Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/99748
This scene from the Hall of Capitols depicts the House of Representatives in 1838. Cox researched old prints and documents to authenticate his designs. Capitol as a hospital during the Civil War, Washington and L'Enfant discussing the site, the laying of the cornerstone, the inauguration of Andrew Jackson, Lincoln observing construction of the Dome, the Old House Chamber in 1838, and the passage of the 1866 Civil Rights Bill. The Hall of Capitols mural posed challenges that the muralist fully appreciated. The corridor stretched 124 feet by 10 feet wide, and the area to be covered by the mural encompassed 5,000 square feet. Even more daunting than the size of the mural were the breadth of its theme and the significance of its location and sponsorship. "There are few great themes left to inspire artists," the 78-year-old artist told an interviewer in 1974, "and few sponsors to support work on this scale." Cox approached the task with his characteristic humility and gentleness, committed to preserving "the warm and human quality that sets the Capitol apart from all other great monumental buildings—rich without being intimidating, classically grand but not cold." 28 THE CAPITOL DOME provided by the Society, the Art and Reference Division of the Architect's Office, the Library of Congress, and other reference libraries to ensure the mural's historical authenticity. Because the mural was designed to fit on the curved and arched ceiling of the corridor, Cox and his assistants had to overcome a unique ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL problem of perspective so that Congress agreed to accept the Hall of the painting did not appear distorted Capitols mural as a gift completely when viewed from below. financed by the United States Capitol Following classical mural techniques, Historical Society. Much preparation was Cox first drew his human figures in required before the actual painting in the the nude and then draped them Capitol began. Research assistance was with the appropriate clothing. President General Mrs. Wakelee R. Smith (third from left) of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution presents a check to Speaker of the House of Representatives Carl Albert in 1976 to finance production of the Great Experiment Hall mural. The DAR contributed a total of $150,000 for this project. WINTER 2013