{"id":431,"date":"2020-01-13T22:22:21","date_gmt":"2020-01-14T04:22:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/datadc\/?p=431"},"modified":"2020-03-20T21:13:26","modified_gmt":"2020-03-21T02:13:26","slug":"columns-an-artistic-connection-between-american-democracy-and-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/datadc\/2020\/01\/13\/columns-an-artistic-connection-between-american-democracy-and-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Columns: An Artistic Connection Between American Democracy and History"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the first things that struck me as I began exploring Washington D.C. last week was the juxtaposition of hundreds of years of architectural styles: historic townhouses sitting next to ugly brick apartment buildings next to shiny glass office buildings next to white marble government enterprises. These comparisons are similar to other metropolitan areas, except for the last. One thing that is well known about Washington, D.C. is that the architecture of the fundamental historical government buildings use architecture to allude to Greek and Roman ideals of democracy. The first day we arrived in D.C. I realized that classical columns were an interesting metaphor for a connection between democracy and the arts. The column is both a symbol of support and physically necessary for support, in many cases. However, the symbolism of being a pillar of support that alludes to Classical ideals has contributed to the column being used for artistic decoration in modern architecture.<\/p>\n

\"The

Not columns, but I found the old houses reflected in a shiny, new office building to be interesting.<\/p><\/div>\n

The most visible and characteristic art in the U.S. Capitol, aside from the central dome, are the many columns surrounding the exterior of the building. The North and South wings are surrounded by classical columns, in a manner reminiscent of the Greek Parthenon.<\/p>\n

\"The

The U.S. Capitol and its many, many columns. The North and South wings are the left and right wings that are surrounded by columns and each have a triangular frieze<\/p><\/div>\n

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The first place we stopped on our guided tour of the Capitol was the Senate Vestibule, which used to be the entrance to the North wing, where the Senate first resided. The vestibule and the columns in it were designed by the architect Benjamin Latrobe during a period of construction in 1807 (Senate.gov). This room was fireproofed, which allowed it to survive the burning of the Capitol in 1814. The columns in the vestibule are particularly interesting because from afar they look like the classical Greek order of capitals, however they are actually carved into corn cobs and stalks. This particular design was explicitly intended to connect the fundamental value of American agriculture to the values of American Democracy to the legacy and history of Greek democracy.<\/p>\n\n\t\t