Liberty and the Eagle
Enrico Causici
Plaster, 1817-1819
Statuary Hall
US Capitol Bilding
Washington DC
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Liberty and the Eagle Enrico Causici Plaster, 1817-1819 Statuary Hall US Capitol Bilding Washington DC |
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Also referred to as "Liberty and Snake", 13'-7" tall, this representation was sculpted in plaster between 1817 and 1819, intended to be the studio model for a marble statue. Generally regarded as Causici's finest work, he unfortunately died before the marble was executed. Liberty holds a scroll representing the US Constitution, and stands between an American eagle and a rattlesnake wrapped around a short column. The statue was placed in the Capitol behind the Speaker's Chair in the House of Representatives. The room was abandoned by the House when the South wing of the Capitol, the new House Chambers, was completed in 1857, but Liberty and the Eagle has remained in this location since 1819. National Statuary Hall was designated by Congress in 1864. 
Architect of the Capitol Feature 
Photos by Gary Feuerstein Enrico Cuasici (b. 1790, Verona, d. 1835, Havana) Born in Verona, Italy, Causici was probably a student of Canova, one of Italy's most renowned sculptors. Causici lived in the US between 1822 and 1832 and captured many pub;lic commissions, the most famous of which included a marble equestrian statue of George Washington in Baltimore (1826) and marble bas-relief sculptures in the Capitol rotunda between 1823 and 1827. He died in Cuba. From Ciaodc.com: Liberty and the Snake, National Statuary Hall: Enrico Causici’s plaster statue, Liberty and the Snake was placed in the Old Hall of the House sometime between 1817 and 1819. The statue originally stood above the Speaker's dais when the House of Representatives met in this space. Causici depicts the female personification of Liberty holding a facsimile of the Constitution in her right hand while an American eagle perches beside her. To the left of Liberty is a rattlesnake wrapped around the section of a column. The rattlesnake was a symbolic choice on the part of Causici because it is indigenous to America, it warns its predators if it’s going to attack and it never attacks unless provoked- a sentiment that the US wanted to project regarding its attitude toward war. From GPOaccess.com: 
House Document No. 108-240 Glenn Brown's History of the United States Capitol CHAPTER VII STATUARY AND PAINTINGS IN THE OLD CAPITOL Above the eagle of Valaperti, resting upon the cornice of the colonnade and in the center of the arch, is a plaster cast of the Statue of Liberty by Enrico Causici. On the right of the figure is an altar entwined with a serpent. The figure of Liberty is graceful and dignified, and the most satisfactory piece of work left by its sculptor Causici, who died before he was able to put this group in marble. National Statuary Hall The Old Hall of the House of Representatives  The House of Representatives, Samuel F.B. Morse, oil on canvas 1822 Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Museum Purchase, Gallery Fund Lower corner of Liberty and the Eagle appears at the upper left of the painting. National Statuary Hall, also known as the Old Hall of the House, is the large, two-story, semicircular room south of the Rotunda. The room's architecture is dominated by columns of variegated marble with white Corinthian capitals. The ceiling is domed, terminating in a lantern cupola. The floor is black and white marble tiles. This room served as the original House Chamber from 1807 to 1857. The monumental Liberty and the Eagle watched over the activies as the House dealt with issues such as slavery, territorial expansion, and states’ rights vs. federal rights. Presidential inaugurations held here included James Madison (1809, 1813), James Monroe (1821), John Quincy Adams (1825) (who returned here as a legislator after his presidency), Andrew Jackson (1833) and Millard (1850). The room was known to have unusual acoustics. There is a rumor, repeated by the tour guides, that John Quincy Adams learned that he could hear the deliberations of the opposing party if he pretended to nap at his desk, placing his head low enough to capture the whispers which were transmitted across the marble finishes. There is a brass marker in the center South floor at the location where Adam's eavesdropping desk was placed. Draperies were hung in an attempt to improve the acoustics. On February 21, 1848, Adams suffered a fatal stroke in this chamber during a House session. Another allegorical feature of the House Chamber is The Car of History clock (1819) by Carlo Franzoni on the North side, opposite Liberty abd the Eagle. In 1864, Congress created National Statuary Hall, which was allocated as space for each State to provide two statues, in marble or bronze, of deceased persons who had been illustrious citizens of the respective states. Today, 100 statues do not fit in the space, so many of the contributions are distributed around the Capitoal, including several in the 2008 Capitol Visitors Center. States may choose to replace statues at their discretion. Information from the Architect of the Capitol and other sources. 
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