Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-02-24
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
Walls That Speak
BY DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United States Senate

Many. years ago from the
land Of Mona Lisa an Italian
immigrant came to the
United States. For him free
dom beckoned in this blessed
land Of room enough. His
name was Brumidi (pro-
nounced Brew-meed-dee). He
was nearly so years Of age.
For years he had stepped
himself in the mural glories
Of the Vatican and had helped
to restore the faded Raphael
frescos.
With that background he
yearned, somehow with his
art, to express his growing
gratitude for the vast bene-
fits he found waiting in his
adopted land. He had per-
sonally felt the spell Of the
miracle Of form and color
which comes to pass when, as
one has put 1t, there is a
lump Of greasy pigment at
the end Of Michelangelo's
bristle brush and by the time
1t has been laid on the stucco
there Is something there all
men with eyes recognize as
divine" This artist immi-
grant had as his ruling pas
sion the humble desire to
express the divine that for
him with his brush glimmered
through the greasy pigment,
the hog bristle and the
stucco.
Once In America his gifted
brush and soaring imagina-
ton were dedicated to sacred
subjects. He was asked to
paint altar pieces of the cru
cifixion In New York and
Philadelphia churches. Dur
ing q visit south of the Dor
der he tried his skill at
identifying q cathedral In
Mexico. Shortly after he was
given his great chance when
he was commissioned to en-
bellish the expanding Capitol
Of the United States. This
opportunity thrilled him! His
toiling hands began their
long tryst with beauty before
Lincoln entered the White
House to face the heart
breaking task Of saving the
Union. When o tragic acct
dent, as he fell from the dome
Of the rotunda, snatched him
from his unfinished task and
sentenced him to end his life
as an invalid, Hayes had
succeeded Grant as President
Of the Republic.
Wherever Brumidi toiled In
the vast Capitol the walls
began to speak. In spite Of
detracting criticism and q
lack Of appreciation he kept
patiently at his task for al
most a quarter Of a century.
At 70 this neglected and un-
applauded master Of paint
and fresco closed his weary
and saddened eyes and was
buried in an unmarked grave
in the Capital City he adored.
Less than q week after his
death a prophecy was uttered
on the floor of the United
States Senate, zone day Bru-
midi will be crowned by the
gratitude Of succeeding gen.
erations." But, alas the long
years passed and a preoccu-
pied Government allowed his
memory to gather dust on the
high shelves Of oblivion.
This was in spite Of the
fact that 1t is no exaggera-
ton 10 say that this adopted
son Of America is worthy to
be acclaimed. as he Is today,
as the Michelangelo of the
monumental edifice which Is
the shrine Of each patriots
devotion. Millions of pilgrims,
from all parts Of the Nation
and the globe, now gaze with
admiration on the speaking
walls where Constantine Bru-
midi breathed on them the
haunting beauty that burned
in his poetic soul. His loving
signature to his grateful lou
for his loved America is writ
ten In heroic depictions, in
human portraits, and for
good measure in romantic
Handicapped etchings, as well
as In birds and flowers and