By Jean M. Farnsworth
THE FOUR STAINED-GLASS SKYLIGHTS crowning theUnited StatesCapitol's grand public staircases stand as true gems of America's cultural heritage, recognized by connois- seurs of the art as "truly spectacular," "extraordinary," and "stunning."Their survival alone would be noteworthy, considering howmuch early American stained glass is now lost, but their significance is historic as well. The art of stained glass had only recently been revived when in 1859 theman responsible for planningmany of the Capitol's richly ornamented finishes, Captain Montgomery C. Meigs, engineer-in- charge of the U.S. Capitol Extension, commissioned two Scottish-born brothers,
Figure 1. Stained-glass skylight, westHouse side staircase. At first glance all four skylights appear to be identical, but further inspection reveals each is unique.
COURTESY FEMENELLA & ASSOCIATES
