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
[Illustration: 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
[Illustration: 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.