October 25, 2013

Toured the Jefferson City Capitol building this morning and then traveled to Paducah, KY.  The building has a lot of artwork in it.  The artwork was done because the budget for completion of the building was over budgeted.  The art work was done by people from Missouri, Italian artists and also N.C. Wyeth.

On the first floor on each wing was a museum section which featured State History and the states engagement in the Civil War.  The picture is of a Sweet Gum Tree mortar.  The hollowed out tree could last for as much as 24 hours until it finally exploded.

 A more conventional cannon that was originally located outside the building. 

 Each Capitol building usually has some fact to attribute to the building whether dome, marble, granite, height...etc.  This is claimed to be the widest set of stairs in any building in the world.  Thirty three feet wide.

The rotunda was very colorful.  The paintings you see were the ones done by Italian Artists who never visited the building.  They were completed in Italy and sent to the US to be placed in the Rotunda.

This huge continuous painting is in the House Lounge and was done with Tempura Paint with egg yolk mixed with water to add richness to the color.  When it was completed it was criticized by many because of some of the ideas portrayed, but in the end was finally accepted.  It centered on events of the states history.  Artist...Thomas Hart Benton.

 This part portrayed Jesse James.

For more, visit   Lounge murals 

 A new low in gas prices today.  Bummer, we had a full tank

The weather was clear this morning but below freezing.