[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 150 (Tuesday, October 20, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12737-S12738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      COMMENDATION TO THE CURATOR OF THE CAPITOL, BARBARA WOLANIN

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I rise to recognize the tremendous work 
accomplished by Barbara Wolanin, the Curator of the Capitol, in 
preparing the excellent book on the art in the Capitol created by 
Constantino Brumidi. The Curator did a magnificent job writing and 
editing the many articles and photographs which depict the works of the 
Italian artist, Constantino Brumidi, who was the principal artist of 
the Capitol. The book was compiled under the direction of the Architect 
of the Capitol, and Dr. Wolanin had the assistance of many of her 
colleagues and fellow employees in the Curator's office. So I would 
like to commend them all on the excellent quality of this book which 
will enable many to read about the numerous and exquisite works of 
painting, sculpture and architecture which Constantino Brumidi created 
to cover the walls and ceilings of the Capitol.
  I would also like to recommend this excellent artistic book to all of 
my colleagues and to the many others who will visit the Capitol. The 
book is at the Senate and U. S. Capitol Historical Society gift shops.
  Constantino Brumidi: Artist of the Capitol
  The new congressional publication, Constantino Brumidi: Artist of the 
Capitol, was authorized by the 103rd Congress (S. Con. Res. 40) as part 
of the celebration of the bicentennial of the construction of the 
Capitol. The book, prepared under the direction of Architect George M. 
White and completed under Architect Alan M. Hantman, has taken a number 
of years to research, write, illustrate, edit, and design. The book is 
richly illustrated, primarily with photographs taken by the Architect 
of the Capitol Photography Branch. It is intended to be valuable to 
those visiting and working in the Capitol as well as to specialists, 
and it should enhance the appreciation and understanding of the 
building's mural decoration for years to come.
  Brumidi painted murals in the Capitol between 1855 and 1880, 
contributing greatly to the beauty and unique symbolic character of the 
Rotunda and of many rooms and corridors. Brumidi had great skill in 
making the figures he painted on a flat surface look three dimensional; 
he created rooms where the decoration goes from floor to ceiling. He 
was also a master in using rich and vibrant color. His murals pay 
tribute to American history, technological achievements, and values.
  Brumidi's Capitol murals, including the canopy and the frieze, the 
House and Senate Appropriations Committee Rooms, the President's Room, 
the Senate Reception Room, and the Brumidi Corridors, are the major 
focus. The book also gives an overview of his career, including his 
training and work in Rome. It was primarily envisioned and written by 
Dr. Barbara Wolanin, Curator for the Architect of the Capitol, who has 
overseen the conservation of Brumidi's murals. The book would not have 
been possible without the assistance of many on her staff, especially 
photographer Wayne Firth. The book includes chapters by a number of 
other

[[Page S12738]]

experts, including the Architectural Historian for the Architect, 
William Allen, historian Pellegrino Nazzaro, art historian Francis V. 
O'Connor, and conservators Bernard Rabin, Constance Silver, Christiana 
Cunningham-Adams and George W. Adams, to provide additional 
perspectives. The book includes information about other painters 
working with Brumidi, a chronology of Brumidi's life and work, and a 
list of known works by him. The Government Printing Office is to be 
commended for the special care it took in the design and printing.

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