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The Apotheosis of Washington

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The Apotheosis of Washington, as seen looking up from the capitol rotunda

The Apotheosis of Washington is the very large fresco painted by Greek-Italian artist Constantino Brumidi in 1865 and visible through the oculus of the dome in the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building. The fresco is suspended 180 feet (55 m) above the rotunda floor and covers an area of 4,664 square feet (433.3 m²). The figures painted are up to 15 feet (4.6 m) tall and are visible from the floor below. The dome was completed in 1863, and Brumidi painted it over the course of 11 months at the end of the Civil War. He was paid $40,000 ($689,946 adjusted for inflation, as of 30 December 2009) for the fresco.

Brumidi had worked for three years in the Vatican under Pope Gregory XVI, and served several aristocrats as an artist for palacesand villas, including the prince Torlonia. He immigrated to the United States in 1852, and spent much of the last 25 years of his life working in the Capitol. In addition to The Apotheosis of Washingtonhe designed the Brumidi Corridors.

[edit]Symbolism

The Apotheosis of Washington depicts George Washington becoming a god (apotheosis). Washington, the first U.S. president andcommander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, is allegorically represented, surrounded by figures fromclassical mythology. Washington is draped in purple, a royal color, with a rainbow arch at his feet, flanked by the goddess Victory (draped in green, using a horn) to his left and the goddess Liberty to his right. Liberty wears a red Phrygian cap, symbolizing emancipation, from a Roman tradition where sons leaving the home and/or slaves being emancipated would be given a red cap. She holds a fasces in her right hand and an open book in the other.

Forming a circle between Liberty and Victory are 13 maidens, each with a star above their heads, representing the original 13 colonies. Several of the maidens have their backs turned to Washington, said to represent the colonies that had seceded from the Union at the time of painting. Upside down above Washington is the banner E Pluribus Unum meaning out of many one.

Surrounding Washington, the two goddesses, and the 13 maidens are six scenes lining the perimeter, each representing a national concept allegorically: from directly below Washington in the center and moving clockwise, "War," "Science," "Marine," "Commerce," "Mechanics," and "Agriculture". The perimeter scenes are not fully visible from the floor of the Capitol.

DAN BROWN'S LATEST BOOK...THE LOST SYMBOL MIGHT BE ONE OF THE MOST INFORMATIVE BOOKS REGARDING WASHINGTON D.C, THAT I HAVE EVER READ.

I HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD ABOUT THE PAINTING SHOWN ABOVE AND I KNOW HUNDRED'S OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE ROTUNDA.

I highly recommend the book if you have an interest in our founding fathers and other oddities.

Michael Timothy McAlevey