“‘All engravings, works of art, paintings, and apparatus pertaining thereto ... all designs, sketches and tracings for the frieze of the Capitol of the U. S.’ “Mr. Schwartz also showed me his authority as Committeeman for Laurence S. Brumidi (insane) and stated that he was also the executor of the Will of Lola V. Kirkwood, former wife of Constantino Brumidi, that Mrs. Kirkwood married a second time one Kirkwood an Army officer, that he had searched for the boxes referred to in his letter and finally found them in storage at the National Savings and Trust Co., corner of N. Y. Ave. & 15th St., where they had been for over thirty years, and on which he had paid storage for that period amounting to about $386. He further stated that Mrs. Kirkwood and Laurence S. Brumidi had forgotten where the two boxes were stored. He will fix a date for opening the boxes and phone me so that I can be present and see the contents of the boxes.” On January 16, 1925, the Capitol authorities were again informed concerning the pending auction of these Brumidi originals, this time by a newspaper correspondent living in Washington. His name was Ashmun Brown and this is what he wrote: “It may interest you to know that a considerable collection of the paintings of Brumidi, the fresco artist, is to be sold at auction at Sloane’s Gallery, on January 28th and 29th, by order of the Probate Court incident to the settlement of the estates of his widow and son. The pictures are to be open to inspection at Sloane’s on January 25th-28th. While I have never seen this collection, I understand that it contains several of Brumidi’s original studies for frescoes which now adorn the walls of the Capitol. I am told that at one time a valuation of about $20,000 was placed on this collection. However, when it was offered for sale at auction several months ago, the highest bid obtained was only $800. So at the insistence of the heirs another offering has been ordered. It occurred to me that you might be interested in the matter.” [Illustration] Brumidiana Outside the United States Capitol Reference by Charles E. Fairman to two portraits of Lola Germon painted by Brumidi and preserved in heavy gold frames that were finally sold at auction in the Capitol City of the United States in 1925 fired my interest anew in the American-born wife of Brumidi, the beautiful girl who is said to have modeled for many of the Madonnas painted on Capitol walls and ceilings. While searching for something tangible about Lola Germon I was led to an extensive inquiry as to Brumidi’s burial place. BRUMIDI’S GRAVE At the very point of giving up the quest for Brumidi’s grave I called all the old burial grounds in the District and asked that they search their records for a Brumidi burial in 1880. Glenwood Cemetery in Northeast Washington soon reported that Constantino Brumidi was recorded to have been buried there on February 21, 1880, in Lot 70, site 6.