The United States Capitol in Washington - a building located on the Capitol Hill which is the headquarters of the United States Congress. It is a meeting place for the representatives of the government and the Senate.
The large circular area on the first floor of the US Capitol building is called the Crypt.
40 Doric columns of brown stone support the floor of the Rotunda. This
central part of the building was completed in 1827. The star in the middle of the floor marks the point from which the streets in Washington are arranged and numbered.
In the Crypt there are 13 statues from the National Statuary Hall collection, showing 13 original colonies. These colonies declared independence in 1776 and formed the United States of America.
Abraham Lincoln's bust was carved directly from the block of
marble. It was sculpted by Gutzon Borglum, best known for his sculptures at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.
The sculpture of Lincoln's head has no left ear. Borglum explained that he deliberately omitted the ear because he wanted to expose the stronger right side of the face.
Rotunda is a
large, domed, circular room with a diameter of almost 96 feet and a
height of 180 feet, located in the center of the US Capitol on the
second floor.
The rotunda is used for important
ceremonial events.
On Rotunda's vault there is an image entitled "The Apotheosis of Washington" painted by Constantino Brumidi in 1865. The figures, up to 15 feet tall, were painted to be clear, from close up as well as from 180 feet below.
On
the Rotunda's walls there are historical paintings and the Rotunda
frieze presents important events in the history of America.
The National
Statuary Hall on the Capitol is dedicated to eminent Americans.
It is a large, two-story, half-round room with a gallery of sculptures. The collection in this room consists of sculptures donated by particular states in honor of people known in the state. Limited to two statues in each state. The collection is now complete with 100 statues that have been contributed by 50 states, plus one from the District of Columbia, plus one for all states (Rosa Parks).
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George Washington's statue by the sculptor Horatio Greenough.
This sculpture from the very beginning caused much controversy - it depicted the first president
of the United States in an incomplete outfit!
This sculpture from the very beginning caused much controversy - it depicted the first president
of the United States in an incomplete outfit!
The statue was exhibited in the Capitol Rotunda from 1841 to 1843.
Its huge weight (twelve tons), immediately caused problems, threatening with collapsing the floor.
So the statue was moved outside, on the Capitol lawn.
But that did not solve the problem - people just did not like this monument.
Its huge weight (twelve tons), immediately caused problems, threatening with collapsing the floor.
So the statue was moved outside, on the Capitol lawn.
But that did not solve the problem - people just did not like this monument.
In 1908, the monument was transferred to the Smithsonian Castle where it stayed until 1964.
Then it was moved to the National Museum of American History - and in this museum I saw this sculpture.
