“The aged artist, Brumidi, whose brush did most of the most beautiful of the decorative work of the Capitol, married in Washington, D. C., Miss Lola Germon, a young lady well known for her beauty, which has been perpetuated in many of the paintings executed by her husband. Features a little too well rounded to be thoroughly classic, black hair, a fair complexion and blue eyes, together with a shapely form, were the characteristics of Mrs. Brumidi. She was greatly admired not only for her beauty of person, but for her qualities of mind, which made her a general favorite in that city. One of the figures in the ceiling of the rotunda is said to be an exact likeness of the artist’s beautiful wife, while most of the figures he painted in the Capitol portray some of her characteristics.” The old Bible given to Mr. Brumidi by the American Bible Society in 1852 when the artist landed in New York no doubt was originally saved by Lola Germon for her son Laurence. On the inside front cover are these words written in the C. Brumidi hand: “Constantino Brumidi from Rome, Italy, arrived in New York, America, the 18th of September, 1852. Presented to me by the American Bible Society.” The only other writing in the Bible is the following on a blank page for births--also in the C. Brumidi hand: Constantino Brumidi born in Rome, July 26th, 1805, by Stauro Brumidi of Shiliatra, province of Arcadia in the Peloponnesus (Greece) and Ann Bianchini of Rome. Daughter, Maria Elena Brumidi born in Rome the 15th of August 1832. Sons, Joseph Brumidi, born in Rome, 17th January, 1842; Laurence S. Brumidi born in Washington, D. C. (America) May 12th 1861. BRUMIDI WORKING SKETCHES Brumidi’s technique is of great interest. First, he executed his design in color on a small canvas in oil. This he termed a working sketch. Then he drew the large outline figures which he called cartoons with the miniature oil before him. These large cartoons served as stencils through which he dusted powder or charcoal, thus outlining his groups quickly upon the wall or ceiling. The Brumidi working sketches found in Washington during recent years are in a wonderfully fine state of preservation, whether they have come directly from the hand of Lola Germon or from Laurence Brumidi’s storage cache found in 1919, or from other sources. Most of the canvases have in no manner been restored or retouched but the colors are soft and true and pleasing. Those art lovers who fear that certain Capitol decorations may have suffered by “restorations” have but to compare the Capitol fresco with its working sketch to be reassured.