The Apotheosis of Washington

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The Apotheosis of Washington

The Apotheosis of Washington is the very large fresco

Fresco

Fresco is any of several related painting types, done on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Italian word affresco which derives from the adjective fresco , which has Latin origins....
painted by Italian artist Constantino Brumidi

Constantino Brumidi

Constantino Brumidi , was an Italian/Greek-American history Painting, best known and honored for his fresco work in the United States Capitol Building in Washington, DC....
in 1865 and visible through the oculus

Oculus

Oculus is the Latin word for eye, and the word remains in use in certain contexts, as the name of the round opening in the top of the dome of the Pantheon, Rome in Rome, and in reference to other round windows and openings....
of the dome in the rotunda

Rotunda (architecture)

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The Apotheosis of Washington is the very large fresco

Fresco

Constantino Brumidi

Oculus

Rotunda (architecture)

A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, often covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon, Rome in Rome is a famous rotunda....
of the United States Capitol Building. The fresco is suspended above the rotunda floor and covers an area of . The figures painted are up to tall and are visible from the floor below. The dome was completed in 1863, and Brumidi painted it over the course of 11 months at the end of the Civil War. He was paid $40,000 ($

United States dollar

The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States and was defined by the Coinage Act of 1792 to be between 371 and 416 grains of silver ....
583,093 in 2008) for the fresco.

Brumidi had worked for three years in the Vatican

Vatican City

Vatican City , officially the State of the Vatican City , is a Landlocked country sovereignty city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the Capital of Italy....
under Pope Gregory XVI

Pope Gregory XVI

Pope Gregory XVI , born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, named Mauro as a member of the religious order of the Camaldolese, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1831 to 1846....
, and served several aristocrats

Aristocracy

Aristocracy is a form of government, in which a few of the most prominent citizens rule. This may be a hereditary elite, or it may be by a system of cooption where a council of prominent citizens add leading soldiers, merchants, land owners, priests, and lawyers to their number....
as an artist for palace

Palace

A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop....
s and villa

Villa

A villa was originally an upper-class country house, though since its origins in Roman Republic times the idea and function of a villa has evolved considerably....
s, including the prince Torlonia

Torlonia

The princes Torlonia are a Rome family, with origins in a huge fortune gained during the 18th and 19th centuries by its administration of the finances of the Holy See....
. He immigrated to the United States

Immigration to the United States

American immigration refers to the movement of World population to the United States. Immigration has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of history of the United States....
in 1852, and spent much of the last 25 years of his life working in the Capitol. In addition to The Apotheosis of Washington he designed the Brumidi Corridors

Brumidi Corridors

The Brumidi Corridors are the Vault ed, ornately-decorated corridors on the first floor of the United States Senate wing in the United States Capitol....
.

Symbolism

The Apotheosis of Washington depicts George Washington

George Washington

George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States of the United States of Americas ....
ascending to the heavens and becoming a god (apotheosis

Apotheosis

Apotheosis refers to the exaltation of a subject to divinity level. The term has meanings in theology, where it refers to a belief, and in art, where it refers to a genre....
). Washington, the first U.S. president

President of the United States

The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition....
and commander-in-chief

Commander-in-Chief

A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function....
of the Continental Army

Continental Army

The American Continental Army was an army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 15, 1775, the army was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in their struggle against the rule of Kingdom...
during the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , also known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Thirteen Colonies on the North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers....
, is allegorically

Allegory

Allegory is generally treated as a figure of rhetoric, but an allegory does not have to be expressed in language: it may be addressed to the eye, and is often found in realistic painting, sculpture or some other form of Mimesis, or representative art....
represented, surrounded by figures from classical mythology

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the Ancient Greece concerning their List of Greek mythological figures#Immortals and Greek hero cult, Cosmology#Metaphysical cosmology, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices....
. Washington is draped in purple

Purple

Purple is a general term for the range of shades of color occurring between red and blue. It occurs by mixing the primary colors red and blue in varying proportions, with possibly a very small quantity of the third primary color ....
, a royal color, with a rainbow

Rainbow

A rainbow is an optics and meteorology phenomenon that causes a optical spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere....
arch at his feet, flanked by the goddess Victory

Victoria (mythology)

In Roman mythology, Victoria was the personification/Goddess of victory. She is the Roman version of the Greek mythology Nike , and was associated with Bellona ....
(draped in green, using a horn) to his left and the goddess Liberty

Liberty (goddess)

Goddesses named for and representing the concept Liberty have existed in many cultures, including classical examples dating from the Roman Empire and some national symbols such as the British Empire "Britannia" or the Irish people "Kathleen Ni Houlihan"....
to his right. Liberty wears a red cap, symbolizing emancipation, from a Roman tradition where sons leaving the home would be given a red cap. She holds a fasces

Fasces

Fasces symbolize summary power and jurisdiction, and/or "strength through unity".The traditional ancient Rome fasces consisted of a bundle of white birch rods, tied together with a red leather ribbon into a cylinder, and often including a bronze axe amongst the rods, with the blade on the side, projecting from the bundle....
in her right hand and an open book in the other.

Forming a circle between Liberty and Victory are 13 maidens, each with a star above their heads, representing the original 13 colonies

Thirteen Colonies

The Thirteen Colonies were part of what became known as British America, a name that was used by Great Britain until the Treaty of Paris recognized the independence of the original thirteen United States of America in 1783....
. Several of the maidens have their backs turned to Washington, said to represent the colonies that had seceded from the Union at the time of painting.

Surrounding Washington, the two goddesses, and the 13 maidens are six scenes lining the perimeter, each representing a national concept allegorically: from directly below Washington in the center and moving clockwise, "War," "Science," "Marine," "Commerce," "Mechanics," and "Agriculture":

Scene	Description
	War Freedom Statue of Freedom The *Statue of Freedom, sometimes called Armed Freedom* or simply Freedom, is Thomas Crawford 's bronze statue that, since 1863, has crowned the United States Capitol dome of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.... , also known as Columbia, is directly below Washington in the personification of War. The scene depicts a woman fighting for liberty with a raised sword, a cape, and a helmet Helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries, a variation of the hat. The oldest use of helmets was by Ancient Greek soldiers, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from sword blows and arrows.... and shield Shield A shield is a protective device, meant to intercept attacks. The term often refers to a device that is held in the hand, as opposed to armour or a bullet proof vest.... (in the colors of the American flag Flag of the United States The flag of the United States consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the Flag terminology bearing fifty small, white, Star s arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows of five stars.... ) trampling figures representing Tyranny and Kingly Power Monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is absolutely or nominally lodged in an individual, who is the head of state, often for Life tenure or until abdication, and "is wholly set apart from all other members of the state." The person who heads a monarchy is called a monarch.... . To Freedom's left assisting her is a fierce bald eagle Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America that is most recognizable as the List of national birds and national symbol of the United States.... (the bald eagle Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America that is most recognizable as the List of national birds and national symbol of the United States.... is the national bird List of national birds This is a list of national birds, most official, but some unofficial:* Angola - Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus* Anguilla - Zenaida Dove, Zenaida aurita ... of the United States) carrying arrow Arrow An arrow is a pointed projectile that is shot with a bow . It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.... s and a thunderbolt Thunderbolt A thunderbolt is a traditional expression for a discharge of lightning or a symbolic representation thereof. In its original usage the word may also have been a description of meteors, although this is not currently the case.... (reminiscent of the arrows carried by the eagle in the Great Seal of the United States Great Seal of the United States The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the Federal government of the United States. The phrase is used both for the physical seal itself , and more generally for the design impressed upon it.... ).
	Science Minerva Minerva Minerva was the Roman mythology name of Greek goddess Athena. She was considered to be the virgin goddess of warriors, poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving,crafts, and the inventor of music.... , the Roman goddess of crafts and wisdom, is portrayed with helmet and spear Spear A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a sharpened head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be of another material fastened to the shaft, such as obsidian, iron or bronze.... pointing to an electrical generator Electrical generator In electricity generation, an electrical generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy, generally using electromagnetic induction.... creating power stored in batteries Battery (electricity) In electronics, a battery or voltaic cell is a combination of one or more electrochemical cell Galvanic cells which store chemical energy that can be converted into electric potential energy, creating electricity.... next to a printing press Printing press A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a medium , thereby transferring an image. The mechanical systems involved were first assembled in Germany by the goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg around 1439, based on existing screw-presses used to press cloth, grapes etc., and possibly to print wood... , representing great American inventions. American scientists and inventors Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and Printer , Satire, list of political philosophers, politician, scientist, inventor, activism, statesman, and diplomacy.... , Samuel F. B. Morse Samuel F. B. Morse Samuel Finley Breese Morse was an United States Painting of portraits and historic scenes, the Creativity of a single wire telegraph system, and Morse Code.... , and Robert Fulton Robert Fulton Robert Fulton was an United States engineer and inventor who is widely credited with developing the first commercially successful steamboat. He also designed a new type of steam warship.... watch. In the left part of the scene a teacher demonstrates the use of dividers.
	Marine This scene shows Neptune Neptune (mythology) Neptune is the Water deity in Roman mythology, a brother of Jupiter and Pluto . He is analogous with but not identical to the god Poseidon of Greek mythology..... , the Roman sea-god Water deity A water deity is a deity in mythology associated with water or various Body of water. Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in which the sea or ocean was more important.... , with trident Trident A trident , also called a leister or gig, is a three-tine spear. It is used for spear fishing and was formerly also a military weapon.... and crown Crown (headgear) A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents Political power, legitimacy, Crown of Immortality, righteousness, victory, Roman triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death.... of seaweed Seaweed Seaweed is a loose colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthos ocean algae. The term includes some members of the rhodophyta, phycophyta and green algae.... riding in a shell Seashell A seashell, also known as a sea shell, or simply as a shell, is the common name for a hard, protective outer layer, a shell, or in some cases a "test", that was created by a sea creature, a Marine organism.... chariot Chariot The chariot is the earliest and simplest type of carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Chariots were built in Mesopotamia by the Mesopotamians as early as 3000 BC and in China during the 2nd millennium BC.... drawn by sea horses. Venus Venus (mythology) Venus was a major Roman mythology goddess principally associated with love, beauty and sexual reproduction, the equivalent of the Greek mythology Aphrodite.... , goddess of love born from the sea, is depicted helping to lay the transatlantic telegraph cable Transatlantic telegraph cable The transatlantic telegraph cable was the first cable used for telegraph communications laid across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. It crossed from Foilhommerum, Valentia Island in western Ireland to Heart's Content, Newfoundland and Labrador in eastern Newfoundland .... . In the background is an ironclad warship Ironclad warship An ironclad was a steam engine warship in the latter part of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel iron armour.The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shell .... with smokestacks Flue gas stack A flue gas stack is a type of chimney, a vertical pipe, channel or similar structure through which combustion product gases called flue gases are exhausted to the outside air.... .
	Commerce Mercury Mercury (mythology) In Roman mythology, Mercury was a messenger, and a god of trade, profit and commerce, the son of Maia Maiestas, also known as Ops, the Roman version of Cronus, and Jupiter .... , god of commerce, with his winged petasos Petasos A petasos is a style of hat, usually made of wool felt, leather or straw, with a broad, floppy brim. It was worn primarily by farmers and travellers in classical times, and was considered characteristic of rural people.... and sandal Sandal (footwear) Sandals are an open type of footwear, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps or thongs passing over the instep and around the ankle.... s and a caduceus Caduceus The caduceus is typically depicted as a short herald's Staff entwined by two Serpent in the form of a double helix, and sometimes is surmounted by wings.... , is depicted giving a bag of gold to American Revolutionary War American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War , also known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Thirteen Colonies on the North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.... financier Robert Morris Robert Morris (merchant) Robert Morris , Jr. was a British-born English-American merchant, and a signer to the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution.... . To the left, men move a box on a dolly Dolly (tool) A dolly is a portable anvil used to hold a rivet in position while it is being clenched with a "Snapper ". It is commonly cylindrical in shape and relies on its mass to work.... ; on the right, the anchor Anchor An anchor is an object, often made out of metal, that is used to attach a ship to the bottom of a body of water at a specific point. There are two primary classes of anchors?temporary and permanent.... and sailor Sailor A sailor or mariner is a person who navigates ships or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses.... s lead into "Marine."
	Mechanics Vulcan Vulcan (mythology) In Religion in ancient Rome and Hellenic neopaganism, Vulcan is the god of beneficial and hindering fire, including the fire of volcanoes. He is also called Mulciber in Roman mythology and Sethlans in Etruscan mythology.... , god of fire Fire Fire is the oxidation of a combustion material releasing heat, light, and various Chemical reaction products such as carbon dioxide and water.... and the forge Forge A forge is the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith. A forge is sometimes referred to as a smithy.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals.... , is depicted standing at an anvil Anvil An anvil is a manufacturing tool, made of a hard and massive block of stone or metal used as a support for chiseling and hammering other objects, such as in forging iron and steel items.... with his foot on a cannon Cannon A cannon is any tubular piece of artillery, that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellants to launch a projectile over a distance.... next to a pile of cannonballs Round shot Round shot is an obsolete solid projectile without explosive charge fired from small arms or cannons. As the name implies, round shot is sphere; its diameter is slightly less than the Caliber of the gun it is fired from.... . A steam engine Steam engine File:Steam-powered fire engine.jpgA steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines have a long history, going back at least 2000 years.... is in the background. The man at the forge is thought to represent Charles Thomas, the supervisor of ironwork during the construction of the Capitol dome.
	Agriculture Ceres Ceres (mythology) \| Image = Ceres_statue.jpg\| Caption = This statue depicting Ceres holding wheat is on display at the Louvre in Paris, France.\| Name = Ceres\| God_of = Goddess of growing plants and motherly love... , the goddess of agriculture, is shown with a wreath of wheat Wheat Wheat , is a worldwide cultivated Poaceae from the Levant region of the Middle East. Globally, after maize, wheat is the second most-produced food among the cereal just above rice.... and a cornucopia Cornucopia The cornucopia is a symbol of food and abundance dating back to the 5th century BC, also referred to as horn of plenty, Horn of Amalthea, and harvest cone.... , symbol of plenty, while sitting on a McCormick Cyrus McCormick Cyrus Hall McCormick, Sr. of Rockbridge County, Virginia was an United States inventor and founder of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, which became part of International Harvester in 1902.... mechanical reaper Reaper A reaper is a person or machine that reaps crop when they are ripe.... . The personification of "Young America" in a liberty cap Phrygian cap The Phrygian cap is a soft, red, conical hat with the top pulled forward, worn in antiquity by the inhabitants of Phrygia, a region of central Anatolia.... holds the rein Rein Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding animal or driving. Reins can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband.... s of the horses, while the goddess Flora Flora (mythology) In Roman mythology, Flora was a goddess of flowers and the season of spring . While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime.... gathers flowers in the foreground.

The Apotheosis of Washington

Symbolism

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