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.”