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33 Fig. 19. Latrobe designed the Library of Congress as an Eg yptian Revival room in emulation of the great library of Alexandria, Eg ypt, one of the wonders of the ancient world. stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." Latrobe's inclusion of the reference in a new context to the flag, one of America's earliest and most revered symbols, indicates how caref ully he thoug ht throug h the rebuilt Capitol's entire iconog raphic program by fusing traditional European and new American emblems. 32 Latrobe's Eg yptian Revival Library of Congress was under construction when work on the Capitol was suspended in 1812 (fig. 19). It was a U-shaped room across the hall from the Sen- ate chamber but sunken five feet to accommodate one full and two half stories, its central reading room overlooked by galleries of book stacks. Eight elaborately carved Eg yptian column shas and capitals carried the section of the lower gallery around the room's semi-circular end. Plainer, dwarf Eg yptian columns over- looked the reading room from the upper gallery. It is uncertain if any of these Eg yptian-inspired columns were carved. During the second building campaign, Latrobe relocated the library to the front of the Capitol's new west wing overlooking the Mall. He changed the basic form of his second Library of Congress, but retained its Eg yptian decoration. e ancient library in Alexan- dria, Eg ypt, doubtless inspired Latrobe's choice of the historical style of architecture for the Library of Congress; it is unknown if he also meant the room to represent America's African popu- lation. From his first tenure as the Capitol's architect, Latrobe had access to two books by Dominque Vivant Denon illustrat- ing Eg yptian architectural details, and he used details from each. During his second building campaign newly hired sculptors working with Latrobe carved Eg yptian columns and capitals for his second Library of Congress, which he was unable to build. e profiles of their bases were Eg yptian-inspired, and some of their capitals combined Eg yptian lotus flowers, Greek anthemi- ons, and American tobacco flowers. Fragments were recycled by Latrobe's successor Charles Bulfinch as fireplace mantles now located in west wing rooms (figs. 20 & 21). 33 Much of Latrobe's rebuilt and new work done during his sec- ond campaign at the Capitol was done under President James Monroe, who did not hold his architect's abilities in the same esteem as Jefferson and James Madison had. In May 1816 Sam- uel Lane, a War of 1812 disabled veteran, was appointed com- missioner of public buildings with authority over Latrobe. From the outset Lane was antithetical to the architect and his designs, the warfare between the two men becoming so hateful that Latrobe resigned in November 1817. A newspaper opinion piece, signed "A," decried Latrobe's leaving, questioning why he "abandon[ed] in their unfinished state the great monuments of his country's splendor, and of his own genius." He suggested the influence of submerged forces. "e loss is irreparable, and we have a right to know whether any dissentions, which may have arisen between him and other public officers, proceeded from his misconduct or from the tyranny of petulant ignorance in others." Aer Lane died unexpectedly in April 1822, a review of his accounts revealed he had embezzled about $25,000 from the Capitol's accounts. Seemingly Lane's demeaning treatment of Latrobe was intended to force him to quit in order to prevent the architect from discovering the defalcations. 34 e evolution of Latrobe's architectural and emblematic work during his two tenures at the Capitol was increas- ing ly to record America's founding history within the context of European traditions common to most Americans. Yet the evidence of the opinions of staunch Federalists like omas Law and Timothy Pickering reveals that both educated Euro- Americans and native-born Americans found the architect's fusion of these traditions ridiculous. e urge to forge a sepa- rate American identity via the art decorating the nation's public buildings was not confined to the uneducated classes as is oen supposed. Latrobe—a liberal thinker like Jefferson—wanted to place American history and achievements within the context of western traditions and make them more intellectually accessible to the majority of citizens. John Trumbull's important cycle of paintings of the Revolution's greatest military and civic events, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, PRINTS & PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION