The United States Capitol, located on top of Capitol Hill at the east end of the National Mall, serves as the seat of government for the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. Designed by a succession of architects, the neoclassical building is marked by its dome above a rotunda and two wings, one for each chamber of Congress: the north wing is the Senate chamber and the south wing is the House of Representatives chamber. With but one brief interruption, the Capitol has housed the legislative chambers of the U.S. Congress since 1800, and housed the U.S. Supreme Court from 1800 until 1935. Presidential inaugurations are traditionally held here, the physical symbol of the United States of America.

When Pierre Charles L'Enfant planned the city, he chose Jenkins Hill, which rose 88 feet above the Potomac River, as the site for the new Capitol Building. The following year, a public design competition was held and amateur architect, William Thornton, inspired by the east front of the Louvre and the Roman Pantheon, was selected by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Execution was entrusted to Étienne Sulpice (Stephen) Hallet, a runner up in the competition, under the supervision of James Hoban. The cornerstone was laid by Washington on September 18, 1793. In 1795, Jefferson, vocal in his preference for Thornton's classical design, dismissed Hallet and George Hadfield was hired as superintendent of construction, only to resign three years later. In 1803, Benjamin Latrobe replaced him as Architect of the Capitoland, against his protestations, saw Thornton's design to near fruition.

The Capitol held its first session of United States Congress on November 17, 1800 in a then unfinished building. The Senate wing was completed that year, and the House of Representative wing was completed in 1811. In August 1814, the Capitol was partially burned by the British during the War of 1812. Reconstruction began under Latrobe, who was given more latitude to make alterations, in 1815 completed by 1819. Under Charles Bulfinch, who took over as Architect of the Capitol in 1918, construction continued through to 1826, with the addition of the center Rotunda area and the first dome of the Capitol.

The building was expanded dramatically in the 1850's under Thomas U. Walter, who was responsible for the wing extensions and the new "wedding cake" cast-iron dome, three times the height of the original dome and 100 feet (30 m) in diameter, which had to be supported on the existing masonry piers. The double dome consists of a large oculus in the inner dome, through which is seen The Apotheosis of Washington painted on a shell suspended from the supporting ribs, which also support the visible exterior structure and the tholos that supports the Freedom, a colossal statue that was added to the top of the dome in 1863. The weight of the cast-iron for the dome has been published as 8,909,200 pounds.

When the dome was finally completed, it was significantly larger than the original plan, and its massive visual weight overpowered the proportions of the columns of the East Portico. The East Front was rebuilt in 1904, following a design of Carrère and Hastings. A marble duplicate of the sandstone East Front was built 33.5 feet from the old Front during 1958-1962, and a connecting extension incorporated what formerly was an outside wall as an inside wall. In the process, the Corinthian columns were removed, and landscape designer Russell Page created a suitable setting for them in a large meadow at the National Arboretum, where they are combined with a reflecting pool.

The current Capitol Grounds, cover approximately 274 acres, were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who planned the expansion and landscaping performed from 1874 to 1892. In 1875, as one of his first recommendations, Olmsted proposed the construction of the marble terraces on the north, west, and south sides of the building that exist today.

In 2007, the U.S. Capitol was ranked #6 on the AIA 150 America's Favorite Architecture list.

National Register #19600002

The Apotheosis of Washington is the very large fresco painted by Italian artist Constantino Brumidi in 1865 atop the rotunda. Brumidi, who worked for three years in the Vatican under Pope Gregory XVI and served several aristocrats as an artist for palaces and villas, including the prince Torlonia, before immigrating to the United States in 1852, spent much of the last 25 years of his life working in the Capitol.

National Symphony Orchestra Conductor Emil de Cou leads the National Symphony Orchestra during the Labor Day Weekend concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Sunday, September 5, 2010 in Washington. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden joined the Orchestra to introduce one the program's segments, music from the film "Apollo 13". Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The United States Capitol, located on top of Capitol Hill at the east end of the National Mall, serves as the seat of government for the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. Designed by a succession of architects, the neoclassical building is marked by its dome above a rotunda and two wings, one for each chamber of Congress: the north wing is the Senate chamber and the south wing is the House of Representatives chamber. With but one brief interruption, the Capitol has housed the legislative chambers of the U.S. Congress since 1800, and housed the U.S. Supreme Court from 1800 until 1935. Presidential inaugurations are traditionally held here, the physical symbol of the United States of America.

When Pierre Charles L'Enfant planned the city, he chose Jenkins Hill, which rose 88 feet above the Potomac River, as the site for the new Capitol Building. The following year, a public design competition was held and amateur architect, William Thornton, inspired by the east front of the Louvre and the Roman Pantheon, was selected by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Execution was entrusted to Étienne Sulpice (Stephen) Hallet, a runner up in the competition, under the supervision of James Hoban. The cornerstone was laid by Washington on September 18, 1793. In 1795, Jefferson, vocal in his preference for Thornton's classical design, dismissed Hallet and George Hadfield was hired as superintendent of construction, only to resign three years later. In 1803, Benjamin Latrobe replaced him as Architect of the Capitoland, against his protestations, saw Thornton's design to near fruition.

The Capitol held its first session of United States Congress on November 17, 1800 in a then unfinished building. The Senate wing was completed that year, and the House of Representative wing was completed in 1811. In August 1814, the Capitol was partially burned by the British during the War of 1812. Reconstruction began under Latrobe, who was given more latitude to make alterations, in 1815 completed by 1819. Under Charles Bulfinch, who took over as Architect of the Capitol in 1918, construction continued through to 1826, with the addition of the center Rotunda area and the first dome of the Capitol.

The building was expanded dramatically in the 1850's under Thomas U. Walter, who was responsible for the wing extensions and the new "wedding cake" cast-iron dome, three times the height of the original dome and 100 feet (30 m) in diameter, which had to be supported on the existing masonry piers. The double dome consists of a large oculus in the inner dome, through which is seen The Apotheosis of Washington painted on a shell suspended from the supporting ribs, which also support the visible exterior structure and the tholos that supports the Freedom, a colossal statue that was added to the top of the dome in 1863. The weight of the cast-iron for the dome has been published as 8,909,200 pounds.

When the dome was finally completed, it was significantly larger than the original plan, and its massive visual weight overpowered the proportions of the columns of the East Portico. The East Front was rebuilt in 1904, following a design of Carrère and Hastings. A marble duplicate of the sandstone East Front was built 33.5 feet from the old Front during 1958-1962, and a connecting extension incorporated what formerly was an outside wall as an inside wall. In the process, the Corinthian columns were removed, and landscape designer Russell Page created a suitable setting for them in a large meadow at the National Arboretum, where they are combined with a reflecting'>reflecting pool.

The current Capitol Grounds, cover approximately 274 acres, were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who planned the expansion and landscaping performed from 1874 to 1892. In 1875, as one of his first recommendations, Olmsted proposed the construction of the marble terraces on the north, west, and south sides of the building that exist today.

In 2007, the U.S. Capitol was ranked #6 on the AIA 150 America's Favorite Architecture list.

National Register #19600002

110529-N-TT977-342

Gen. Colin Powell address the audience at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)

The United States Capitol, located on top of Capitol Hill at the east end of the National Mall, serves as the seat of government for the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. Designed by a succession of architects, the neoclassical building is marked by its dome above a rotunda and two wings, one for each chamber of Congress: the north wing is the Senate chamber and the south wing is the House of Representatives chamber. With but one brief interruption, the Capitol has housed the legislative chambers of the U.S. Congress since 1800, and housed the U.S. Supreme Court from 1800 until 1935. Presidential inaugurations are traditionally held here, the physical symbol of the United States of America.

When Pierre Charles L'Enfant planned the city, he chose Jenkins Hill, which rose 88 feet above the Potomac River, as the site for the new Capitol Building. The following year, a public design competition was held and amateur architect, William Thornton, inspired by the east front of the Louvre and the Roman Pantheon, was selected by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Execution was entrusted to Étienne Sulpice (Stephen) Hallet, a runner up in the competition, under the supervision of James Hoban. The cornerstone was laid by Washington on September 18, 1793. In 1795, Jefferson, vocal in his preference for Thornton's classical design, dismissed Hallet and George Hadfield was hired as superintendent of construction, only to resign three years later. In 1803, Benjamin Latrobe replaced him as Architect of the Capitoland, against his protestations, saw Thornton's design to near fruition.

The Capitol held its first session of United States Congress on November 17, 1800 in a then unfinished building. The Senate wing was completed that year, and the House of Representative wing was completed in 1811. In August 1814, the Capitol was partially burned by the British during the War of 1812. Reconstruction began under Latrobe, who was given more latitude to make alterations, in 1815 completed by 1819. Under Charles Bulfinch, who took over as Architect of the Capitol in 1918, construction continued through to 1826, with the addition of the center Rotunda area and the first dome of the Capitol.

The building was expanded dramatically in the 1850's under Thomas U. Walter, who was responsible for the wing extensions and the new "wedding cake" cast-iron dome, three times the height of the original dome and 100 feet (30 m) in diameter, which had to be supported on the existing masonry piers. The double dome consists of a large oculus in the inner dome, through which is seen The Apotheosis of Washington painted on a shell suspended from the supporting ribs, which also support the visible exterior structure and the tholos that supports the Freedom, a colossal statue that was added to the top of the dome in 1863. The weight of the cast-iron for the dome has been published as 8,909,200 pounds.

When the dome was finally completed, it was significantly larger than the original plan, and its massive visual weight overpowered the proportions of the columns of the East Portico. The East Front was rebuilt in 1904, following a design of Carrère and Hastings. A marble duplicate of the sandstone East Front was built 33.5 feet from the old Front during 1958-1962, and a connecting extension incorporated what formerly was an outside wall as an inside wall. In the process, the Corinthian columns were removed, and landscape designer Russell Page created a suitable setting for them in a large meadow at the National Arboretum, where they are combined with a reflecting'>reflecting pool.

The current Capitol Grounds, cover approximately 274 acres, were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who planned the expansion and landscaping performed from 1874 to 1892. In 1875, as one of his first recommendations, Olmsted proposed the construction of the marble terraces on the north, west, and south sides of the building that exist today.

In 2007, the U.S. Capitol was ranked #6 on the AIA 150 America's Favorite Architecture list.

National Register #19600002

US Capitol Complex North at Louisiana Avenue and D Street, NW, Washington DC on Monday afternoon, 18 January 2021 by Elvert Barnes Photography

US CAPITOL POLICE

Elvert Barnes COVID 19 Pandemic Part 5 New Year 2021 docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/CV19NewYear2021

Elvert Barnes Monday afternoon, 18 January 2021 In Preparation of 59th Presidential Inauguration US Capitol Complex docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/18January2021

• Parts: 36,800+ (~1,130 unique)

• 📐 Scale: 1:650

• 📏 Dimensions: 32in x 51in (80cm x 130cm)

• 📚 Research, Design + Build Time: 4 months

• Photography: James Vitullo 📷

• ©️ MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC

___________________________________

During a brief stint in Washington D.C. in 2023, I spent the better part of a summer evening exploring the grounds of Capitol Hill. Few landscapes invite as much inquiry along winding paths paired with plenty of moments for quiet introspection on marble benches; all in picturesque view of the Capitol dome. These on-site experiences are exactly the form of anecdotal justification I seek when considering whether to recreate such monumental places in the first place.

In tackling any work of such storied precedence as the US Capitol, I always seek to expand the conversation beyond existing works in the medium of plastic bricks. While the consistent 1:650 scale among my works has always ensured some level of originality, it is no guarantee of further insight that cannot already be gleaned from existing works by other artists. With this in mind, I set out to capture the full 100-acre site currently maintained by The Architect of the Capitol. What's more, the diorama depicts a particular time of year - specifically late March to early April - as illustrated by the iconic presence of hundreds of cherry blossoms rendered in two shades of light pink.

The diorama starts downhill at the trapezoidal Capitol Reflecting Pool, with the Grant Memorial taking pride of place along its eastern edge and the US Botanic Garden across the street to the south. The diorama expands from there, capturing the radiating pathways meandering uphill, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted within the parcels laid out in the city plan by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The piece culminates with the widely imitated US Capitol Building, perched atop a plinth projecting from the Capitol Visitor Center on the opposite side.

Topping everything off is a custom-made representation of the Statue of Freedom (as designed by Thomas Crawford), steadfastly overlooking the National Mall from atop the dome. The statue was designed in collaboration with BigKidBrix and was sized comparably to the minifigure statuette / trophy element.

The piece was designed over the course of about two months: first in December 2023 through January 2024, paused during the build-out of SPQR - Phase II, then resumed between March and April. The build-out lasted from July through August and was completed by September. The piece will soon be added to my personal gallery of works, now available for touring exhibitions.

#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol #America #USA #Diorama #AmericanHistory

110529-N-TT977-411

Blues legend B.B. King performs at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)

US Capitol Building Washington DC - Washington DC Stock Photography

The United States Capitol Building is located on Capitol Hill at the east end of the National Mall in Washington DC. The US Capitol is among the most symbollically important and architecturally impressive buildings in the United States. It has housed the meeting chambers of the US House of Representatives and US Senate for two centuries. An example of 19 century neo-claccical architecture. Architectural details include columns, porticos, arches, steps, the US Capitol dome and rotunda. A washington D.C. landmark and national icon it is a popular tourist attraction and travel destination in Washington DC.

All images on this site copyright Randy Santos 2007 - 2010

No unauthorized use of any image without written permission

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All images are very high quality image files available for license in various media. Please contact for license or visit:

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110529-N-TT977-469

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff speaks with Yvette Michelle Gibbons-Baugh at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. Gibbons-Baugh lost the father she never met, nineteen-year-old Specialist 4th Class Richard Githens, during the Vietnam war and visited the country with his best friend to understand the story of her fathers life, and death. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, space shuttle crew STS-129 and members of the Congressional Black Caucus pose for a group photo at the Capitol Building, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010, in Washington. Back row from left to right: U.S. Rep Donna Edwards (D-MD), U.S. Rep Diane Watson (D-CA), NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, astronauts Leland Melvin, Mike Foreman, Robert Satcher, Barry Wilmore, Randy Bresnick, and U.S. Rep Mel Watt (D-NC). Front row from left to right: U.S. Rep Robert Scott (D-VA), U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla), U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), U.S. Rep. Donna Christensen (D-VI) and U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ). The crew of STS-129 presented the CBC with a montage commemorating their mission. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

View of US Capitol Building from D Street at New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington DC on Monday afternoon, 18 January 2021 by Elvert Barnes Photography

NATIONAL GUARD

Elvert Barnes COVID 19 Pandemic Part 5 New Year 2021 docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/CV19NewYear2021

Elvert Barnes Monday afternoon, 18 January 2021 In Preparation of 59th Presidential Inauguration US Capitol Complex docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/18January2021

Gerald R. Ford, Jr.

This statue of Gerald Ford was given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Michigan in 2011. Ford’s statue replaced that of Detroit mayor and United States Senator Zachariah Chandler, which the state of Michigan donated to the National Statuary Hall Collection in 1913.

•Artist: J Brett Grill

•Material: Bronze

•State: Given by Michigan in 2011

•Location: Rotunda, U.S. Capitol

Gerald R. Ford, 38th president of the United States, was the first person to assume the offices of vice president and president upon the resignation of his predecessors. This followed upon 25 years of service in Congress, including eight as House minority leader.

The future president was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr., on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska, and was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After his mother divorced his father, she married Gerald Rudolph Ford, in whose honor her son would take the name Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. He studied economics and political science at the University of Michigan, where he was also a champion football player. At Yale University he earned a law degree while coaching football and boxing. He graduated in 1941, practiced law briefly, and enlisted in the navy in 1942 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. His service included time on an aircraft carrier that saw action in the Pacific until it was irreparably damaged by a typhoon and fire, and he was honorably discharged in 1946.

In 1948 Ford married Elizabeth (“Betty”) Bloomer and was elected to the first of 13 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his service on committees and on the Warren Commission, which investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, he established a reputation for fairness and integrity, and beginning in 1965 he served as minority leader. Upon the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, President Richard Nixon selected him to fill the vacancy, and he was confirmed by the House and Senate as required by the 25th amendment to the Constitution. On August 9, 1974, Nixon himself left office because of the ongoing Watergate scandal, and Ford assumed the presidency. Among the challenges he faced were low public confidence in the government, economic inflation, conflict in the Middle East, the fall of South Vietnam and Cambodia, and an increasing Soviet military threat. He ran for election to a full term in 1976 but was defeated by Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia.

Ford remained athletic, robust and active after leaving office, appearing at historical and ceremonial events, such as state funerals, and speaking out on subjects of domestic and international importance. He died on December 26, 2006, at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. His remains lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda from December 30, 2006, to January 2, 2007. Following a state funeral and a memorial service held at the National Cathedral on January 2, Ford was interred at his Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids.

The Statue

The statue depicts Ford wearing a three-piece suit and leaning forward, his feet splayed and his slightly raised left heel suggesting forward motion; the sculptor stated that this posture is “meant to embody the idea of someone standing up to serve their country when called.” The president’s right hand holds his open suit jacket with two fingers below the right lapel and his left hand holds two thick files, the outer one of which carries the presidential seal.

The pedestal, clad in India Black granite, is inscribed on the front with Ford’s name, life dates, positions and terms of federal service, and the state name “Michigan.” On the proper right side is inscribed a quotation from a tribute by Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, Speaker of the House during Ford’s presidency: “God has been good to America, especially during difficult times. At the time of the Civil War, he gave us Abraham Lincoln. And at the time of Watergate, he gave us Gerald Ford—the right man at the right time who was able to put our nation back together again.” On the proper left side are words from Ford’s swearing-in address: “Our constitution works. Our great republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule.” The statue was unveiled in the Capitol Rotunda on May 3, 2011.

The Sculptor

Sculptor J Brett Grill (1979-Present) holds a BFA in sculpture from the University of Michigan and an MFA in painting from the New York Academy of Art. Now an assistant professor of art, he teaches painting and drawing at the University of Missouri. He was selected by a panel of experts on behalf of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation following a national call for applications; the Foundation commissioned the sculpture on behalf of the state of Michigan. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grill also grew up there, as did Ford. Grill was familiar with Ford’s history and had previously depicted him in a bust.

The California legislature and governor delegated responsibility for the creation of the statue to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation, which selected sculptor Chas Fagan and oversaw the design and approval process. This was the second instance of a state’s replacing a previously donated statue since such action was authorized by the Congress in 2000 under Public Law 106-554 (40 U.S.C. 187a). The statue was unveiled in the United States Capitol Rotunda on June 3, 2009 (pictured above).

The Sculptor

Chas Fagan is a self-taught artist who grew up in Brussels, Belgium, where he visited museums and sketched the works of great European masters; he later graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a degree in Russian and East European studies. He has painted portraits of Mrs. Barbara Bush, President Reagan, Speaker of the House Tom Foley, and a complete set of presidents for C-SPAN’s 2001 program American Presidents. He has completed sculptural portraits of President George H. W. Bush; Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene; and, for the National Cathedral, John Donne, Rosa Parks, and Mother Theresa.

Navy. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)

On the east wall hanging high above the vice president’s dais is a “porthole” portrait of George Washington, which is among the Senate’s earliest and most significant fine arts acquisitions. American artist Rembrandt Peale created the work in 1823, basing it on his earlier life studies of the former president. The artist hoped it would become the “standard likeness” of the first president, and he framed Washington with a painted stone porthole surrounded by an oak wreath and topped by a keystone bearing the head of Jupiter. This portrait was purchased in 1832, the centennial of Washington’s birth, for display in the Chamber.

Porthole Portrait of George Washington (Patriæ Pater)

•George Washington (Patrae Pater)

•by Rembrandt Peale(1778-1860)

•Oil on canvas, 1824

•Sight Measurement:

oHeight: 71.5 inches (181.6 cm)

oWidth: 53.25 inches (135.3 cm)

•Unsigned

•Cat. no. 31.00001.000

•Conservation of George Washington (Patriæ Pater)

•Sitter: Washington, George

In 1795, at the age of 17, Rembrandt Peale painted a life portrait of George Washington during the president’s second term. This rare opportunity had been arranged by Rembrandt’s father, Charles Willson Peale, who had already painted Washington from life more often than any other artist. While the elder Peale painted beside him (“to calm my nerves”), Rembrandt created a rivetingly realistic head of the president. [1] For the sittings with Washington, the Peales alternated with portraitist Gilbert Stuart—the Peales painted Washington one day and Stuart, the next.

The younger Peale was never fully satisfied with his resulting life portrait, though he soon produced 10 copies from it. The intention behind the sittings had been, in fact, to supply the young artist with a model that could serve for future replicas. But unlike Stuart, who painted his “Athenaeum” head of Washington the following year and replicated it more than 70 times, Rembrandt Peale soon stopped copying his life study.

A quarter century after the 1795 effort, Peale set out to create a new portrait of Washington that would show his “mild, thoughtful & dignified, yet firm and energetic Countenance.” In his privately printed essay, “Lecture on Washington and his Portraits,” the artist recounted “repeated attempts to fix on Canvass the Image which was so strong in my mind, by an effort of combination, chiefly of my father’s and my own studies.” [2] Visits to France (1808-10) had exposed him to the neoclassical style then fashionable in Paris, and these ideals thenceforth competed with the innate realism that informed his earlier work. In 1823, following the highly successful tour of his huge allegorical painting, The Court of Death, Peale began contemplating a new project: an image of George Washington that would, he hoped, become the “Standard likeness” of the first president. [3] To realize this likeness—to invent it, really—he reviewed paintings of Washington by John Trumbull, by Gilbert Stuart, and, of course, by his own father, as well as the famous sculptural portrait by Jean-Antoine Houdon. This last he considered the finest of all portraits of Washington, an opinion still widely held. Peale decided that a composite of the best likenesses was most likely to result in the icon he hoped to produce.

Confining himself to his studio for three months, he painted in a “Poetic frenzy.” [4] When completed, the portrait was given the blessing of the elder Peale, who, Rembrandt reported, judged it the best he had ever seen. Rembrandt Peale had invented a composition that presented the hero in a symbolic manner, blending portraiture with history painting. He settled on a format roughly twice the size of a standard portrait, within which he painted a strikingly illusionistic stone oval window atop a stone sill engraved with the legend “PATRIAE PATER” (Father of His Country). The window is decorated with a garland of oak leaves, and it is surmounted by the “Phydian head of Jupiter” (Peale’s description) on the keystone. The oak was sacred to Jupiter, and it also had a long Christian tradition as a symbol of virtue and endurance in the face of adversity. Within this “porthole,” as it was soon dubbed, Peale placed the bust-length figure of Washington with an extraterrestrial background of clouds and shadows. Not just a simple sky, it has the effect of placing Washington, if not precisely in eternity, then (in Thomas Jefferson’s words) in “everlasting remembrance.” [5]

Peale’s extraordinarily difficult problem had been how to use the best sources to reinvent an image of Washington that could mediate among them. He stated publicly that he had based the new image on his 1795 portrait, his father’s portraits, and Houdon’s portrait. Rembrandt was flattering his father: Only the last of the elder Peale’s seven different likenesses of Washington, painted beside his son in 1795, has any similarity to Rembrandt’s work, and then perhaps mainly in the elegant ruffled shirt. In fact, Rembrandt scarcely consulted his own youthful effort. It was the Houdon of 1785 that prevailed, and this was the most appropriate source, because it showed a still-vigorous Washington in retirement after the War of Independence but before the rigors of the Constitutional Convention and his presidential service. This revivified heroic Washington is firmly linked to the real world by his black cloak, which tumbles out of the window onto the sill, while the hero himself remains in the ethereal space behind it.

But Peale’s neoclassical idealism went further than Houdon’s, and he subjected Washington’s features to what one writer has called “a puffy articulation of the planes of the face,” a stylization that suggests pinches of modeling clay. [6] At the same time, the idiosyncratic particulars that marked Houdon’s rendering of such passages as eyebrows, the bridge of the nose, and hair are erased or superseded by regularity, and the head is bathed in a strong light that glosses the features with the sheen of perfection. Washington’s nose is made still more Roman and, indeed, it invites comparison with the nose of Jupiter above, which in turn reminds viewers of Washington’s godlike status in the hearts of his countrymen. The result is an undeniably forceful presence, not Washington exactly, but the idea of Washington.

“Mild, yet resolute” was Chief Justice John Marshall’s summation of the likeness–and it does possess immense dignity and venerable nobility. [7] It manages to belong to two realms, the reality of the fictive stone framework in front of Washington and the timeless world behind him. Finally, and very significantly, it should be recalled that the “invention” of the porthole portrait was, in fact, an inspiration borrowed from ancient Rome, for it is in Roman funerary sculpture that the portrait of the deceased is so framed. Though not the only painter to borrow this device, Peale demonstrated that it was doubly appropriate for Washington. It was fitting, first, for a posthumous portrait, and second, as an allusion to the Roman Republic, whose ideals were continually invoked by the Founding Fathers.

Peale painted the Senate picture and the first replica of it almost simultaneously, in Philadelphia during the winter of 1823-24. In late February 1824, he put the original painting on display in the U.S. Capitol. There it was viewed by members of Congress and many of Washington’s friends and relatives. The porthole portrait of Washington did not become the “standard likeness,” but it became second only to the image by Gilbert Stuart, which proved impossible to displace from the public imagination. Of Peale’s nearly 80 replicas or variants, the version in the Senate is the masterpiece. No painting in the U.S. Capitol has greater historical or symbolic resonance.

The artist collected testimonials from more than 20 individuals who had known Washington; he later published them in a pamphlet titled Portrait of Washington. The comments praised the painting and include such glowing descriptions as those of Chief Justice John Marshall: “The likeness in features is striking, and the Character of the whole face is preserved & exhibited with wonderful Accuracy. It is more Washington himself than any Portrait of him I have ever seen.” [8] Peale used the resulting publicity to lobby Congress, unsuccessfully, for a commission to paint an equestrian portrait of General Washington.

Peale then exhibited his Patriæ Pater portrait in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. In the spring of 1827, he drew a lithograph based on the painting, in the Boston studio of William and John Pendleton, whose lithographic press was highly regarded. The lithograph was awarded a silver medal, the highest award, at the fall exhibition at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. This and other images based on the painting ensured widespread recognition. Late in 1828 Peale sailed for Europe, where he remained until September 1830, taking Patriæ Pater with him. He reported that the painting was well received in Rome, Naples, Paris, and London. In Florence it was exhibited at the Accademia in September 1829 and praised by the press.

Congress, though reluctant to spend money on art in the early years of the nation, was prompted by the 1832 centennial of George Washington’s birth to purchase Patriæ Pater from Rembrandt Peale for $2,000. After its purchase, the painting was hung at the gallery level in the Senate Chamber, where it remained until the Senate moved into its new north wing Chamber in 1859, and the Supreme Court moved upstairs into the Old Senate Chamber. At that time, the painting was moved to the new Vice President’s Room near the Senate floor. It remained there until the restoration of the Old Senate Chamber as a museum room in 1976, allowing the return of the portrait to its original location.

The oil replicas of Peale’s original porthole portrait of Washington constitute four distinct categories: those identical to the original, with the subject’s face turned proper right and featuring civilian dress; those similar to the original, but with face turned to the left; those with Washington’s face turned right, but featuring military dress; and those facing left, with military dress. The example at the Pennsylvania Academy is believed to be the original of the second type. The New-York Historical Society owns a late 1853 version in which Washington wears a military uniform. Peale justified the many replicas by claiming that, because he was the last living artist to have painted Washington from life, “the reduplication of…[my] work, by…[my] own hand, should be esteemed the most reliable.” [9]

1.John Hill Morgan and Mantle Fielding, The Life Portraits of Washington and Their Replicas (Lancaster, PA: Lancaster Press, 1931), 369.

2.Gustavus A. Eisen, Portraits of Washington, vol. 1 (New York: Robert Hamilton, 1932), 312.

3.Lillian B. Miller and Carol Eaton Hevner, In Pursuit of Fame: Rembrandt Peale, 1778-1860 (Washington, D.C.: National Portrait Gallery; Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1992), 144.

4.Eisen, 313.

5.Thomas Jefferson, The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson, edited by Adrienne Koch and William Peden (1944; reprint, New York: Modern Library, 1993), 174.

6.Carol Eaton Hevner and Lillian B. Miller, Rembrandt Peale, 1778-1860: A Life in the Arts. An Exhibition at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, February 22, 1985 to June 28, 1985 (Philadelphia: The Society, 1985), 25.

7.Ibid., 66.

8.Eisen, 315.

9.Rembrandt Peale, Portrait of Washington (Philadelphia: n.p., 1824?), 2.

Biography of George Washington

George Washington, first president of the United States, earned the epithet Father of His Country for his great leadership, both in the fight for independence and in unifying the new nation under a central government. Washington was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and worked as a surveyor in his youth. In 1752 he inherited a family estate, Mount Vernon, upon the death of a half brother, Lawrence. Washington’s military career began in 1753, when he accepted an appointment to carry a warning to French forces who had pushed into British territory in the Ohio valley. In subsequent military assignments, Washington distinguished himself against the French, first while aiding General Edward Braddock and later as commander-in-chief of all Virginia militia.

In 1758 Washington returned to civilian life as a gentleman-farmer at Mount Vernon and soon took a seat in the Virginia house of burgesses. As a planter, Washington had firsthand knowledge of the economic restrictions being imposed by Britain, and as a Virginia legislator, he supported political efforts to curtail British control of the colonies. Washington was selected to serve as a delegate to the first and second Continental Congresses, and in June 1775 he was chosen to command the American forces. He successfully led the Continental army through eight difficult years of war for independence.

In 1783, after the Revolution, Washington resigned his military commission to Congress at Annapolis, Maryland. Recognizing the need for a strong central government, he served as president of the federal convention charged with drafting the Constitution. Reluctantly, he accepted the will of his colleagues to become president of the new nation, and he was inaugurated in New York City on April 30, 1789. Contending with the ideological struggles within the government, and with hostilities between France and Great Britain, Washington greatly feared the growth of political parties and the dangers of foreign involvement. These issues impelled him to serve a second term as president.

His attempts to solve foreign relations issues during his second term resulted in Jay’s Treaty (1794), a vain attempt to regulate trade and settle boundary disputes with Great Britain, and the Pinckney Treaty (1795), which successfully settled such issues with Spain. Washington also acted vigorously to enforce federal authority by quashing the Whiskey Rebellion, during which liquor producers in western Pennsylvania threatened the new republic by rebelling against an unpopular excise tax on whiskey.

Washington’s 1796 Farewell Address to the nation emphasized the need for a unified federal government and warned against party faction and foreign influence. Although often subjected to harsh criticism by his contemporaries, Washington succeeded in giving the new government dignity. He saw a federal financial system firmly established through the efforts of Alexander Hamilton, and he set valuable precedents in the conduct of the executive office. Washington retired to Mount Vernon, where he died on December 14, 1799.

"I love to go to Washington - if only to be near my money." - Bob Hope

The U.S. Capitol Building’s distinctive dome stands as Washington DC’s famous landmark. The 19th-century neoclassical building has served as the seat of American lawmaking since the first Congress in 1800.

If the bright colorful flowers don't bring a smile to your face then maybe this will:

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. - P. J. O'Rourke

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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US Capitol Complex North at Louisiana Avenue and D Street, NW, Washington DC on Monday afternoon, 18 January 2021 by Elvert Barnes Photography

US CAPITOL POLICE

Elvert Barnes COVID 19 Pandemic Part 5 New Year 2021 docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/CV19NewYear2021

Elvert Barnes Monday afternoon, 18 January 2021 In Preparation of 59th Presidential Inauguration US Capitol Complex docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/18January2021

Marble busts of the earliest chief justices have been returned to their original locations in the room. In order of service, those represented are: John Jay (1789-1795), John Rutledge (1795), Oliver Ellsworth (1796-1800), and John Marshall (1801-1835).

Gallery Wall Clock

•Clock, Gallery Wall

•by Simon Willard

•Mahogany dial, gilded frame, metal, paint, 1837

•Overall measurement

oHeight: 51 inches (129.54 cm)

oWidth: 37 inches (93.98 cm)

oDepth: 5 inches (12.7 cm)

•Inscription (etched on the exterior of the brass movement): Made by Simon / Willard in his 85th / year 1837 / Roxbury July / the 4 [?]; and (engraved on the brass pendulum face) MADE BY / SIMON WILLARD, / in the 85th year of his age. / BOSTON, JULY, 1837.

•Cat. no. 54.00002.000

This clock is located in the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the Senate wing of the Capitol.

Preserving Punctuality: The Old Supreme Court Clock

On the morning of March 31, 2009, time stopped in the Old Supreme Court Chamber. The minute hand of the 1837 Simon Willard gallery clock was found lying on the mantel below the clock, broken in two pieces where an old repair had given way. Fortunately, plans for conservation treatment of the clock were underway in the Office of Senate Curator, because a condition assessment of the Senate’s historic clocks done the previous year indicated its movement was in urgent need of repair. A conservator was quickly enlisted to conserve the clock.

The conservator arrived at the Senate on May 29 to remove the clock’s movement and transport it to his workshop in Massachusetts. First, he carefully removed the clock’s dial, revealing the beautifully made brass movement. The gallery or banjo style of clock was invented by Simon Willard in the late 18th century as an alternative to the tall case (or grandfather) style of clock. His ingenious design made it possible for the weight and other clock parts to fit within a 24-inch diameter space and still run for eight days between windings.

After the conservation work was completed and the minute hand was repaired, the clock was reassembled in the Old Supreme Court. During its six-week absence, the Curator’s Office received many inquiries about why the clock was gone. The level of interest expressed inspired the Curator to revisit the clock’s history and search for evidence to verify some of the popular stories told in the Capitol about Simon Willard’s gallery clock.

The clock currently hangs above the fireplace in the Old Supreme Court Chamber. Over the years it has moved location several times, but it has always maintained its association with the Supreme Court. When the clock was delivered in 1837, it was placed in the Supreme Court Chamber in Capitol (S-141). In 1860 the Supreme Court moved upstairs to the present-day Old Senate Chamber, and the timepiece was transferred to the Clerk of the Court’s Office, now part of the Republican Leader’s Suite. In 1935, when construction on the Supreme Court building was complete, the Willard clock traveled across the street and was placed in the Clerk’s file room. The restoration of the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the Capitol during the 1970s brought the clock back to its original location in S-141.

Today, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney is credited with requesting the Simon Willard clock; however, early reports state that Justice Joseph Story was responsible for the order. An 1888 article from Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly entitled “The United States Supreme Court and the New Chief Justice” highlights Justice Story’s frustrations with “laggard” justices and states his response to this problem: “I’ll fix this,’ said Mr. Justice Story, ‘and we’ll get a clock that we can all go by.’” The article continues: “Mr. Story was one of the prompt ones. And he had this clock made.” Other early 20th-century articles credit Justice Story with the purchase of the clock, but a 1935 article from The Evening Star Washington attributes, for the first time, the ordering of the clock to Chief Justice Taney. The article refers to the timepiece as the “Old Taney Clock” and ascribes frustrations to Taney, not Story. Justice Story served on the bench from 1812 until his death in 1845, and Chief Justice Taney held his position from 1836 to 1864. The clock was ordered in 1836, so the dates of service of both justices make it possible that either could have been responsible for requesting the clock.

Modern accounts also credit Chief Justice Taney with having the clock set five minutes fast to improve the timeliness of the associate justices. Today the clock is still set five minutes ahead in honor of this practice. However, historical accounts describe the clock’s timekeeping as either one or two minutes ahead of the hour and attribute the desire to improve punctuality to either Justice Stephen Field or Justice Story. The 1935 Evening Star Washington article recalls that the clock was set two minutes ahead to ensure that the justices arrived at the bench in timely fashion. Another article, “Centenary of a Clock,” from a 1937 issue of the New York Times Magazine, states: “Long ago it hung in the robing room of the justices and there was a change made in the mechanism—tradition says by Justice Stephen J. Field. Since then it has struck its one note at exactly one minute before the hour of twelve, thus warning the black-gowned justices to be ready and waiting to ascend the bench precisely at noon.”

Although we have no primary sources (such as an invoice for work to adjust the clock mechanism or a firsthand account of setting the clock fast) to verify the truthfulness of these claims, the articles lead one to reasonably assume that the clock was set ahead at a calculated increment during its time in the Capitol. The report written by the conservator after he completed treatment of the gallery clock interprets its history on the basis of physical evidence preserved on its parts. While reassembling the clock, he mentioned that the movement is aligned so that it strikes one minute before the hour, rather than right on the hour. If you are watching when the clock is about to strike, you can see this for yourself. Perhaps there is something to the 1937 story, and over the years the one-minute change has grown to five. The Curator’s Office continues to search for historical evidence to help interpret this exquisite artifact that is an integral part of our nation’s history. With proper care and conservation, the Willard clock will continue to be a valued centerpiece in the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the U.S. Capitol.

Justice

•Justice

•by Carlo Franzoni (1788-1819)

•Plaster, 1817

•Overall Measurement:

oHeight: 53.25 inches (135.3 cm)

oWidth: 127.25 inches (323.2 cm)

•Unsigned

•Cat. no. 25.00001.000

After the British burned the U.S. Capitol on August 24, 1814, architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe immediately oversaw reconstruction efforts. As part of this project, he engaged Italian sculptor Carlo Franzoni to create the only piece of permanent decoration in the new Supreme Court Chamber: a relief sculpture of Justice. The piece was to be mounted directly opposite the bench and the seats of the justices.

Two preliminary sketches exist for the figure of Justice, but it is unknown whether they date from before or after the damage to the building by the British. The sketches depict some of the same iconographic details seen in the Justice relief, although the final figure and composition are different. The drawings appear to be by either Giuseppe or Carlo Franzoni. Giuseppe, Carlo’s older brother, had actually been engaged by Latrobe to model Justice for the pre-fire Capitol in 1809. It is not known if Giuseppe Franzoni’s Justice was ever completed, because that version of the Supreme Court Chamber, along with the Senate and House Chambers, was destroyed. Giuseppe Franzoni died suddenly in 1815; the following year, Carlo arrived from Italy to work on the Capitol.

Carlo Franzoni apparently began executing the relief of Justice shortly after his arrival, because payments were made to various models, beginning in 1816, for sitting for the sculpture. Mary Ann Warren and Eliza Wade each received a payment of $25, while Prince Williams received $10 “for my boy Henry sitting 10 times for Mr. Franzoni.” It is unknown why Franzoni used three models, as only the figures of Justice and the Genius appear in the final composition. The plaster frieze was completed in 1817 and placed in a semicircular lunette on the west wall of the Supreme Court. The work has yet to be restored to its original appearance, although a preliminary physical investigation indicates the early presence of jade green and royal blue paint instead of the current azure background coloring.

Franzoni also produced the brilliantly imaginative and successful Car of History for the House of Representatives. The deserved fame of this work and its much more prominent location have unfortunately diminished the reputation of Justice. Charles E. Fairman, curator of the Capitol in the early 20th century, even insinuated that the relief might not be by Franzoni. A comparison of the distinctive and confident modeling of the drapery in the two works, however, leaves little doubt that one artist is responsible for both. Carlo Franzoni died unexpectedly at the age of 30 on May 12, 1819, only three years after arriving in the United States. His remains, and those of his brother Giuseppe, are interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, in Washington, D.C.

More on Justice

One of the oldest works of art in the Capitol is the plaster relief Justice by Italian artist Carlo Franzoni. This allegorical group, located in the Old Supreme Court Chamber, is dominated by the figure of Justice dressed in classical attire, with scales upraised in her left hand and her right hand resting on an unsheathed sword. The sculpture displays Franzoni’s thorough understanding of visual iconography and personification. Justice is the leader among the “cardinal” virtues (the others are Prudence, Fortitude, and Temperance), because she regulates the actions of citizens individually and in society. In Franzoni’s relief, as is customary, she holds scales—signifying impartiality—and a sword, emblematic of her power.

The absence of a blindfold, which has become a ubiquitous element in western portrayals of Justice, makes this depiction distinctive. As early as the 16th century, Justice was portrayed blindfolded to reflect impartiality. In his 1789 treatise Iconology, George Richardson defined the meaning of this symbolism: “The white robes and bandage over her eyes, allude to incorrupt justice, disregarding every interested view, by distributing of justice with rectitude and purity of mind, and protecting the innocent.” [1] Why Franzoni chose an unconventional approach is unknown. One American writer in the late 19th century, in discussing another unblindfolded image of Justice in the Capitol, surmised “that with us justice is clear-sighted respecting the rights of all.” [2]

Franzoni’s relief features two birds. The first is an owl, a principal attribute of the Roman goddess Minerva, signifying wisdom. (As a war goddess, Minerva was the defender of just causes.) In Renaissance art, the owl is often perched on a stack of books to symbolize learning. But here, the owl is carved on the front leg of Justice’s chair while, instead, an American eagle perches on law books. The eagle’s head turns back toward Justice, whose head turns toward a nude, winged Genius. The guardian spirit of the new nation, the Genius holds and points to a tablet inscribed “The Constitution of the U.S.” Behind the Genius’s head is a sunburst, symbolizing Truth, whose light reveals all.

1.Vivien Green Fryd, Art and Empire: The Politics of Ethnicity in the United States Capitol, 1815-1860 (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1992), 179.

2.Ibid., 180.

The James A. Garfield Monument was dedicated on May 18, 1887, and on January 2, 1975 it was incorporated into the grounds of the United States Capitol on the circle at First Street and Maryland Avenue, SW,. Sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward, the 9-foot tall bronze figure of Garfield sits atop a 14-foot elaborate Baroque-styled base, designed by Richard Morris Hunt. The memorial was commissioned in 1884 by the Society of the Army of the Cumberland, of which Garfield had been a member. Today it stands as part of a three-part sculptural group including the Peace Monument and the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial.

Garfield is depicted holding his inaugural address insribed with the words "Law, Justice, Prosperity" in his left hand, and his right resting on an open book atop a short draped column. The base is adorned with three seated allegorical figures of Roman males which represent Garfield's three successful careers as a scholar, soldier, and statesman.

James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th President of the United States. His death, two months after being shot and six months after his inauguration, made his tenure the second shortest (after William Henry Harrison) in United States history. Before his election as president, Garfield served as a major general in the United States Army and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and as a member of the Electoral Commission of 1876. To date, Garfield is the only sitting member of the House of Representatives to have been elected President.

The story reads “I was drugged and raped by a man I met while traveling in Greece. He offered to show me around and then put sleeping pills in my food. It was broad daylight. Since my rape was not “violent”, the Greek courts did not charge my rapist”

Minton Tiles

The richly patterned and colored Minton tile floors are one of the most striking features of the extensions of the United States Capitol. They were first installed in 1856, when Thomas U. Walter was engaged in the design and construction of vast additions to the Capitol (1851-1865). For the floors in his extensions, Walter chose encaustic tile for its beauty, durability and sophistication.

•Artist: Minton, Hollins and Company

•Date: Installed in 1856

One striking example of the contrast between the interiors of the Old Capitol (finished in 1826) and the extensions (begun in 1851) may be seen in the differences in flooring materials. In the Old Capitol, stone pavers were used in corridors and other public spaces, such as the Rotunda and Crypt, while brick was used to floor committee rooms and offices. These materials, although durable and fireproof, would have looked plain and old-fashioned to the Victorian eye. In the mid-19th century, encaustic tile flooring was considered the most suitable and beautiful material for high-traffic areas. Unlike ordinary glazed tile, the pattern in encaustic tile is made of colored clays inlaid or imbedded in the clay ground. Because the color is part of the fabric of the encaustic tile, it will retain its beauty after years of wear. One observer noted:

“The indestructibility of tiles may be judged from the fact that the excavations at Pompeii have unearthed apartments where painted tiles are just as beautiful, the colors as fresh and bright as... when the fated city was in all its glory.”

Two types of tile were used at the U.S. Capitol: plain and inlaid encaustic tiles in a range of colors. Plain tiles were used as borders for the elaborate inlaid designs or to pave large corridor areas. They were available in seven colors: buff, red, black, drab, chocolate, light blue and white. Additional colors, such as cobalt blue, blue-gray, and light and dark green, appear in the inlaid encaustic tiles that form the elaborate centerpieces and architectural borders. They were made by “filling indentations in the unburnt tile with the desired colors and burning the whole together.”

The patterns and designs formed in the inlaid tiles were limited only by taste and imagination. They include geometric patterns such as the Greek key, guilloche, and basket weave; floral designs such as the fleur-de-lis; and figures such as dolphins and classical heads. Few of the patterns are repeated. Although most of the tiles are six-by-six-inch squares, some are round, triangular or pie-shaped. Approximately 1,000 different tile patterns are used in the corridors of the Capitol alone, and up to 100 different tiles may be needed to create a single design.

The original encaustic tiles in the Capitol extensions were manufactured at Stoke-upon-Trent in Staffordshire, England, by Minton, Hollins and Company. The firm’s patented tiles had won numerous gold medals at international exhibitions and were considered the best tiles made. In 1876, having seen Minton’s large display at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, one critic wrote, “Messr. Minton shone superior to all exhibits of the sort… and may be cited as showing the highest results in tile-pottery achieved by modern skill and research.”

Beginning in 1856, and continuing for five years, the tile was installed by the import firm of Miller and Coates of New York City. For the journey from New York to Washington, the tiles were packed in wooden casks weighing about 1100 pounds; each cask contained enough tiles to pave about 100 square feet. The cost of the tile ranged from $0.68 to $2.03 per square foot.

Thomas U. Walter had every reason to believe that the encaustic tile floors would last as long as his extensions stood. One visitor noted in 1859 that the tile floors vied with the beauty of marble and surpassed it in durability. While perhaps valid for other installations, however, this prediction proved overly optimistic for the Capitol Building. By 1924, the Minton tile was removed from the corridors in the first and second floors of the House Wing and replaced by “marble tile in patterns of a simple order.” In that day, marble was selected for its superior durability and because suitable replacement tile was difficult to find.

In the 1970s, however, a similar condition prompted a very different response. In 1972, a search was undertaken to determine a source of similar tiles in order to restore the original appearance of the building. Inquiries were made of all major American tile manufacturers, the American Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association, and even Mexican and Spanish tile suppliers. Although the colors and designs could be reproduced relatively easily, the patterns would quickly wear because they would be applied to the surface. The “inlaid” feature of the encaustic tiles, i.e., the approximately 1/8-inch thickness of the pattern and color, is the characteristic that enables the Minton tiles to be walked upon for over 100 years without signs of wear. It was this technique that formed the basic difficulty of manufacture.

Finally, as a result of the Capitol’s needs becoming generally known, the Architect of the Capitol was placed in contact with H & R Johnson Tiles Ltd., located at Stoke-on-Trent, England. It was discovered that that firm was a successor company to the Minton Tile Co. and had even retained many of the original hand tools and forms in a private museum at the company’s manufacturing site.

Contact was then made with Mr. James Ellis, the Directing Architect of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings for the Crown. He had been trying for many years to establish a program for the replacement of the worn Minton tiles at the Houses of Parliament but had more or less given up the attempt because of H & R Johnson’s continued unwillingness to revive the encaustic tile process. However, the restoration work at the Arts and Industries Building of the Smithsonian Institution was in process at about the time the needs of the Capitol became known; it thus appeared that a market for such tiles was developing to the degree that the manufacturer began to reconsider its prior position. The company thus began the experiments that finally led to the present availability, after many decades, of the original Minton-type tiles.

Because the tiles in the Capitol are more decorative and have more complicated designs and color combinations than those in either the Houses of Parliament or the Smithsonian, those institutions were able to obtain replacement tiles sooner than the Capitol. The lessons learned in the manufacture of the simpler tiles served as a basis for filling the later needs.

Color photographs and full-sized drawings of the many required patterns were made and recorded, and many developmental submissions were made as the hand-made manufacturing process was re-developed. Finally, in 1986, the first acceptable tiles were delivered. The installation process was accomplished with modern cement adhesives and has yielded excellent results.

The program enabled the original tiles to be replaced with exact replicas. This project began on the first floor of the Senate wing, where the effects of 130 years of wear and tear were most noticeable. Replacement tile was closely scrutinized to ensure fidelity to the nineteenth-century originals. While difficult and slow, this process is the only fitting response to the history of the Capitol extensions, not only to restore the original beauty and elegance of these unique floors, but also to provide for their continuing attractiveness for the foreseeable future.

The story reads “I can’t even count the number of time I have had sex against my will. Some of the times I was pressured and other times I was drunk. I’ve never been able to call these situations rape”

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden joins the National Symphony Orchestra under the lead of Conductor Emil de Cou to introduce one the program's segments, music from the film "Apollo 13" during the Symphony's Labor Day Weekend concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Sunday, September 5, 2010 in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

110529-N-TT977-349

American Idol winner Kris Allen sings "God Bless America" at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)

Anti-GOP (Impeach Trump) Demonstration before President Trump State of the Union Speech at US Capitol Building East Steps in NE Washington DC on Tuesday afternoon, 4 February 2020 by Elvert Barnes Photography

Elvert Barnes PROTEST PHOTOGRAPHY 2020 at elvertbarnes.com/protests2020.html

Trip to Washington DC for Catering / Before Work Series

Justice

•Justice

•by Carlo Franzoni (1788-1819)

•Plaster, 1817

•Overall Measurement:

oHeight: 53.25 inches (135.3 cm)

oWidth: 127.25 inches (323.2 cm)

•Unsigned

•Cat. no. 25.00001.000

After the British burned the U.S. Capitol on August 24, 1814, architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe immediately oversaw reconstruction efforts. As part of this project, he engaged Italian sculptor Carlo Franzoni to create the only piece of permanent decoration in the new Supreme Court Chamber: a relief sculpture of Justice. The piece was to be mounted directly opposite the bench and the seats of the justices.

Two preliminary sketches exist for the figure of Justice, but it is unknown whether they date from before or after the damage to the building by the British. The sketches depict some of the same iconographic details seen in the Justice relief, although the final figure and composition are different. The drawings appear to be by either Giuseppe or Carlo Franzoni. Giuseppe, Carlo’s older brother, had actually been engaged by Latrobe to model Justice for the pre-fire Capitol in 1809. It is not known if Giuseppe Franzoni’s Justice was ever completed, because that version of the Supreme Court Chamber, along with the Senate and House Chambers, was destroyed. Giuseppe Franzoni died suddenly in 1815; the following year, Carlo arrived from Italy to work on the Capitol.

Carlo Franzoni apparently began executing the relief of Justice shortly after his arrival, because payments were made to various models, beginning in 1816, for sitting for the sculpture. Mary Ann Warren and Eliza Wade each received a payment of $25, while Prince Williams received $10 “for my boy Henry sitting 10 times for Mr. Franzoni.” It is unknown why Franzoni used three models, as only the figures of Justice and the Genius appear in the final composition. The plaster frieze was completed in 1817 and placed in a semicircular lunette on the west wall of the Supreme Court. The work has yet to be restored to its original appearance, although a preliminary physical investigation indicates the early presence of jade green and royal blue paint instead of the current azure background coloring.

Franzoni also produced the brilliantly imaginative and successful Car of History for the House of Representatives. The deserved fame of this work and its much more prominent location have unfortunately diminished the reputation of Justice. Charles E. Fairman, curator of the Capitol in the early 20th century, even insinuated that the relief might not be by Franzoni. A comparison of the distinctive and confident modeling of the drapery in the two works, however, leaves little doubt that one artist is responsible for both. Carlo Franzoni died unexpectedly at the age of 30 on May 12, 1819, only three years after arriving in the United States. His remains, and those of his brother Giuseppe, are interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, in Washington, D.C.

More on Justice

One of the oldest works of art in the Capitol is the plaster relief Justice by Italian artist Carlo Franzoni. This allegorical group, located in the Old Supreme Court Chamber, is dominated by the figure of Justice dressed in classical attire, with scales upraised in her left hand and her right hand resting on an unsheathed sword. The sculpture displays Franzoni’s thorough understanding of visual iconography and personification. Justice is the leader among the “cardinal” virtues (the others are Prudence, Fortitude, and Temperance), because she regulates the actions of citizens individually and in society. In Franzoni’s relief, as is customary, she holds scales—signifying impartiality—and a sword, emblematic of her power.

The absence of a blindfold, which has become a ubiquitous element in western portrayals of Justice, makes this depiction distinctive. As early as the 16th century, Justice was portrayed blindfolded to reflect impartiality. In his 1789 treatise Iconology, George Richardson defined the meaning of this symbolism: “The white robes and bandage over her eyes, allude to incorrupt justice, disregarding every interested view, by distributing of justice with rectitude and purity of mind, and protecting the innocent.” [1] Why Franzoni chose an unconventional approach is unknown. One American writer in the late 19th century, in discussing another unblindfolded image of Justice in the Capitol, surmised “that with us justice is clear-sighted respecting the rights of all.” [2]

Franzoni’s relief features two birds. The first is an owl, a principal attribute of the Roman goddess Minerva, signifying wisdom. (As a war goddess, Minerva was the defender of just causes.) In Renaissance art, the owl is often perched on a stack of books to symbolize learning. But here, the owl is carved on the front leg of Justice’s chair while, instead, an American eagle perches on law books. The eagle’s head turns back toward Justice, whose head turns toward a nude, winged Genius. The guardian spirit of the new nation, the Genius holds and points to a tablet inscribed “The Constitution of the U.S.” Behind the Genius’s head is a sunburst, symbolizing Truth, whose light reveals all.

1.Vivien Green Fryd, Art and Empire: The Politics of Ethnicity in the United States Capitol, 1815-1860 (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1992), 179.

2.Ibid., 180.

Looking West toward the Washington Monument from the US Capitol Building.

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Interested in seeing more "destination" images? Check out the sets in my collection titled:

Beyond Cenral Illinois

Of course, you are always welcome here in Central Illinois. Here are my collections and sets relating to the middle section of the Land of Lincoln:

Central Illinois (excluding Springfield)

Springfield and ONLY Springfield

All About Abe (Lincoln)

Lastly, here are a few more "topical" sets that may be of interest to you:

Things that are Abandoned, Neglected, Weathered, or Rusty

Barbers & Barber Shops

Vintage Cars & Trucks - Junkers to Classic Collectibles

Small Town Churches

All Things Political

Thank you for visiting my photostream - myoldpostcards

The weather hasn't been at it's best here in D.C.

We've had intermittent showers and grey skies, but we haven't let that slow us down.

It's was still a little misty last night when I took this shot.

As you can just make out, the dome on the Capitol building is surrounded by scaffolding. It's going under a two year intensive renovation project, to repair over 1,300 cracks in the cast iron.

(although the dome is painted to match the buildings stonework, the dome itself is not made of stone, but cast iron)

Maybe after they fix up what's going on outside the building, they can get around to fixing what goes on inside............just sayin'!! 8-//

Anti-GOP (Impeach Trump) Demonstration before President Trump State of the Union Speech at US Capitol Building East Steps in NE Washington DC on Tuesday afternoon, 4 February 2020 by Elvert Barnes Photography

Elvert Barnes PROTEST PHOTOGRAPHY 2020 at elvertbarnes.com/protests2020.html

Trip to Washington DC for Catering / Before Work Series

I saw this while checking things out at the Capitol. I'm told that this has been going on for 40 years, organized by "The Jesus Lady."

This is the Washington Monument with the U.S. Capitol Building lit on July 24, 2020 in the National Mall with Camila.

I rode Amtrak train no. 94 on April 24, 2012 from Richmond to Washington, DC for the first leg of my

trip home from visiting my flickr contact John H. Bowman and his wife in Virginia. After we crossed the Potomac River into Washington, I took this photo of the U.S. Capitol Building from my train window,

with the Rayburn House Office Building to the left of the Capitol Building. Immediately after this view

the train enters a tunnel for the remainder of the ride into Washington Union Station.

Gerald R. Ford, Jr.

This statue of Gerald Ford was given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Michigan in 2011. Ford’s statue replaced that of Detroit mayor and United States Senator Zachariah Chandler, which the state of Michigan donated to the National Statuary Hall Collection in 1913.

•Artist: J Brett Grill

•Material: Bronze

•State: Given by Michigan in 2011

•Location: Rotunda, U.S. Capitol

Gerald R. Ford, 38th president of the United States, was the first person to assume the offices of vice president and president upon the resignation of his predecessors. This followed upon 25 years of service in Congress, including eight as House minority leader.

The future president was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr., on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska, and was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After his mother divorced his father, she married Gerald Rudolph Ford, in whose honor her son would take the name Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. He studied economics and political science at the University of Michigan, where he was also a champion football player. At Yale University he earned a law degree while coaching football and boxing. He graduated in 1941, practiced law briefly, and enlisted in the navy in 1942 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. His service included time on an aircraft carrier that saw action in the Pacific until it was irreparably damaged by a typhoon and fire, and he was honorably discharged in 1946.

In 1948 Ford married Elizabeth (“Betty”) Bloomer and was elected to the first of 13 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his service on committees and on the Warren Commission, which investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, he established a reputation for fairness and integrity, and beginning in 1965 he served as minority leader. Upon the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, President Richard Nixon selected him to fill the vacancy, and he was confirmed by the House and Senate as required by the 25th amendment to the Constitution. On August 9, 1974, Nixon himself left office because of the ongoing Watergate scandal, and Ford assumed the presidency. Among the challenges he faced were low public confidence in the government, economic inflation, conflict in the Middle East, the fall of South Vietnam and Cambodia, and an increasing Soviet military threat. He ran for election to a full term in 1976 but was defeated by Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia.

Ford remained athletic, robust and active after leaving office, appearing at historical and ceremonial events, such as state funerals, and speaking out on subjects of domestic and international importance. He died on December 26, 2006, at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. His remains lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda from December 30, 2006, to January 2, 2007. Following a state funeral and a memorial service held at the National Cathedral on January 2, Ford was interred at his Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids.

The Statue

The statue depicts Ford wearing a three-piece suit and leaning forward, his feet splayed and his slightly raised left heel suggesting forward motion; the sculptor stated that this posture is “meant to embody the idea of someone standing up to serve their country when called.” The president’s right hand holds his open suit jacket with two fingers below the right lapel and his left hand holds two thick files, the outer one of which carries the presidential seal.

The pedestal, clad in India Black granite, is inscribed on the front with Ford’s name, life dates, positions and terms of federal service, and the state name “Michigan.” On the proper right side is inscribed a quotation from a tribute by Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, Speaker of the House during Ford’s presidency: “God has been good to America, especially during difficult times. At the time of the Civil War, he gave us Abraham Lincoln. And at the time of Watergate, he gave us Gerald Ford—the right man at the right time who was able to put our nation back together again.” On the proper left side are words from Ford’s swearing-in address: “Our constitution works. Our great republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule.” The statue was unveiled in the Capitol Rotunda on May 3, 2011.

The Sculptor

Sculptor J Brett Grill (1979-Present) holds a BFA in sculpture from the University of Michigan and an MFA in painting from the New York Academy of Art. Now an assistant professor of art, he teaches painting and drawing at the University of Missouri. He was selected by a panel of experts on behalf of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation following a national call for applications; the Foundation commissioned the sculpture on behalf of the state of Michigan. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grill also grew up there, as did Ford. Grill was familiar with Ford’s history and had previously depicted him in a bust.

The California legislature and governor delegated responsibility for the creation of the statue to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation, which selected sculptor Chas Fagan and oversaw the design and approval process. This was the second instance of a state’s replacing a previously donated statue since such action was authorized by the Congress in 2000 under Public Law 106-554 (40 U.S.C. 187a). The statue was unveiled in the United States Capitol Rotunda on June 3, 2009 (pictured above).

The Sculptor

Chas Fagan is a self-taught artist who grew up in Brussels, Belgium, where he visited museums and sketched the works of great European masters; he later graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a degree in Russian and East European studies. He has painted portraits of Mrs. Barbara Bush, President Reagan, Speaker of the House Tom Foley, and a complete set of presidents for C-SPAN’s 2001 program American Presidents. He has completed sculptural portraits of President George H. W. Bush; Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene; and, for the National Cathedral, John Donne, Rosa Parks, and Mother Theresa.

Gerald R. Ford, Jr.

This statue of Gerald Ford was given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Michigan in 2011. Ford’s statue replaced that of Detroit mayor and United States Senator Zachariah Chandler, which the state of Michigan donated to the National Statuary Hall Collection in 1913.

•Artist: J Brett Grill

•Material: Bronze

•State: Given by Michigan in 2011

•Location: Rotunda, U.S. Capitol

Gerald R. Ford, 38th president of the United States, was the first person to assume the offices of vice president and president upon the resignation of his predecessors. This followed upon 25 years of service in Congress, including eight as House minority leader.

The future president was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr., on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska, and was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After his mother divorced his father, she married Gerald Rudolph Ford, in whose honor her son would take the name Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. He studied economics and political science at the University of Michigan, where he was also a champion football player. At Yale University he earned a law degree while coaching football and boxing. He graduated in 1941, practiced law briefly, and enlisted in the navy in 1942 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. His service included time on an aircraft carrier that saw action in the Pacific until it was irreparably damaged by a typhoon and fire, and he was honorably discharged in 1946.

In 1948 Ford married Elizabeth (“Betty”) Bloomer and was elected to the first of 13 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his service on committees and on the Warren Commission, which investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, he established a reputation for fairness and integrity, and beginning in 1965 he served as minority leader. Upon the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, President Richard Nixon selected him to fill the vacancy, and he was confirmed by the House and Senate as required by the 25th amendment to the Constitution. On August 9, 1974, Nixon himself left office because of the ongoing Watergate scandal, and Ford assumed the presidency. Among the challenges he faced were low public confidence in the government, economic inflation, conflict in the Middle East, the fall of South Vietnam and Cambodia, and an increasing Soviet military threat. He ran for election to a full term in 1976 but was defeated by Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia.

Ford remained athletic, robust and active after leaving office, appearing at historical and ceremonial events, such as state funerals, and speaking out on subjects of domestic and international importance. He died on December 26, 2006, at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. His remains lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda from December 30, 2006, to January 2, 2007. Following a state funeral and a memorial service held at the National Cathedral on January 2, Ford was interred at his Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids.

The Statue

The statue depicts Ford wearing a three-piece suit and leaning forward, his feet splayed and his slightly raised left heel suggesting forward motion; the sculptor stated that this posture is “meant to embody the idea of someone standing up to serve their country when called.” The president’s right hand holds his open suit jacket with two fingers below the right lapel and his left hand holds two thick files, the outer one of which carries the presidential seal.

The pedestal, clad in India Black granite, is inscribed on the front with Ford’s name, life dates, positions and terms of federal service, and the state name “Michigan.” On the proper right side is inscribed a quotation from a tribute by Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, Speaker of the House during Ford’s presidency: “God has been good to America, especially during difficult times. At the time of the Civil War, he gave us Abraham Lincoln. And at the time of Watergate, he gave us Gerald Ford—the right man at the right time who was able to put our nation back together again.” On the proper left side are words from Ford’s swearing-in address: “Our constitution works. Our great republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule.” The statue was unveiled in the Capitol Rotunda on May 3, 2011.

The Sculptor

Sculptor J Brett Grill (1979-Present) holds a BFA in sculpture from the University of Michigan and an MFA in painting from the New York Academy of Art. Now an assistant professor of art, he teaches painting and drawing at the University of Missouri. He was selected by a panel of experts on behalf of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation following a national call for applications; the Foundation commissioned the sculpture on behalf of the state of Michigan. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grill also grew up there, as did Ford. Grill was familiar with Ford’s history and had previously depicted him in a bust.

The California legislature and governor delegated responsibility for the creation of the statue to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation, which selected sculptor Chas Fagan and oversaw the design and approval process. This was the second instance of a state’s replacing a previously donated statue since such action was authorized by the Congress in 2000 under Public Law 106-554 (40 U.S.C. 187a). The statue was unveiled in the United States Capitol Rotunda on June 3, 2009 (pictured above).

The Sculptor

Chas Fagan is a self-taught artist who grew up in Brussels, Belgium, where he visited museums and sketched the works of great European masters; he later graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a degree in Russian and East European studies. He has painted portraits of Mrs. Barbara Bush, President Reagan, Speaker of the House Tom Foley, and a complete set of presidents for C-SPAN’s 2001 program American Presidents. He has completed sculptural portraits of President George H. W. Bush; Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene; and, for the National Cathedral, John Donne, Rosa Parks, and Mother Theresa.

110529-N-TT977-419

Deborah Mullen, wife of Navy. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff claps during the playing of the Armed Service Medley at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)

Photo from my trip to Washington D.C., September, 2011.

See more photos from this trip here:

www.flickr.com/photos/don3rdse/sets/72157627682351492/

Navy. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)

Navy. Adm. Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)

• Parts: 36,800+ (~1,130 unique)

• 📐 Scale: 1:650

• 📏 Dimensions: 32in x 51in (80cm x 130cm)

• 📚 Research, Design + Build Time: 4 months

• Photography: James Vitullo 📷

• ©️ MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC

___________________________________

During a brief stint in Washington D.C. in 2023, I spent the better part of a summer evening exploring the grounds of Capitol Hill. Few landscapes invite as much inquiry along winding paths paired with plenty of moments for quiet introspection on marble benches; all in picturesque view of the Capitol dome. These on-site experiences are exactly the form of anecdotal justification I seek when considering whether to recreate such monumental places in the first place.

In tackling any work of such storied precedence as the US Capitol, I always seek to expand the conversation beyond existing works in the medium of plastic bricks. While the consistent 1:650 scale among my works has always ensured some level of originality, it is no guarantee of further insight that cannot already be gleaned from existing works by other artists. With this in mind, I set out to capture the full 100-acre site currently maintained by The Architect of the Capitol. What's more, the diorama depicts a particular time of year - specifically late March to early April - as illustrated by the iconic presence of hundreds of cherry blossoms rendered in two shades of light pink.

The diorama starts downhill at the trapezoidal Capitol Reflecting Pool, with the Grant Memorial taking pride of place along its eastern edge and the US Botanic Garden across the street to the south. The diorama expands from there, capturing the radiating pathways meandering uphill, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted within the parcels laid out in the city plan by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The piece culminates with the widely imitated US Capitol Building, perched atop a plinth projecting from the Capitol Visitor Center on the opposite side.

Topping everything off is a custom-made representation of the Statue of Freedom (as designed by Thomas Crawford), steadfastly overlooking the National Mall from atop the dome. The statue was designed in collaboration with BigKidBrix and was sized comparably to the minifigure statuette / trophy element.

The piece was designed over the course of about two months: first in December 2023 through January 2024, paused during the build-out of SPQR - Phase II, then resumed between March and April. The build-out lasted from July through August and was completed by September. The piece will soon be added to my personal gallery of works, now available for touring exhibitions.

#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol #America #USA #Diorama #AmericanHistory

US Capitol Complex North at Louisiana Avenue and D Street, NW, Washington DC on Monday afternoon, 18 January 2021 by Elvert Barnes Photography

US CAPITOL POLICE

Elvert Barnes COVID 19 Pandemic Part 5 New Year 2021 docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/CV19NewYear2021

Elvert Barnes Monday afternoon, 18 January 2021 In Preparation of 59th Presidential Inauguration US Capitol Complex docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/18January2021

• Parts: 36,800+ (~1,130 unique)

• 📐 Scale: 1:650

• 📏 Dimensions: 32in x 51in (80cm x 130cm)

• 📚 Research, Design + Build Time: 4 months

• Photography: James Vitullo 📷

• ©️ MMXXIV - Rocco Buttliere, LLC

___________________________________

During a brief stint in Washington D.C. in 2023, I spent the better part of a summer evening exploring the grounds of Capitol Hill. Few landscapes invite as much inquiry along winding paths paired with plenty of moments for quiet introspection on marble benches; all in picturesque view of the Capitol dome. These on-site experiences are exactly the form of anecdotal justification I seek when considering whether to recreate such monumental places in the first place.

In tackling any work of such storied precedence as the US Capitol, I always seek to expand the conversation beyond existing works in the medium of plastic bricks. While the consistent 1:650 scale among my works has always ensured some level of originality, it is no guarantee of further insight that cannot already be gleaned from existing works by other artists. With this in mind, I set out to capture the full 100-acre site currently maintained by The Architect of the Capitol. What's more, the diorama depicts a particular time of year - specifically late March to early April - as illustrated by the iconic presence of hundreds of cherry blossoms rendered in two shades of light pink.

The diorama starts downhill at the trapezoidal Capitol Reflecting Pool, with the Grant Memorial taking pride of place along its eastern edge and the US Botanic Garden across the street to the south. The diorama expands from there, capturing the radiating pathways meandering uphill, as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted within the parcels laid out in the city plan by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The piece culminates with the widely imitated US Capitol Building, perched atop a plinth projecting from the Capitol Visitor Center on the opposite side.

Topping everything off is a custom-made representation of the Statue of Freedom (as designed by Thomas Crawford), steadfastly overlooking the National Mall from atop the dome. The statue was designed in collaboration with BigKidBrix and was sized comparably to the minifigure statuette / trophy element.

The piece was designed over the course of about two months: first in December 2023 through January 2024, paused during the build-out of SPQR - Phase II, then resumed between March and April. The build-out lasted from July through August and was completed by September. The piece will soon be added to my personal gallery of works, now available for touring exhibitions.

#Artist #SupportArtists #FineArt #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #ChicagoArtist #LEGO #LEGOArchitecture #LEGOArt #LEGOArtist #InstaLEGO #GoBricks #USCapitol #USCapitolBuilding #CapitolHill #WashingtonDC #ArchitectOfTheCapitol #America #USA #Diorama #AmericanHistory

110529-N-TT977-379

Actress Dianne Wiest greets Leesa Phillipon after telling the story of the loss of Phillipon's son, Marine Lance Cpl. Lawrence Phillipon in Iraq at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)

Navy. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the 2011 National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2011. (Department of Defense photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released)