Revolutionary War veterans are well represented in the portraits of the House of Representatives. Paintings of two heroes of the Revolution, George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, have been in the House Chamber for almost two centuries. Five Speakers of the House served in the Continental Army during the war and are memorialized in the Speaker portrait collection. In a livelier vein, veteran and Representative Matthew Lyon wields a pair of fire tongs in the House print “Congressional Pugilists.”
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How did Members of Congress make a living before their House service? In this roundup, newly digitized objects show how some Representatives spent their time putting food on America’s tables.
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Art on February 4, 2026
From silly to serious, mid-20th century House artifacts show the institution’s inner workings in this selection of recently digitized House Collection items.
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Art on November 18, 2025
You can now download images from Collections Search! Currently, more than 750 objects from the House Collection have high-resolution downloadable images.
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Art on September 15, 2025
From “incomparable” juniper berry drinks to electronic voting computers, innovation takes the spotlight in the latest round of artifacts added to our online Collections Search.
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Art on August 15, 2025
The House Committee on the Judiciary oversees the administration of justice in the federal courts and agencies, from patents to presidential impeachment. The weighty responsibilities resulted in sober portraits of chairs who led the committee’s work on such landmark actions as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Watergate Investigation. Take a look at five of the earliest Judiciary Committee portraits.
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From Abe Lincoln to “artistic French human hair goods,” there’s something for everyone in this season’s batch of recently digitized House Collection treasures.
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The House’s Natural Resources Committee oversees the nation’s vast public lands. What’s one way you can tell? Look at the portraits in the committee’s hearing rooms.
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See what’s fresh for spring with newly donated and newly digitized objects in the House Collection. Over the years, hundreds of people collected congressional treasures and gave them to the House of Representatives. Take a look at a few standouts.
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Art on December 18, 2024
Everything old is new again—this season, treasures from 150 years ago take center stage in newly digitized additions to our online collection.
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Art on November 19, 2024
Like a hall pass, a little metal disc has identified Representatives to police, Members, and others in the know for 50 years. But for the previous 180 years, the House saw no need for them. What happened to make Member pins a must-have in Congress?
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Art on September 17, 2024
This fall, newly digitized objects in the House Collection are talking the talk. Four recordings, from 1920 to 1964, step up to the microphone. Take a look and take a listen to congressional women and men from the past.
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