Art and Artifacts
About this object The silver Mace, symbol of the House’s authority, has been in use in the House since 1841 when the Members met in the old House Chamber.
The Mace and Inkstand
The House’s mace, which was introduced on December 29, 1841, adheres to the basic design of the weapon it shares its name with—a long shaft with a heavy, round implement on top. Maces used by the British and Australian Parliaments are topped by an arched crown, with an orb and cross. The House mace, however, layers specifically American imagery onto this basic form. The shaft is made up of 13 ebony rods, which represent the original states in the Union. The rods are bound together with intertwining silver bands, recalling ancient Roman fasces. A cast-silver globe with an eagle perched on it top off the decorative weapon. The continents are etched into the globe, with North America facing front.
About this object The inkstand was first used in the Old Hall of the House, now Statuary Hall. Its symbolic elements—snakes, fasces, and the eagle—all appeared elsewhere in sculpture above where the Speaker’s rostrum was located in the Hall.
The inkstand’s earliest known documentation is an 1821 portrait of Speaker Henry Clay by artist Charles Bird King, where it is pictured on a table at Clay’s side. The inkstand is stamped with the mark of J. Leonard, a Georgetown silversmith and watchmaker. At the time, the inkstand was more than the symbol of government that it is today. It was a practical utensil, holding three crystal bottles of ink for the busy Speaker. These are contained in a silver tray, adorned on both sides with swags and medallions with eagles. The feet of the tray take the form of fasces, a symbol of unity and authority, with snakes, a symbol of wisdom, winding around them.
About this object On the left, a snake wraps itself around the leg of the stand while on the right the silversmith J. Leonard has marked his product.
Patriotic Portraits
Although other paintings came and went during the first century of the House Chamber, only the heroes of the Revolutionary War returned after it reopened in 1951. The Marquis de Lafayette portrait arrived in the Old Hall of the House in 1824. George Washington's portrait arrived ten years later. When the House moved to the new Chamber, the portraits were hung as they were, Lafayette to the Speaker's left, and Washington to the right. The 1950 renovation included frames built into the new wood paneling, making the them permanent Chamber fixtures physically as well as symbolically.
About this object The Marquis de Lafayette wears a black suit in his House Chamber portrait, the traditional dress of commoners in the French court. He downplays his aristocratic roots to emphasize his role as a revolutionary with this fashion choice.
The portrait came to the House to commemorate Lafayette’s triumphal tour of the United States. During this visit, Lafayette became the first foreign dignitary to address a Joint Session of Congress. Reportedly Lafayette’s favorite likeness, this portrait was reproduced in prints and on souvenirs and even currency during his visit. The Scheffer portrait places him outdoors within a landscape, wearing informal contemporary clothing, emphasizing his qualities as a man of philosophy rather than wealth or position.
About this object While including indications of Washington's role as a democratically elected official, the conventions of European Court portraiture, such as the "column and swag" setting, continued to appear in Federal period images.
In addition to showing a reliable likeness, this composition depicts Washington as a statesman in an elegant, dramatic manner. Washington’s sword is sheathed at his side, indicating both his retirement from military leadership and the hope of peaceful times ahead for the nation. His hand rests on a sheaf of documents, further denoting his role in government. The legs of the table on which Washington’s hand rests are in the form of fasces, a symbol of authority and unity that appears in works of art throughout the Capitol.