brumidi direct
ed his attention to the frieze. The belt
had been bare since the completion of
the rotunda in 1924. and more than one
architect had troubled his head to de-
termine an appropriate decorative
scheme. Alto-relieves had often been
suggested.
Il will fresco statues there" said
Brumidi. His designs were approved
by Congress in 1869, but no approprla-
ton was made until 1878, In which year
Brumidi began this work. The wall on
belt Of plaster that winds around the
rotunda at that height, where the ma
sorry Of the central pile ends and the
iron OF the dome begins. 1t is directly
over an entablature.
On this plaster band, the width of
which is nine feet. stand, kneel. march
and fight thirteen groups of pallid hg-
ures designed to tell the story of the
discovery of the new world and of the
birth and growth of the great republic:
The length of the belt is 304 feet, and
the paintings occupy PIT feet.
The groups. which begin over the west
the place Of beginning, between which
and the final group there Is a gaping
space Of twenty-seven feet of bald wall.
In this historical frieze the first
scenes portray the history of the new
world and represent the landing of CO.
lumbue: the next. the entry of Corte5