Next is a scene from the Rotunda of the west building of the National Gallery of Art. This superb classical dome that anchors the west building was designed by John Russell Pope and completed in 1941. Under the dome, and dominating the central space of the Rotunda is "Mercury" - the messenger of Olympus. This statute was created around the birth of the American Republic, c. 1780-1800, and is attributed to Francesco Righetti (1749-1819) who lived and worked in Rome. I call this picture, shot in July of 1999:     "Mercury".
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This is one of an ongoing series of shots of the National Cathedral that I am in the process of taking. I figure that if the builders of this marvel took more than eighty years to complete it (1907-1990), I too can take as much time as I like in trying to capture its magnificent spirit. The full title of this shrine is the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul - located on the 3100 block of Wisconsin Avenue, NW. It's administered by the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Washington. I call this photo, taken in September 1998: "Cathedral"
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