Constantino Brumidi, Michelangelo of the United States Capitol

by Myrtle Cheney Murdock

BRUMIDI WORKING SKETCHES

Brumidi’s technique is of great interest. First, he executed his design in color on a small canvas in oil. This he termed a working sketch. Then he drew the large outline figures which he called cartoons with the miniature oil before him. These large cartoons served as stencils through which he dusted powder or charcoal, thus outlining his groups quickly upon the wall or ceiling.

The Brumidi working sketches found in Washington during recent years are in a wonderfully fine state of preservation, whether they have come directly from the hand of Lola Germon or from Laurence Brumidi’s storage cache found in 1919, or from other sources. Most of the canvases have in no manner been restored or retouched but the colors are soft and true and pleasing. Those art lovers who fear that certain Capitol decorations may have suffered by “restorations” have but to compare the Capitol fresco with its working sketch to be reassured.

Mrs. Ashmun Brown owns working sketches for four of the frescoes in the Capitol Building, “History,” “Physics,” and “The Three Graces” in the District of Columbia Committee Room of the Senate, and for the “Cornwallis-Washington” mural in the House of Representatives Chamber. Mrs. Brown also has the Brumidi working sketches for four of his religious paintings.

In addition to being the grandniece of Lola Germon, Mrs. Brown is the wife of the late Ashmun Brown, the Washington correspondent who wrote the Capitol officials back in 1925 advising them that an auction of Brumidi paintings was scheduled, and urging the Government to investigate the treasures. Mrs. Brown received four of her Brumidi paintings direct from Aunt Lola Germon, and five more were purchased at the auction in 1925. She regrets not having bought, at that auction, the two portraits of Lola Germon by Brumidi, as these two paintings have not yet been found.

Mrs. Harvey Hunt who attended the Brumidi auction of 1925 with Mrs. Ashmun Brown, purchased four of the Brumidi paintings. Two of these are working sketches of cherubs, one bearing the Brumidi signature; another, a sketch of Lola Germon used for “Prudence” in the Senate Reception Room; and the fourth, an oval landscape much like those painted on the walls of the main corridor on the ground floor of the Senate Annex.

Mrs. Hunt being a grandniece of Lola Germon gave three of her treasures to a grandnephew of her Aunt Lola so today three of these working sketches are in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Germon.

Mrs. McCook Knox owns the two original working sketches for “Telegraph” and “Columbia Welcoming the South Back into the Union”—“Telegraph” being one of four large lunettes in the main District of Columbia Committee Room of the Senate while the fresco depicting the Civil War theme covers the ceiling in this Committee’s ante-room. This ante-room was originally the Senate Sergeant at Arms’ office.

Mrs. Knox purchased her oil studies from Mr. H. O. Bishop. Her study of “Telegraph” was reproduced in the Washington Star in 1919 as one of the originals stored away for 40 years. Both of the above mentioned pictures now owned by Mrs. Knox were purchased by Mr. Bishop at the C. G. Sloan auction rooms in 1925.

Captain Alexander Macomb, U. S. Navy, inherited nine Brumidi working sketches from his father, Colonel Augustus C. Macomb. These paintings can be traced to the same Captain Meigs with whom Brumidi carried on early correspondence. Being such a prolific painter, Brumidi, no doubt, remembered his friends generously with original sketches.

At the death of General Meigs in 1892, his Brumidi originals were given to a nephew, Lieutenant Augustus C. Macomb, who later became a Colonel in the United States Army. The present Captain Alexander Macomb who now owns the nine Brumidi working sketches has given them the best of care through the years. Two of these Macomb canvases are the working sketches for frescoes in the Appropriations Committee Room of the Senate—“The Battle of Lexington” and “The Storming of Stony Point.” A third canvas is the sketch of the entire groined arch in the ceiling of the Senate Reception Room and displays the four allegorical groupings—“Liberty,” “Plenty,” “War,” and “Peace.”

Captain Macomb tells how his father traveled from one army post to another over a quarter of a century taking with him his family and his household possessions and always the beautiful Brumidi paintings went along. Those nine Brumidi originals hung in an adobe house at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, from 1900 to 1905.

Mrs. Edmund B. Montgomery who owns the working sketch for the Dome Canopy, now has it hanging in Collingwood near Mount Vernon where it can easily be seen by visitors. This Dome Canopy sketch, some 35 inches in diameter, was also in the “storage find” of 1919 and sold at auction, according to Mrs. Ashmun Brown, for $300 in 1925. This sketch is definitely authenticated by means of the circular photograph saved in Laurence Brumidi’s trunk and bearing the Internal Revenue Stamp dated May 12, 1866. It is indeed fortunate that we have located not only the original working sketch of this Dome Canopy but a photograph of this sketch made in 1866 originally owned by the artist himself and saved for us by Laurence Brumidi, son of the Capitol fresco painter.

Warrenton House owns, and has on display in Warrenton, Virginia, the working sketch of the group painting in the Senate Reception Room—Washington, Jefferson and Hamilton in consultation. This small painting about ten inches square no doubt was originally sold at the Sloan auction in 1925.

Mrs. Murray Russell is the owner of two portraits done by Brumidi. These are of added interest as Brumidi treasures because of the story attached to them. The paintings portray the grandparents of Mrs. Russell—Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Joyce. According to Mrs. Russell, it was her grandmother’s brother, John Norris, a student in Rome around 1850 studying to be a priest, who influenced Brumidi to come to America with him in 1852. Brumidi is reported to have lived at the Joyce home in Washington at one time and so great was his appreciation for this haven that he painted the portraits of his benefactors, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Joyce.

Ceylon M. Boswell purchased at auction several years ago the portrait of a woman. The painting bore the Brumidi signature and has hung in the Boswell home where it has received excellent care. By means of a small photograph in Lola Germon’s album, we have been able recently to identify the likeness as that of Mrs. Edward Clark, wife of Mr. Clark who was Capitol architect during most of the time Brumidi painted at the Capitol Building.

Two paintings in the Washington, D. C., home of Dr. Edward C. Morse have been in the family since about 1875. One is the portrait of Dr. Morse’s maternal grandfather bearing the Brumidi signature, while the other is a copy of the famous “Titian’s Daughter.” The latter bears no signature but both pictures have been known as Brumidi’s through the years. Each bears the label of having been originally framed by “McElroy’s Art Store, 1003 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D. C.”

Miss Charlotte Clark, late of Sandwich, Mass., granddaughter of Edward Clark, Architect of the Capitol from 1865 to 1902, had inherited from her parents two family

WORKING SKETCH OF DOME CANOPY

The Dome fresco shown at right could not have been photographed from any spot in the Rotunda because all six allegorical groups about the center “Apotheosis of Washington” are here shown without obstruction. This reproduction is from a photograph of Brumidi’s working sketch of the Dome which is mounted on ornamental cardboard, said photograph on cardboard having been saved through the years in Laurence Brumidi’s trunk. The photograph was apparently mounted in this manner for registration purposes in the District Court as the cancelled stamp on the back is marked, “Internal Revenue, Proprietary, May 12, 1866.”

portraits painted by Brumidi. One of these is the portrait of Mrs. Edward Clark holding her small son, Watson Clark. The other is that of Edward Clark’s twin daughters.

In Lola Germon’s old album are two small faded photographs, one of Mrs. Clark and baby, the other of twin girls. These two pictures were evidently used as studies at the time Brumidi painted the large portraits for the Clark family.

Edith Smith Hawes has inherited the working sketch for the altar mural, “Crucifixion,” in St. Stephen’s Church, New York City. It was given to Mrs. Hawes’ father, Amzi Smith, by Brumidi during the years Mr. Smith had charge of the Senate Document Room.

Mrs. Hawes remembers having heard her father tell often of his close friendship with the Capitol artist. Her father’s most vivid story told of Brumidi’s hasty visit one day to the Senate Document Room and how the artist said to her father, “Amzi, please sit down and put your hand on the arm of that chair.” Mr. Smith obeyed. Mr. Brumidi sketched rapidly. As the artist left he called back, “Here I go to put Amzi Smith’s hand on Thomas Jefferson.” “And,” says Mrs. Hawes, “I still visit the Senate Reception Room to see my father’s hand on the great Jefferson.”

The Sisters of the Visitation Convent in Bethesda tell that in January, 1878, Sister Aloysius Gardiner of the Visitation Convent on Connecticut Avenue and L Streets, where the Mayflower Hotel is now situated, celebrated the “Silver Jubilee of her profession.” At that time her uncle, Mr. Philip Simms of New Orleans, wishing to commemorate the event in a fitting manner, employed the artist, Constantino Brumidi, to paint a large picture for the Convent chapel. The subject was “The Apparition of our Lord to Saint Margaret Mary.” The canvas measured 17 feet in height with the figures life-size.

The painting was done by Brumidi in the Distribution Hall of the old Convent school and then hung in the chapel over the altar for forty-one years. In 1919 when the old Convent was sold and the Sisters moved to their new Convent in Bethesda, Maryland, the Brumidi painting was found to be too large for the new chapel so it was given to Holy Trinity Church, Georgetown, where it still adorns a side wall near the altar.

St. Aloysius Church in the Capitol City displays three paintings by Brumidi—the large mural over the central altar and two

ST. ALOYSIUS MURAL

“St. Charles Borroméo giving Holy Communion to St. Aloysius Gonzaga” is the title of this Brumidi picture, painted in 1859, which is over the main altar of the St. Aloysius Church, Washington, D. C. Brumidi gave to the kneeling figure at the extreme right the features of Father Benedict Sestini, S.J., professor at Georgetown College, Architect of St. Aloysius Church and close friend of Brumidi. Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas is said to have modeled for the beautiful mother of St. Aloysius. Brumidi’s own likeness, faintly painted, can be identified in the center background beneath the ciborium held by St. Charles Borroméo. The present low altar of St. Aloysius Church lays bare the lower part of the Brumidi mural which was intended to be covered permanently by the original high altar.

medallions over the side altars. The church is especially proud of the central mural as Brumidi painted into the picture the likeness of Father Sestini, architect of the church and friend of Brumidi.

The diary of the St. Aloysius Church has the following entry dated October 3, 1859, “Today the picture over the main altar is finished and the last scaffolding is removed from the church.”

Another entry in the church diary of interest to us here is dated February 19, 1880, “Father Sestini came in the evening in response to a letter sent him by Mr. Brumidi’s adopted son, telling him that his master was dying and wished him present but Father Sestini was too late as he (Mr. Brumidi) had already died in the morning. The eminent artist and Father Sestini are intimate friends and it was through their united efforts that St. Aloysius Church received the beautiful pictures it now possesses. Though Mr. Brumidi was not always a practicing Catholic he was induced to practice his religious duties during the last year of his life by Father Sestini. May he rest in peace.”

The author was able to identify in St. Stephen’s Church in New York, another Brumidi painting—a life-size portrait of the Christ, displayed in a gilded frame. St. Stephen’s had no written record and no word-of-mouth record that this outstanding portrait had been done by Brumidi but always the painting had occupied a choice location in the church because of its strength and beauty. One of the little photographs of religious groupings saved by Lola Germon in her old album of memories served as identification for the New York portrait to the satisfaction of the author and to the surprise and gratification of the pastor.