SENATE RECEPTION ROOM
Brumidi decorated also the reception room of the Senate where constituents may still call upon their Senators—and admire the ceiling frescoes of the old artist. This room has a vaulted ceiling with two arches. The circular arch has a frescoed center of children and clouds with allegorical groupings about the center designed to represent Prudence, Justice, Temperance and Strength portrayed as beautiful madonnas with pink cheeked children. Four allegorical scenes in the groined arch hold forth Liberty, Plenty, War, and Peace, in the purity of other madonna-like groupings.
The walls of the Senate Reception Room have many empty and unfinished panels but the “elaborate ornaments and gilded mouldings around them” lend their own beauty to this room. The outstanding Brumidi work in the Senate Reception Room is a large centerpiece in oil on the south wall showing George Washington in consultation with Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. At either side, according to Brumidi, are “decorative figures in light and shade (chiaroscuro).” The old voucher of 1873, signed by Brumidi, and indicating the sum paid for this mural in the Senate Reception Room, follows:
“For approximate estimate for painting portraits of Washington, Jefferson and Hamilton on the walls of the Senate Reception Room—$500.00.”
Two of the Brumidi letters written in 1871 not only date the frescoes in the Senate Reception Room and those in the Military Committee Room of the Senate already described, but also name a lump sum paid the artist for at least a part of this work. These two letters written to the Architect of the Capitol Building and dated 1871 follow:
“In reply to your request about the completion of the decorative figures in light and shade (chiaroscuro) at the three panels in the reception room of the Senate according to that already painted in the last year.
“Also for three more panels in the walls of the Senate Military Committee room in real fresco with three battles of the American Revolution, and many other small paintings above a door and at the ceiling, for the completion of the ibid room, for the sum of $5,300.”
C. Brumidi
New York City
“I read in the Herald the adjournment of the Congress and an extra session of the Senate will meet again for the tenth of May.
“I think that in this present temporary recess, will be the time to give orders to the plasterer to finish the panels in the Reception Room, as the oil work will require the wall to be perfectly dry, and of course three or four weeks. Every plasterer can do it smooth like the others already painted.
“I am in attendance of your answer about it, and some information of Senator Wilson’s decision on the subject, for the fresco of this room, to prepare some sketch and cartoons.
“I am at work in St. Stephen’s Church and I wish to proceed with it till you will call me for work in the Senate or if you think necessary an excursion to fix this preparatory work or directions to the plasterer.”
C. Brumidi
The 1871 letter quoted above, written from New York, is the only reference in a Brumidi letter of the Brumidi file in the Architect’s office to any painting of Brumidi’s outside of Washington. It seems to have been proven, though, beyond a doubt that The Crucifixion in St. Stephen’s Church in New York is one of at least four such sacred paintings. The picture of Saint Peter and Saint Paul was painted in the Philadelphia Cathedral; The Holy Trinity was done in the Cathedral at Mexico City, and The First Communion of Saint Aloysius was placed above the altar in the old Saint Aloysius Church in Washington.
A study of the Saint Aloysius mural brought to light a letter written by Brumidi in Italian to Father Sestini of Georgetown University back in 1855. Father Sestini is said to have been such a close friend of Brumidi’s that the artist included the Father in his fresco of St. Aloysius. This letter to Father Sestini, translated by Father Geib of Georgetown University, is reproduced in its entirety, it being the only communication found from Brumidi to a Father in the Catholic Church. The letter to Father Sestini follows:
November 11, 1855
“I was displeased at not having been in my studios when you came to talk to me about the painting to be done in Baltimore. Concerning this, I shall be interested to know whether the Church has a flat ceiling, since in that case the painting could be easily executed on canvas, and later on, be placed against the said ceiling; this being the only way I can actually do anything in the service of the Society (of Jesus), since my contracted engagements for the Capitol do not let me move away from Washington, having also to offer my assistance to other artists of decorative painting and fresco, who work under my direction.
“If, therefore, there would be room for a picture (frame), as large as might be its size to be placed in the said way, I could paint it in tempera and produce the same appearance of a fresco. This is all I can promise in the circumstances in which now I am, and you would not attribute the objections already expressed to a lack of good will. Meanwhile, I profess myself entirely obliged for the favors I have at all times received from the Society (of Jesus).
“I repeat myself respectfully your most obliged servant,
Constantino Brumidi”
A certain anonymous letter from the Brumidi file in the Architect’s office at the Capitol should be quoted at this time. It was written on April 8, 1857, addressed to Mr. Walter, Architect of the Capitol, and shows Brumidi the target for more criticism. This crude and biased letter is quoted in full:
MAIDENS OF THE NAVY
The unrolled map of ocean shoreline, the compass, and the telescope carried by the Maidens of the Navy, advance the naval theme in the old Senate Committee Room on Naval Affairs. Seven other such panels of exquisite design and color complete the wall decorations of this room. The simulated pillars with seaweed carvings and pearl ornaments are as deceptive as the sea shell cornucopias on the ledge at the pillars’ base. All are painted in oil on a flat surface of dry plaster.
“The protegé and a kind of informer of Cap’t. Meigs, an Italian painter, Brumidi, paid $6 daily by Government, did three pictures for the churches of New York and in Georgetown and for which he received a good pay in hours and during the time which he had no right to dispose of.... His friend is paid too for the thing that he does not understand nor he attends to, yet all this is allowed and tolerated. What do you say about it? Shall we make public notice in papers or will you attend to it?”