Horatio Greenough and the Form Majestic

Horatio Greenough and the Form Majestic concerns the discussions, planning, commissioning, and execution of the earliest federal monument--a memorial for George Washington. It was to perch above his tomb at the heart of the U.S. Capitol and thus providea moral compass for the continent, a hub toward which all eyes would turn for guidance from his great example of self-abnegation and leadership. For this task a bright, young, handsome, talented artist was chosen. However, the intended national icon eventually devolved into a mere curiosity. This book narrates the monument's journey from its hallowed site at the center of the US Capitol's dome, to a distant park, to a handful of other locations, and finally to the Smithsonian Institution--