“You informed me when I first saw the work in relation to your July bill, that it was your intention to get it done by that time, and I was surprised to hear from you on Saturday morning last, that this was not likely to be done. You stated that you were unwilling to have the scaffoldings taken away before you had the advantage of trying it by gas light. In this you are certainly right, and I have to inform you that arrangements can be made to give you light whenever you need it.
“Please reply as to when it is likely you will have the picture done.”
Brumidi’s reply in which he tells of the final touches to this huge fresco is still preserved. In this letter the old artist’s concern for the proper finishing and lighting of his masterpiece is uppermost in his thought. The letter follows:
Washington, Sept. 19, 1865
Mr. Clark, Architect of the
Capitol Extension
Dear Sir:
Your letter of yesterday was received and you will do a great favor to me in referring to the Honorable Secretary of Interior, that about my painting in the Canopy of the Dome, I am working at present the last group, and for the next week I have finish to put in color every figure upon the fresh mortar.
That remains to do for the completion of it will require only five or six weeks, but must do it in the proper time, when the mortar will be perfectly dry, and the colors do not have any more changement.
This last work will cover the connections of the pieces of plaster, put up in sections at every day, and giving more union to the colors at the said junctions for to obtain the artistic effect.
It is the general rule in doing this kind of work to avoid the damp atmosphere of the winter season, but I will do this last finish as soon as the weather will permit, early in the spring, as always I have done in every other painting in real fresco in the Capitol and everywhere.
Also would be inadvisable to show that large painting without the proper light, because the windows of the dome are in the rear part of the painting and must be placed the reflectors already calculated in the Capitol’s original plan.