Columbus Doors on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The Columbus Doors (1855–1861), also known as the Rogers Doors, are a pair of monumental bronze doors designed by sculptor Randolph Rogers and cast by Ferdinand von Miller for the East Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC. Leading into the Rotunda, they feature detailed reliefs depicting key events from the life of Christopher Columbus.
The Capitol's East Front was extended between 1958 and 1962. A new exterior wall was built 32.5 feet east of the old exterior wall, and the space between them became the Main Lobby, offices and the East Extension Corridor. The Columbus Doors were moved from their original location to their present location, within the new exterior wall, in 1961 following the extension of the East Front of the Capitol.
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Columbus Doors.jpg, Columbus door
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Columbus Before the Council of Salamanca (1487).jpg, Left door: ''Columbus before the Council at Salamanca'' (1487)
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Departure from the Convent of La Rábida (1492).jpg, ''Columbus Leaves La Rabida for the Spanish Court'' (1492)
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Audience at the Court of Ferdinand and Isabella (1492).jpg, ''Columbus at the Court of Ferdinand and Isabella'' (1492)
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Departure of Columbus from Palos (1492).jpg, ''Columbus Starts from Palos'' (1492)
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Landing of Columbus in the New World (1492).jpg, Transom: ''Landing of Columbus in the New World'' (1492)
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Columbus's First Encounter with the Indians (1492).jpg, Right door: ''Columbus's First Encounter with the Indians'' (1492)
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Entry of Columbus into Barcelona (1493).jpg, ''Triumphal Entry of Columbus into Barcelona'' (1493)
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Columbus in Chains (1500).jpg, ''Columbus in Chains'' (1500)
File:Flickr - USCapitol - Death of Columbus (1506).jpg, ''Deathbed of Columbus'' (1506)
''Columbus Doors''
from Smithsonian Institution Reference Information System (SIRIS). {{Authority control United States Capitol art Bronze doors Cultural depictions of Christopher Columbus Ships in art Native Americans in art Horses in art
History
Rogers, anexpatriate
An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country.
The term often refers to a professional, skilled worker, or student from an affluent country. However, it may also refer to retirees, artists and ...
American artist trained and living in Italy, was a Neoclassical sculptor noted for his carved works in marble. He visited the United States in 1855, and was awarded the commission for the doors. He had never done anything on this scale, and was not known for working in bronze.
Rogers's sculptural theme was ''Scenes from the Life of Columbus''. Each door has four panels illustrating significant events, and the semi-circular transom above the pair illustrates Columbus landing in the New World
The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...
. The border surrounding the doors and transom is adorned with statuettes of figures who participated in the Columbus story and nautical items such as anchors and rudders. Figures around the outer rim represent Asia, Africa, Europe and America.
Between 1856 and 1858, Rogers modeled the doors first in clay, then in plaster. They were cast in bronze by the German artisan Ferdinand von Miller, at the Royal Bavarian Foundry in Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
, Germany, from 1860 to 1861. Ferdinand von Miller was a renowned bronze caster known for his work on large-scale public monuments, including the Bavaria statue in Munich.
Because of delays in transportation related to the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, they did not arrive in the United States until 1863. They were installed on the East Front in 1871.
With transom, the doors are 16 ft 8 in tall, and 9 ft 9 in wide. They weigh approximately 20,000 pounds (10 tons).
They were most recently treated in 2021.
In January 2021, the doors were damaged during the United States Capitol attack.
East Front extension
The Capitol's East Front was extended between 1958 and 1962. A new exterior wall was built 32.5 feet east of the old exterior wall, and the space between them became the Main Lobby, offices and the East Extension Corridor. The Columbus Doors were moved from their original location to their present location, within the new exterior wall, in 1961 following the extension of the East Front of the Capitol.
Panels
See also
* List of public art in Washington, D.C., Ward 6Notes
*Architect of the Capitol, ''Compilation of Works of Art and Other Objects in the United States Capitol'' (1965). *Architect of the Capitol, ''Art in the United States Capitol'' (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1974).External links
''Columbus Doors''
from Smithsonian Institution Reference Information System (SIRIS). {{Authority control United States Capitol art Bronze doors Cultural depictions of Christopher Columbus Ships in art Native Americans in art Horses in art