The Washington herald., 1922-10-08
Capitol of Delaware Has
Historic Art Collection
Dover Is One of Finest Reservoirs Of Unique.
Paintings in United States.

below. The eye travels on irresis.l-
bly, to the fine staircase Just in froEt
OF the entrance. II, as interior dec
orators Insist, the staircase and the
radiator are necessary evils, to be
disguised or made a part of the gen.
eral architectural effect. n possible,
then this staircase has been artis-
tically treated. On the landing Is a
very large old painting of George
washington. made In lso2 by ID. A.
Volozon from a life sketch. This
was very much damaged, and a two-
foot hole was in the CENTER but
about two years ago the job of r.
pairing and doing II over was given
to Pasquale Farina. 1t Is an old oil
painting, and even today shows sew
eral cracks. The restoration was
very successful. however. and
brought out points which were aid
den before. Mr.. Farina did all .he
restoration in Mount Vernon, and
does all the work for the Hall of
Congress in Philadelphia.
In this entrance hall. and all
through the halls OF the three sec
tions of the present State House.
oic kobiCNot
Delaware history, and commence
rating many of her great men. One
OF these brings to our attention the
fact that the American flag was
first unfurled on Delaware soil. rhe
fact that this State was the first to
ratify our Constitution gives her
first place in national parades, OF
which she Is Justly proud.
Perhaps the pictures which occa-
sion most pride in the hearts Of
Delawareans are the three pain:-
ings OF historical events by Stanley
NJ. Arthurs in the State House. Mr..
Arthurs Is a native Delawaresn, and
deserves a separate notice. His his-
torical paintings are located at sew
eral places in the State. but these
three are the largest and most In
pressive. We shall treat them par
ticulariy later, in speaking Of the
artists work. The titles are The
Surrender of Lee" The Departure
of the First Delaware Regiment
from Dover Green, July 6, IT'S"
and The World war"
Among the interesting old por-
traits are two silhouettes in black
of early governors. now placed in
the governors office. Joseph Msull
held the chief once in his State for
some time. but the dates given TN
the picture, l7Sl-ls4s. must be those
of his birth and death covering. IS
they do. a period of sixty-seven
years. Brig. Gen. Thomas Collins
was in the governors seat for three
years, from 1885 to 1883. There is
also a portrait in this sane room of
DR.. Joshua Clayton. who held the
chair from 1889 to 1896.
There is a large picture of Com
modore Thomas Macdonough called
The Hero of Lake Champlsin." He
was born in Delaware. in a place
now named fter him. The story CT
his adventures and successes Just
before and during the. War OF 1912
reads like a fairy story. There is a
tablet underneath his portrait.
Here. too, 10 a portrait of David
Peterzen de Vries. the Dutchmln
who brought over the Inflated COL
ony. The only portrait they could
find Of this man was in a very old
magazine. They made free use Of
the magnifying glass in distinguish
ing the lines in this picture and
painted II over.
Next is a picture of Bsyard. the
first American Ambassador to Eng
land. In Wilmington. near the
Brandywine, stands a statute to this
man.
In the upper hall are rather spirit
ed reliefs of three scenes In me
early history of our country. First
is the landing OF DeVries at Lewes;
then the Landing of the Pilgrims;
and. finally. Washington Crossing
the Delaware.
Here. too. is Samuel white. VINO
was United States Senator from
1901 to 1909: also Peter Stuyvesant.
of New Amsterdam fame. And hero
is william Penn. Proprietary Co..
ernor." in coat of mail and with big
ruff.
A familiar name is that OF Henry
Moore Ridgeley. United States Scna
tor from 1927 to 1929.
In the archive room below we
have papers signed by many Of those
old. old colonists. But. as Kiplin-
would say. That's another story"
and one which we hope to he able
to enjoy together later.