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.
I hope when the appropriation will be passed by the Congress the
said reflectors, and the gas apparatus will be completed, and I
will be ready for my part.
I am always at work but I ask only the bill of August last, and you
can assure the Honorable Secretary of the Interior that I never
will claim any other bill after this, till my work will be entirely
completed.
With respect I am
Your Obedient Servant
C. BRUMIDI
Apparently negotiations with Brumidi for painting the Dome fresco began
with the letter from Tho. U. Walter, “architect of extension and new
Dome,” dated August 18, 1862. Brumidi was authorized to proceed on March
11, 1863. On December 3, 1864, Tho. U. Walter wrote that the canopy for
the picture over the eye of the Dome was ready for the artist and that
Mr. Brumidi was “about to commence to work.” On November 1, 1865, Edward
Clark, Architect of the Capitol, reported that the picture over the eye
of the Dome was all painted in but that Mr. Brumidi was unwilling to
have the scaffolding removed until the plastering was thoroughly dry and
the colors had no more “changement.”
On January 9, 1866, Edward Clark wrote the following letter to James
Harlan, Secretary of the Interior:
“I have the honor to state that we are now making preparations to take
down the scaffolding over the eye of the Dome to reveal Brumidi’s
picture. It becomes necessary to have some canvas, or other strong
material to place under the scaffolding to catch the dirt, etc., that
would otherwise fall to the floor of the Rotunda which might cause
inconvenience, perhaps accident.
“It is possible that some old sails might be borrowed from the Navy Yard
for that purpose, and I therefore respectfully ask that you make a
request to the Hon. Secretary of the Navy for the loan of such as may be
necessary for this purpose which will be returned as soon as this work
is done.”