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7 teenth century, and in doing so bring a greater degree of visual symmetry and parity to the interior spaces of the Capitol. Although their location in the hallways of the House wing of the Capitol parallels that of the Brumidi Corridors in the Senate wing, the Cox Corridors—particularly "e Hall of Capitols" and "e Great Experiment Hall"—differ from the nineteenth-century murals stylistically and in their more overtly didactic representa- tion of scenes and figures from American history. Each of the three House Corridors is organized around a spe- cific historical theme: Corridor I (the easternmost north-south hallway), "e Hall of Capitols," focuses on the meeting places of Congress and its legislative predecessors, as well as important events that took place in and around the Capitol. Corridor II, "e Great Experiment Hall," depicts events and institutions central to the success of the American experiment in democracy, while Corridor III, "e Westward Expansion Corridor" (the westernmost north-south hallway) pictures key people, places and events in the discovery, exploration, and settlement of the West (fig. 8). While each of these corridors comprises a complete visual unit, together they tell the ongoing story of America's physical, social, political, and economic growth (figs. 9a, 9b). eir narra- tive continuity is reinforced by the repetition of selected design elements: all share a common color palette; incorporate similar- ly-lettered and formatted quotations; and employ painted gar- lands, moldings, and other framing devices, as well as additional trompe l'oeil elements, including allegorical and mythological fig- ures painted in grisaille that oen serve as background elements as well as relief portraits of individuals important to the history of the Capitol (fig. 10). Image placement is also consistent, with paintings concentrated on the curved vaults of the ceilings and the lower walls le free of decoration, an arrangement with both practical and aesthetic advantages (fig. 9a). Since the Corridors are high-traffic areas in a busy workplace, elevating the images aids in their maintenance and preservation, while in aesthetic terms, the plain lower walls provide a strong visual contrast with Fig. 8. Layout of the Cox Corridors, first floor, House wing of the U.S. Capitol Fig. 9a. Westward Expansion Corridor, Corridor III, overview ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL Fig. 9b. Detail, "From the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River"