We toured the Missouri Capitol Sunday. Even though I worked in the building for 11 years and was fully aware of my surroundings, I learned some things during the tour. When we were in the visitors' gallery of the House chamber, the guide pointed out the painting on the wall behind us. The gallery is narrow and there is no good place to stand to view the entire painting (if you have vertigo). So I took a couple of snaps where I felt comfortable. The artist is Charles Hoffbauer (French, 1875-1957). The Glory of Missouri in War depicts all branches of service (military and non-combatant) who were in France in the Great War. Hoffbauer used the same face on all the men as a way of honoring all and singling out no individuals. The painting is on a single canvas, 50 feet long, 20 feet tall.
I checked one of my Facebook albums and I did have a picture of the gallery taken from across the room. I can't refer to the original photo since the computer on which the photos was stored died. But there is FB! I wasn't particularly aware of the painting when I took the photo last year, but it is there.
I checked one of my Facebook albums and I did have a picture of the gallery taken from across the room. I can't refer to the original photo since the computer on which the photos was stored died. But there is FB! I wasn't particularly aware of the painting when I took the photo last year, but it is there.
