The Bronze Doors of the Capitol 
By JOHN W. HALL 
T HE doors to the rotunda entrances to the 
National Capitol, and those to the entrances 
of the House of Representatives and Senate, 
represent contributions to the highest sculptural work 
in the world. They are the works of different sculp¬ 
tors and are their master-pieces. 
Randolph Rogers contributed one piece to the 
sculptural beauty of the building, the bronze doors 
now at the eastern entrance of the central portico. 
These doors were cast in bronze by Von Mu 
ler, of Munich, during the years 1S59 
1861, and were received in Amer¬ 
ica in 1863. At first they were 
placed in the doorway be 
tween the old Hall of Rep¬ 
resentatives (now Statuary 
Hall) and the new south 
wing —but in 1871 
they were taken down 
and placed in their 
present position. 
The bronze work 
consists of a frame, 
two doors, and a semi¬ 
circular panel. All 
the panels contain 
sculptural scenes in 
relief, depicting 
events in the life of 
Columbus. The leaf 
on the south, begin¬ 
ning at the bottom, 
shows Columbus be¬ 
fore the Council of 
Salamanca, the set¬ 
ting f o r t h for the 
court of Spain, the 
interview with Ferdi¬ 
nand and Isabella, 
and the departure 
from Palos. The 
semicircular tympa¬ 
num represents the 
landing of Colum¬ 
bus in the New 
World, October 12, 
1492, on the island of 
Guanahani. The leaf 
on the north, begin¬ 
ning at the top, de¬ 
picts further events in 
the life of Columbus 
—the embarkation 
BRONZE DOORS AT THE EASTERN ENTRANCE OF 
THE CENTRAL PORTICO 
for borne, the landing and reception at Barcelona, 
the recall and arrest, and his death. 
In the stiles of the doors are niches in which are 
placed sixteen statuettes, representing historical 
characters, connected with the early history of the 
New World. On the rails of the doors are figures 
of Irving, Prescott and other historians. The bronze 
frame contains emblematic figures of Asia, Europe, 
America, and Africa, while at the crown is a head 
of Columbus. The architectural effect of 
these doors is exceedingly pleasing and 
the composition and sculptural work 
is handled in the most skillful 
manner. 
As soon as the extension of 
the Capitol, begun in 1850, 
was well advanced the 
famous sculptor, Thos. 
Crawford, was em¬ 
ployed to do the 
figure work on the 
ex tension of the 
building. Crawford 
died in London Octo¬ 
ber 16, 1857, but the 
work which had been 
entrusted to him was 
so far advanced that 
it could be easily giv¬ 
en to others for com¬ 
pletion in bronze and 
marble. Among 
other-pieces for which 
he furnished models 
were the bronze 
doors for the north 
and south wings. The 
doors for the north 
(Senate) wing were 
cast at Chicopee, 
Massachusetts, by 
James T. Ames, in 
1868. Each leaf of 
the doorway is divi¬ 
ded into four panels 
and a medallion. 
The top of each leaf 
is treated with a star, 
encircled by a 
wreath. The sculp¬ 
tured panels on the 
north leaf beginning 
at the top, depict the 
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