Images and animations of the Capitol's South Wing, interior, 1803-1814
Jefferson wanted a glass roof on the South Wing, based on his dazzling memory
of a 1785 visit to the Paris grain market with Maria Cosway. He later wrote that the
grain market was, "... the most superb thing on earth."
Architect Latrobe disagreed with his client on the roof design. To accommodate
both the skylight scheme and his own idea for a light monitor of vertical glass, he framed the
roof for both eventualities.
An example of a computer model image showing main chamber looking west. Latrobe
called the domical wooden roof a masterpiece of carpentry.
An example of a computer model image of the South Wing looking northeast.
Two images of computer model showing the Jefferson idea for the roof
and the Latrobe idea for the roof. Jefferson's idea was designed and built and that's what
was destroyed in 1814 when the building burned.
The monitor version from high up.
The skylight version from high up.
The monitor version upon entry.
The skylight version upon entry. Latrobe considered this
tableau to be the crowning achievement of the whole chamber. The sculpture was an organic
feature of the design - it was largely designed by Latrobe and carved by Giuseppe Franzoni.
Animation
looking north at monitor version of dawn to dusk sun tracking
on the equinox.
Animation
looking north at skylight version of dawn to dusk sun tracking
on the equinox.
The skylight version from the northeast.
The skylight version -- wide view from the east.
Images and animations of the U.S. Capitol, exterior, 1803-1814
View from the northeast. This is how the Capitol may have looked
approaching from the NE along Bladensburg Road, as the British army approached.
View from the southeast.
Detail showing texture-mapped computer model at the
southeast corner of South Wing.
Animation
dissolve from the Capitol in 2014 to the Capitol in 1814
and then to 1801.
Animation
dissolve from the Capitol in 1801 to the 1801 drawing by William Birch.
Animation
walk-around of the east front of the Capitol, c. 1814.
Dissolve from 1806 Latrobe drawing at start, and dissolve to the Munger drawing at close.
Available at 1280x720 resolution.
Animation
of the topography of Capitol Hill as surveyed by B. Henry Latrobe.
Here I translated Latrobe's site sections (using different vertical and horizontal scales) into
traditional topography.
Animation
of the topography of Capitol Hill as designed by B. Henry Latrobe
showing a ring road below the hill with the avenues intersecting at various angles.
View of the roof.
An 1802 Traveler's Guide map (to scale) showing the route from
Bladensburg to the Capitol.
Animation
dissolve from a 1900 photograph from the
Library of Congress to my computer recreation showing the state of the building in 1814.Some sculpture, furniture, details, 1803-1814
Statue of Liberty, 1807-1814.
Statue of Liberty, 1807-1814.
Statue of Liberty, 1807-1814.
Statue of Liberty, 1807-1814.
Statue of Liberty, 1807-1814.