The Brumidi desk was given by the Italian artist to George Strieby at
the time of the artist’s death. Mr. Strieby not only was a friend of
Brumidi’s but was employed to help the artist with the huge mural in St.
Aloysius Church. The desk was cherished by Mr. Strieby and at his death
was given to his son, Philip. During the lifetime of Philip the Brumidi
desk occupied an honored place in the young Strieby household. At
Philip’s death a relative cleaned out the old desk, without the
knowledge of Mrs. Strieby, and burned certain of Brumidi’s famous
“cartoons” that had been used in making the Capitol frescoes in the
President’s Room and which had been stored through the years in the
secret compartment of the old artist’s desk. However, Mrs. Philip
Strieby continued to watch over the desk with consistent vigilance--out
of sentiment for her husband, her father-in-law and Brumidi.
[Illustration: THE CAPITOL DOME
The Dome of the Capitol Building of the United States actually
symbolized to Constantino Brumidi “life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.” In return for that liberty and security this Italian refugee
dedicated himself in service to his adopted country. He spent the last
twenty-five years of his life “making beautiful the Capitol of the one
country on earth in which there is Liberty.” His crowning effort was the
huge canopy in color--4,664 square feet of concave fresco--covering the
inside of the Dome of the Capitol of the country he had learned to
love.]
It was of great interest to Mrs. Strieby to learn that I had found the
name of George W. Strieby listed as “fresco painter” in the two old Time
Books in the Architect’s office at the Capitol which books consistently
give the earnings both of Strieby and of Brumidi during the last three
years of Brumidi’s life--1877, 1878, and 1879. In many instances the
Strieby signature followed the Brumidi signature in the old Time Books
in spite of an otherwise alphabetical listing of Capitol employees. All
of this lends credence to the story of Mrs. Strieby that Philip’s father
loved the old artist, helped him through his last hard years, and
finally shared responsibility for the burial of Brumidi in Glenwood
Cemetery.
The Brumidi desk is of Cuban mahogany on wild cherry, made around 1820.
It has recently been restored with great skill by Charles McGahan who
has given it a fine finish and a dignified beauty that speaks of Brumidi
and his art.
The old desk is on display in Congressman Murdock’s office--held in
trust for Mrs. Strieby until such time as it can be a part of a Brumidi
memorial cared for by the Government of the United States. Mrs. Strieby
died one week after urging the author to take over responsibility for
the desk. She did not live to see the restored beauty of Brumidi’s last
gift to Grandfather Strieby, but she was happy knowing that her
obligation to Brumidi and to his good friend, Grandfather Strieby, had
been fulfilled.