A Walk Through the Brumidi Corridors

These vaulted, ornately decorated corridors are named in honor of #ConstantinoBrumidi, the Italian artist who designed and painted the murals. A variety of painting mediums and techniques were employed in the corridors. Brumidi created the portraits and historical or allegorical scenes in the semicircular lunettes over the doorways in the difficult true fresco technique. The wall decorations were painted by the team of artists and decorative painters in oil mixtures on plaster. Brumidi himself most likely painted the portraits. The ceilings were painted in water-soluble tempera, also called distemper. Within the framework of panels framed by illusionistic moldings are symmetrical designs of scrolling vines, vases and mythological and allegorical figures. Into these classical motifs Brumidi integrated American flora and fauna. On the intricately decorated walls can be seen an amazing variety of classical gods and goddesses; birds of a hundred different species; rodents, including chipmunks, squirrels and mice; insects and reptiles; and flowers and fruits. On the ceilings are landscapes and agricultural implements interspersed among the colorful framework of ornament. Some elements were added later by undocumented artists, including the impressionist-style oval landscapes in the ceiling. Modern inventions, such as the airplane, were painted on the ceiling in the early twentieth century. The ornately patterned and colored tile floors were manufactured by Minton, Hollins & Company in England. #MintonTiles More #BrumidiCorridors details: https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-c... ----- ABOUT US The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is rooted in a tradition of unique craftsmanship and ingenuity. Tracing its beginnings to the laying of the #USCapitol cornerstone in 1793, the AOC is responsible for the operations and care of more than 18.4 million square feet of facilities, 570 acres of grounds and thousands of works of art. The Capitol campus is home to 30,000 daily occupants and hosts more than 3 million visitors annually. Today, there are more than 2,000 AOC employees serving around the clock in diverse roles to maintain and preserve the buildings and grounds. Iconic landmarks under our care include the U.S. Capitol, Capitol Grounds, Capitol Visitor Center (‪@visitthecapitol‬), House office buildings, Library of Congress, Senate office buildings, Supreme Court buildings and ‪@UnitedStatesBotanicGarden‬. ----- JOIN OUR TEAM Architect of the Capitol job opportunities are listed at https://www.aoc.gov/jobs. FOLLOW US Facebook: https://fb.com/architectofthecapitol Instagram:   / uscapitol   LinkedIn:   / architect-of-the-capitol   𝕏: https://x.com/uscapitol