Virtual Tour

ANDREW, John Albion

By Thomas Ball, 1870

Marble, 80 x 37 1/2 x 19 in.

Gift of the citizens of Massachusetts under Res. 1868, ch. 37.
Dedicated February 14, 1871.

On graduating from Bowdoin College John Andrew entered into law and worked diligently in behalf of those in need of legal assistance, whatever their crime or economic means. After the arrest of escaped slave John Brown in 1859, he challenged the courts and raised funds for Brown's defense. A powerful, highly effective public speaker, Andrew quickly became a forerunner in state politics and was elected to office on the same ticket as Lincoln, with whom he became closely allied.

Andrew's entire administration was consumed by affairs of the Civil War. Even before his inauguration, Senators Charles Sumner and John Quincy Adams sent warnings to the governor-elect of imminent crisis, whereupon he moved quickly to obtain funding and ready the State militia, and personally issued arms and regimental colors to the troops as they were called into service.

A tireless exponent of the rights of the black man and preservation of the Union, following the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1863, Andrew organized the 54^th, the first black regiment raised in the north, which was honored in the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial (1897), by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, opposite the State House.

Andrew died shortly after the close of the war, and a commemorative statue was authorized within the year. Thomas Ball modeled the statue in Boston and carved it in Florence where he maintained a large and active studio from 1865–1897. It occupies a place of honor in Doric Hall beside that of George Washington, which the artist recalled admiring as a child. These remain the only two full-length marble monuments at the State House. Andrew is also represented by a portrait in the gallery of governors.

BULFINCH, Charles

By Herbert Adams, 1899

Bronze, 61 x 28 1/2 x 2 3/4 in.

Commissioned by the Commonwealth, installed December 13, 1899.

In 1785 the General Court began considering plans to construct a new state house for the Commonwealth. Charles Bulfinch, aged 24, home from study in London in 1787, submitted his design for a building before the location for the new capitol had even been finalized. When land at the top of Beacon Hill was acquired from the estate of John Hancock, his plan was accepted. By the time construction began in 1795, Bulfinch was a seasoned architect, having designed the Connecticut State House as well as numerous other buildings.

High above Boston, with its gold dome, the capitol, completed in 1798, could be seen from any vantage point. At the inauguration, it was declared to be "the most magnificent building in the Union" and quickly become a symbol of the new republic.

Bulfinch would go on to design dozens of civic, academic and religious buildings as well as private residences, many of them on Beacon Hill. Through this body of work he imposed a federal style on the city, effectively changing the architectural landscape. He was eventually appointed Architect of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. in 1817, and was given charge of completing the construction of the capitol building.

This plaque was commissioned in 1898 to honor the architect on the capitol's 100^th anniversary and his lengthy service as America's first native-born professional architect. A low-relief portrait of Bulfinch is adapted from a portrait painted by Mather Brown. A companion plaque is also installed in Doric Hall to commemorate the renovations undertaken to preserve the landmark building during the same year.

HANCOCK, John

Cast by the J. N. O. William Inc., Bronze Foundry, New York, 1915

Bronze, 80 1/2 x 50 1/2 in.

Gift of the Massachusetts Chapter, Sons of the Revolution, under Res. 1913, ch. 7.
Dedicated October 19, 1915.

Despite the larger-than-life role John Hancock played in the history of Boston, the Commonwealth and the nation, the bronze memorial in Doric Hall was the first tribute to the merchant, Revolutionary War patriot and governor. The portrait head, cast from a larger marble statue by Horatio Stone (1858) at the U. S. Capitol, is set inside a Renaissance-style recessed plaque inscribed with but a few of Hancock's many contributions. Hancock is also represented by a portrait in the gallery of governors (1893), and a mural in the House Chamber celebrating his proposal of the Bill of Rights to the Federal Constitution (1942).

LINCOLN, Abraham

By Albion H. Bicknell, 1905

Oil on canvas, 96 x 59 in.

Purchased from the artist under Res. 1906, ch. 30 and Acts, 1906, ch. 307.
Unveiled October 23, 1906.

Abraham Lincoln ascended to the presidency campaigning in part against the institution of slavery and its spread among the new states. Upon his election, and the secession of seven of the southern states, Lincoln pledged to fight to preserve the Union, even if it meant plunging the country into a civil war. At the outbreak of hostilities, he drew upon his full authority as president, raising a Union army, imposing martial law, and suspending writs of habeas corpus in threatened areas of the Union. In 1863 he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves in those states still under Confederate control. The war ended April 9, 1865. Five days later, the President was assassinated.

In addition to the marble bust acquired in 1867 (installed in the Senate Chamber), an oil portrait of Lincoln was also proposed for the State House. Nearing the anniversary of Lincoln's 100^th birthday, a portrait was finally authorized for purchase, and Albion Harris Bicknell of Malden, who had been painting the president since the war, was chosen. His full-length likeness, probably from photographs taken by Matthew Brady, was considered at the time to be his finest rendition. It was installed in the foyer of the Executive Suite until moved to Doric Hall in 1939.

Lincoln is also recognized in Doric Hall for his historic speech at the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863. A combination bronze plaque and portrait head reproduces the entire text of the Gettysburg Address. The portrait head was cast from a life mask taken by Leonard Volk in 1860 (now at the Smithsonian Institution) which Volk later patented and sold as replicas. The memorial was the gift of the Massachusetts Department of the Woman's Relief Corps, an auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, in 1912.

WASHINGTON, George

By Sir Francis Chantrey, 1826

Marble, 88 x 26 x 34 in.

Given by the Washington Monument Association under Res. 1799, ch. 66.
Dedicated November 26, 1827. Accepted under Res. 1828, ch. 35.

The death of the country's first president prompted an outpouring of grief, followed quite naturally by proposals of memorials across the country. In Massachusetts, the Washington Monument Association, incorporated in 1811, decided on a figurative memorial. As there were no accomplished sculptors in America, however, they secured the services of Francis Chantrey, of London, in 1818 to provide a "pedestrian [standing] statue of George Washington in white marble."

Chantrey applied his own formula—a calm, reflective pose and distant gaze—that had proved so successful in his other statues of statesmen. Washington is depicted as a representative of the people, rather than in military dress. Having never met his subject, the sculptor was loaned a full-length portrait of the president by Gilbert Stuart from which to model the face. The scroll and drapery held to the chest, however, are neo-classical references that were still popular in England. Unveiled in Doric Hall in November, 1827, the Washington was the first full-sized marble statue in New England.

Flanking the statue are facsimiles of the tombstones of Lawrence and Robert Washington, father and uncle, respectively, of John Washington (d. 1677), English immigrant to Virginia and great-grandfather of the president. They were taken from the original tombstones in the parish church of Brington, and presented to the Commonwealth by Earl Spencer through Charles Sumner in 1861.

Also in Doric Hall are small portraits of two important figures from the Revolutionary War era: the outspoken General Artemas Ward (b. 1727 – d. 1800), who was named general and commander-in-chief of the colony's militia by the Committee of Safety until he was appointed major-general by the Continental Congress in 1776, where he served as second-in-command under Washington.

Ward faces the portrait of his counterpart, Sir Thomas Gage (b. 1719 – d. 1787) who, from 1763 to 1777, served as commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America. Gage was briefly appointed military governor of Massachusetts in 1774.

Civil War Army Nurses Memorial

By Bela Lyon Pratt, 1911

Bronze, 52 x 88 1/2 x 47 in.

Given by the Army Nurses Memorial Association of the Massachusetts, Department Daughters of Veterans under Res. 1911, ch. 21.
Unveiled February 12, 1914.

It is impossible to know how many women volunteered their services during the Civil War. With loved ones enlisted and battle often at their doorstep, women looked for opportunities to assist at all levels. Although banned from the battlefield, they helped to ease suffering and speed recuperation in countless other ways. Many were recruited through the Army Medical Bureau, or the U. S. Sanitary Commission, which was responsible for monitoring camp and hospital conditions and distributing meals and supplies. Others ministered individually, as needed or as resources allowed.

Bela Pratt has based the sculpture on the Pietà, the familiar image of caregiver, cradling her charge on her arm and ministering with her free hand, which had been interpreted a few years earlier by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson in the Mother Bickerdyke Memorial (1906), another Civil War nurses memorial in Galesburg, IL. In a sculptural style perfectly suited for the project, heavy, volumetric forms naturally give weight to the nurse, on whose physical and moral strength the wounded soldier depends. She supports his bulk easily. Her attempts to alleviate his suffering are tenderly and patiently rendered, her expression is both compassionate and businesslike. The symbolic grouping remains valid: it was incorporated by Glenna Goodacre into the Vietnam Army Nurses Memorial (1993) in Washington, D.C.

The commanding presence of this memorial has made it a landmark in its own right, and now it lends its name to the room in which it is placed. Staircase Hall became Nurses Hall in 1984 by an act of the legislature.

STEVENSON, Thomas Greely

By Bela Lyon Pratt, 1905

Bronze, 96 x 33 x 3 in.

Given by the Stevenson Memorial Associations and friends under Res. 1905, ch. 20.
Dedicated December 7, 1905.

Stevenson, a member of the New England Guards, a militia company in Boston, was promoted to major and assigned to Fort Independence until the battalion was formed into the 24^th Volunteers, and he was appointed the first colonel in 1861. After several prominent commands, including service at Fort Wagner, SC, in July 1863, he was noted for exceptional bravery, and placed in command of the First Division of the Ninth Corps. In May 1864, after fierce engagement at the Battle of the Wilderness, he moved with General Hancock to Spotsylvania. There, he established his lines close to the Confederates and was killed on the Fredericksburg Road.

Bela Pratt studied at Yale, with Augustus Saint Gaudens at the Art Students League, New York, and at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris; for many years he taught at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. His works ranged from medals and portrait busts to bas-reliefs and major public monuments, such as the Civil War Army Nurses Memorial, also in Nurses Hall, which drew on his refined technique, naturalism, and restrained sentiment.

Although he died in battle at age twenty-eight, Stevenson is depicted in this memorial as an assured but older man, perhaps as a way of communicating his experience and leadership. Here, he has dismounted from his horse and stands with his field glasses in hand ready to survey the lines. Pratt's skillful modeling of the bronze communicates the detailed scene in a relief less than four inches deep.

WINSLOW, John Ancrum

By William Couper, 1909

Bronze, 96 x 33 3/4 x 3 in.

Commissioned under Res. 1908, ch. 63 and Acts 1908, ch. 538.
Unveiled May 8, 1909.

Descendant of a brother of Governor Edward Winslow, and Mayflower passenger Mary Chilton, John Winslow entered the U. S. Navy in 1827, and after service during the Mexican War was promoted to commander in 1855. Although born in the South, Winslow, with his New England heritage and strong anti-slavery sentiments, joined the Union navy, and was assigned to the Western River Squadron.

In 1863 he took command of the Kearsarge, then in the Azores, and patrolled the continental coast in search of Confederate ships sailing to Europe for repairs. Through intelligence, he learned of the docking of the notorious Alabama, "a most troublesome enemy," at Cherbourg. Upon her re-launching, Winslow sailed to neutral territory and engaged the Confederate ship June 19, 1864, sinking her and taking seventy prisoners. He and his crew were hailed throughout the United States and in Congress upon their return; Winslow was promoted to commodore effective the date of the battle. He retired a rear-admiral in 1870 after commanding the Pacific Fleet.

Winslow is picture on the deck of the Kearsarge looking out to sea. Couper has followed the format of the companion relief of Thomas G. Stevenson by Bela Pratt, at its side, with a lively naturalism. After attending Cooper Union, the sculptor had spent two decades in Florence, Italy studying and working with local and American sculptors, notably Daniel Chester French (Joseph Hooker, Thomas Bartlett) and Thomas Ball (John Andrew), whose studio he joined until his return to New York in 1897.

Paul Revere's Ride

By Robert Reid, assisted by Edward Trumbull, 1904

Oil on canvas, 118 x 134 in.

Commissioned by the Commonwealth under Acts 1900, ch. 362.
Unveiled December 5, 1904.

Paul Revere's midnight journey on the eve of the Revolution is the most famous of the many rides he made throughout the colonies as official courier for the Provincial Assembly to Congress. Prior to April 18, Boston and the surrounding countryside were teeming with intelligence-gathering British and colonials alike. With increased activity in Boston Harbor on April 16, General Thomas Gage's plans to march on Lexington and Concord were anticipated, and Revere was sent to alert John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who, as enemies of the crown, were sequestered in Lexington.

Two nights later, upon the crossing of the British into Cambridge, messengers were again dispatched to Lexington: Revere by way of Arlington and Medford, and William Dawes through Roxbury and Cambridge. The pre-arranged warning by lantern in the steeple of Christ (Old North) Church signaled other riders to spread the word that the British army was on the march. After delivering their message, Revere and Dawes, joined by Samuel Prescott, proceeded to Concord. Revere was captured and interrogated, but in the mounting confusion of the morning allowed to go free. On his way back to Lexington Green he witnessed the arrival of the British troops, and heard the first shots fired in the War for Independence.

Revere, an ardent patriot and successful businessman, offered his talents as an engraver, printer, and metal smith to activities from unloading tea in Boston Harbor and producing patriotic broadsides like the Boston Massacre to designing the first continental currency and coppering the dome of the new State House on Beacon Hill. He was a member of the Committee of Correspondence and worked to gain support for the federal constitution. Revere died at the age of eighty-three; his house still stands on Revere Street in the North End, Boston.

Robert Reid has pictured Revere riding through one of the many towns between Boston and Lexington, waking the residents and calling en route. A minuteman leaves his house, responding to the call. Firelight escapes the open door, illuminating the figures. Reid, a painter better known for a light impressionist style, has drawn on his academic training in Boston, New York, and Paris to reproduce the drama of this historic night scene.

James Otis Arguing Against the Writs of Assistance in the Old Towne House

By Robert Reid, 1901

Oil on canvas, 118 x 213 in.

Commissioned by the Commonwealth under Acts 1900, ch. 362.
Unveiled January 1, 1902.

In this mural, James Otis confronts Chief Justice Thomas Hutchinson and four other judges in the Council Chamber of the Town House on the legality of the Writs of Assistance, warrants that permitted the arbitrary search and seizure of colonial property by agents of the king. According to the eyewitness account of John Adams, "Otis was a flame of fire!... American Independence was then and there born." Indeed, the argument was to lay the basis for Article Fourteen of the Declaration of Rights of the Massachusetts Constitution and led ultimately to the adoption of the fourth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution.

Reid drew inspiration from Adams' animated account of the trial, highlighting the drama with the fiery glow from the hearth just out of view, the captivated crowd in the doorway, the level gaze of the Chief Justice in his immense chair, and above all the defiant posture of the central figure. The frieze-like group stretches before us, drawing us into the scene. Reid's debt to earlier murals, especially those by John Singer Sargent at the Boston Public Library, is clear. Although well known for his impressionistic figural and landscape compositions, as a muralist he completed walls for the World's Columbian Exposition (1893) and the Library of Congress (1896) before receiving the State House commission.

The Boston Tea Party

By Robert Reid, assisted by Edward Trumbull, 1904

Oil on canvas, 118 x 134 in.

Commissioned by the Commonwealth under Acts 1900, ch. 362.
Unveiled December 3, 1904.

The Boston Tea Party is sometimes called the first deliberate act of colonial resistance to British authority. At issue was the predisposition of the crown to pass laws and levy taxes without the consent of the colonists. After the repeal of the Townsend Acts in March 1770, the colonies were freed from duty on all commodities except tea. To counteract smuggling and help move burgeoning supplies, the 1773 Tea Act was enacted. Despite the low price, even with the duty, the rift over the Parliament's right to tax, and ultimately its right to govern the colonies directly, grew.

On December 16, 1773, three vessels of the East India Tea Company, who had been waiting for twenty days to unload, were barred from returning to Britain by customs officials, despite repeated requests for repeal of the taxes. Approximately 116 men, encouraged by Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Joseph Warren and Paul Revere, some disguised as Mohawk Indians, boarded the ships and quietly and efficiently spilled 342 casks, or 45 tons, of tea into Boston Harbor. They met no resistance.

Parliament was swift to act, however, and passed the Intolerable Acts and closed the Port of Boston. This cut the city off from all commerce, and systems of government and justice were altered, with any remaining liberties stripped away. Rather than isolating the colonies, however, news spread, enraging the citizens of other east coast cities who could see themselves as victims of such measures. In response, the First Continental Congress was created.

Robert Reid was commissioned to paint The Boston Tea Party, and its companion mural, Paul Revere's Ride, three years after completing the James Otis for Nurses Hall. The unidentified players are caught on the deck of one of the three ships that fell prey to the Sons of Liberty during their historic act. In the background can be seen warehouses at the harbor. The choice of these events may be explained in part by their value as night scenes, which allowed the artist to carry the firelight motif introduced in the earlier scene through the series.

The Pilgrims on the Mayflower

By Henry Oliver Walker, 1902

Oil on canvas, 175 x 162 in.

Unveiled May 29, 1902.

On September 6, 1620, 132 passengers and 30 crew departed from Plymouth, England on the Mayflower for the New World. Among them were a small group of Separatists, or Pilgrims, who had rejected the state church and "divine rule" of King James I, and were seeking a place where they "could live more comfortably, yet still enjoy freedom of religion." Others taking the journey included Miles Standish and John Alden, recruited to sail as part of the newly organized Council for New England, who continued to support the Church of England.

Storms tore at the vessel, ice-cold water leaked continuously into the crowded deck, and, at one point, the Mayflower threatened to break in two. One man died on the journey; one baby was born. "After a long beating at sea, they fell with that land which is called Cape Cod... they were not a little joyful." (Of Plymouth Plantation)

Walker's mural depicts the weary voyagers as they catch their first glimpse of the New World. The likeness of only one person, Edward Winslow, is known; the other passengers are the artist's invention. Above their heads, occupying half the canvas, hover two angels floating a banner which reads: "For the Lord is our Defence [sic], and the Holy One of Israel our King," (Book of Psalms 89:18), a reference to their relationship to God as the source of their strength and safety.

Although the Mayflower landed considerably farther north than its destination of northern Virginia, Captain Christopher Jones dropped anchor in Provincetown Harbor. With no patent to govern their party in New England, forty-one passengers signed the Mayflower Compact, the sole authority by which they would maintain law and order until a new patent arrived the following year. After exploring the outer cape and bay, the Pilgrims eventually settled at Plymouth. December 22 was named Forefathers Day, in honor of the first permanent landing.

The mural is painted with monumentality and breadth which attempts to communicate the climactic importance of the event and the heroic quality of its characters. The marble plaque below the frame is inscribed: "God sifted a whole nation that He might send choice green over into this wilderness," a quote from Governor William Stoughton, 1688.

State Color

By Charles Eaton, 1863

Silk, pigment, 4 ft. 3 in. x 5 ft.

Issued by the Commonwealth April 28, 1863.
Returned to the Commonwealth March 31, 1875.

Massachusetts infantry units in the Civil War customarily carried both a national color and a white state color bearing the coat-of-arms. Several sets of colors could be issued to a regiment as its originals were damaged, destroyed, or lost in battle. This is the state color of the Massachusetts 54^th—the first black regiment to be raised in the North. It was captured at the desperate assault on Battery Wagner, Charleston, SC, July 18, 1863, and was returned to the Commonwealth in 1875.

This flag is the companion to the national color saved by Sgt. William Carney at the same battle. Three-times wounded, Carney managed to bring the U. S. color back to the Union lines while uttering that most memorable phrase, "the Old Flag never touched the ground, boys!"—for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor by Congress.

National Color — "Jonathan Fowle" flag

By unknown maker, 1781

Muslin, approx. 6 x 9 ft.

Given by George Fowle, grandson of Jonathan Fowle, 1906.

This thirteen-star flag was fabricated in 1781 for Jonathan Fowle, of Jamaica Plain, and is the oldest flag in the Massachusetts collection. It was made just after Congress adopted the "stars and stripes" design for the national banner.

The pattern for the stars in the canton, however, would not be standardized for many years. An orderly pattern of stars was sewn on the reverse whereas on the front they appear much smaller and irregular. When the flag was conserved in the 1920s the more handsome side was preserved, which is why it appears to be displayed "backwards," with the stars in the upper right. Upon its donation to the Commonwealth in 1906, Fowle's grandson George stated that this flag was flown at Fort Independence (Castle William) in Boston Harbor during the time his father was posted there as a member of the Boston Rangers.

Presentation National Color

By unknown maker, 1861

Silk, pigment, 67 x 74 in.

Presented to the regiment by ladies of Worcester August 23, 1861.
Returned by the regiment to the Commonwealth January 28, 1863.

The position of color bearer during the Civil War was undoubtedly one of the proudest as well as one of the most dangerous a soldier could hold. The flags, always posted at the front, served as a beacon for one's fellow soldiers and the enemy alike. To "preserve the Union"—to never let it fall to the ground—was the gravest of responsibilities; one for which many color bearers gave their lives.

During the Battle of Fredericksburg, VA, at least five men in turn bore this national color before being wounded. One, Sgt. Thomas Plunkett, upon receiving the flag, moved to the front rank where it is recorded: "A shell was thrown with fatal accuracy at the colors, which brought them to the ground wet with the lifeblood of the brave Plunkett, both of whose arms were carried away." Amazingly, Plunkett grasped the flag with his upper arms to keep it from falling, pressing on before being relieved. The flag also bears the blood of Sgt. Peter Bryan, who, positioned beside one of the color-bearers, fell, mortally wounded in the head, on to the center of the flag.

Regimental Color

By unknown maker, 1861

Silk, pigment, 39 x 51 in.

Gift of friends and relatives of Rufus Choate to the regiment July 1, 1861.
Returned by the regiment to the Commonwealth December, 22, 1865.

Two of the flags of the Second Regiment were gifts to the unit. 2^nd Lt. Rufus Choate was the son of a prominent Boston lawyer and statesman. The front side, which was obscured during an early conservation effort, shows the Massachusetts coat of arms. The reverse, seen here, depicts the pine tree side of the coat of arms. It bears the name of the regiment and the motto, "We carry the flag and keep step to the music of the Union."

Flags other than those issued by the state were often fabricated of colors different from the official design (which in this case would have been white), and were called "presentation" flags. Because of the strong local connections they symbolized, these flags were often carried in addition to the official national and state colors. The 2^nd Irish, also in this display, is another fine example of a presentation color.

John Eliot Preaching to the Indians

By Henry Oliver Walker, 1903

Oil on canvas, 175 x 162 in.

Unveiled April 8, 1903.

John Eliot (b. Hertfordshire, England, 1604 – d. Boston, 1690) immigrated to Boston in 1631 and was pastor of the Puritan Church in Roxbury for nearly sixty years. One of the first missionaries to the Indians, Eliot began preaching the Gospel to local Native Americans at Nonantum in 1646. Although his first sermons were in English, he soon mastered Algonquin for his preaching; the first Bible printed in North America in 1661–63 was his translation into the Indian language. In 1651 Eliot petitioned the General Court for a tract of land in Natick on which to settle an Indian community. He eventually assisted in organizing fourteen Christian-Indian communities, and trained several converts to continue his works in the hope of Christianizing all New England tribes.

Walker clearly followed the impressionistic style of Simmons' Return of the Colors for this mural. The palette is lighter and the figures less cumbersome than in The Pilgrims on the Mayflower, with its somber color and clumsy jumble of figures.

Battle at Concord Bridge

By Edward E. Simmons, 1902

Oil on canvas, 175 x 162 in.

Unveiled December 17, 1902.

Dispatched the previous night by General Gage to destroy munitions at Concord, the British regulars were preceded by Paul Revere and a host of other messengers calling the countryside to arms. With news of the horrifying bloodshed at Lexington earlier that morning, a band of minutemen marched to the edge of town to meet their adversaries, but shortly retreated, and the British occupied Concord without incident.

Three companies under Captain Walter Laurie guarded North Bridge while others searched the town for the stores of munitions. Meanwhile, approximately 450 minutemen and militia from Concord and neighboring towns had gathered on a small hill beyond town to monitor the troops. From their vantage point they could see smoke rising from the village.

The Return of the Colors to the Custody of the Commonwealth

By Edward Simmons, 1902

Oil on canvas, 175 x 162 in.

Unveiled May 29, 1902.

By General Order No. 94 of the War Department, issued May 15, 1865, the colors of the volunteer regiments and batteries mustered out and discharged after the Civil War were to be transferred to their home states. On December 22, 1865, 166 national, state and presentation colors representing units of infantry, light battery, and heavy artillery were paraded up Beacon Street, passing by more than 2,000 veterans. On the steps of the State House they were presented to Governor John Andrew, the "War Governor," who had personally issued many of them to the units on their way to the south.

The importance of the flags to the troops and their safety cannot be exaggerated. Beyond symbolizing the union they fought to preserve, the flag served as a beacon in the chaos of battle, guiding them above the din and smoke back to their unit, and in countless cases, saving their lives. The flag also served as a marker for the enemy, however, pinpointing a unit’s position. Thus the color bearers, always in the front line, held one of the most dangerous jobs. It was also one of the proudest.

The emotional scene of the return of the battle flags, still vivid in many minds at the turn of the century, was a logical choice for the fourth mural in Memorial Hall. If Simmons' depiction was overly decorative, as some argued at the time of its unveiling, the artist, by subordinating all detail, captured the monumentality of the event. Red, white, and blue dominate the artist's palette. The diagonal line of soldiers and flags carries the eye up the stairs, past the governor, into the State House&8212;the flags' final resting place.

Originally installed in Doric Hall, they were moved to the large marble niches in Memorial Hall in January 1900. Over the years, the tattered and stained flags remained symbols of steadfast devotion and reminders of the heroic service and sacrifice of 140,000 dead and living sons of Massachusetts, as well as allegories of the fragility of life. They were kept on display for eighty-seven years until placed in archival storage in the State House, along with flags of other military engagements, where they continue to be monitored and preserved.

Regimental Color

By Thomas C. Savory, 1862

Silk, pigment, 52 1/2 x 59 in.

Given to the unit by friends September 15, 1862.
Returned by the regiment to the Commonwealth December 22, 1865.

The pluralism and diversity of America is reflected in this banner in its slogans and symbols as well as in the men who carried it, many of whom had only recently arrived in this country and were ready to take up arms to defend their rights to their own religion, language, and ethnic heritage. The reverse of the flag, shown here, depicts the eagle and shield of the United States, and is decorated with shamrocks, all on a green field. The front portrays the harp of Ireland and the Irish wolfhound on a similar green field. Like other immigrants before and since, the Irish of Massachusetts gave concrete meaning to the motto in the Great Seal of the United States: "Out of Many, One."

Stained Glass Window

By Edwin Ford and Frederick Brooks, 1899

Stained glass, cast plaster, 50 ft. diam.

Commissioned by the Commonwealth, 1899.
Unveiled January 1, 1900.

Fifty-two feet above the floor of Memorial Hall is one of the many stained glass windows that can be seen throughout the Brigham extension. On a sunny day, this magnificent circular window bathes the room in soft colored light. Featured in the center is the nineteenth-century version of the seal of Massachusetts, surrounded by the seals of the twelve original states. Each seal is set in a plaster laurel wreath seventy-eight inches in diameter. Below, the ribbed cornice is supported by eight plaster eagles of the republic.

The contract for the ceiling light in Memorial Hall was awarded in August 1899 to the firm of Ford and Brooks, one of Boston’s leading stained glass studios at the time. The speed with which they fabricated and installed the large, intricate window by the time of the Hall’s dedication January 1, 1900, is indeed impressive.

Stained Glass Window

Designer unknown, 1900

Installed under Res. 1899, ch. 81.

The stained glass window on the landing of the Main Staircase is of a Palladian design, and contains the early seals of Massachusetts, as well as their mottoes, and those of her royal governors. At the top of the window is the earliest—the seal of the Colony of Massachusetts granted under the original charter of 1629—which shows a Native American standing between two pine trees. Below this are the seal of King James used under the despotic rule of Governor Edmund Andros (1686–1689); the seals of the Province of Massachusetts granted under the Second Charter (1692–1775); and the seal used from the ratification of the State Constitution in 1780 until 1898. At the bottom of this center panel is the "Magna Charta" seal used by the colony during the revolutionary period (1775–1780) showing an "English American" with a sword and a copy of the ancient document used by the English to limit the power of their kings. This is flanked by the seals of the governors Bernard and Hutchinson, whose terms led up to the time of the Revolution.

The left and right panels of this window contain the personal coats of arms of the provincial governors, beginning with Governor Phipps (1691, upper left) and ending with Pownall (1760, lower right).

Curtis Guild Memorial

Designed by Cram and Ferguson, 1915
Frame by John Evans and Co., Boston
Portrait relief by Richard Recchia, 1915

Numidian marble and Istrian stone with bronze inlay, 84 x 40 x 12 in.
White marble, diam. 26 1/2 in.

Curtis Guild was honored with this Italian-Renaissance style memorial shortly after his death. The elaborate marble frame was carved by the John Evans Shop which would later fabricate the plaque commemorating John F. Kennedy's "City on the Hill" address. The memorial incorporates symbolic references to Guild's political and diplomatic career and contains a portrait relief by noted Boston sculptor Richard Recchia.

Great Hall Clock

By Ronald M. Fischer, 1990

Glass, bead blasted stainless steel, bronze, 8 x 3 1/2 ft.

Commissioned by the Commonwealth under the "1% for Art" program authorized under G. L. 7, sec. 42C; amended G. L. 484, secs. 25, 26.
Installed July 17, 1990.

The competition for the Great Hall art project was issued in 1986. Carved out of the original nineteenth-century light-well, the new meeting hall, as a contemporary space, was to be designed "in concert with, rather than re-creating, the surrounding Italian Renaissance revival spaces" of the Brigham extension. Prospective artists were encouraged to consider not only design and function, but also "the distinctive historic, symbolic and artistic character" of the State House.

New York artist Ronald Fischer was selected from 480 applicants in 1988. Best known for his mixed-media, functional, or utilitarian sculptures, Fischer's clock references traditional silhouettes from New England architecture: clock towers, cupolas, and domes, but with non-traditional materials. "Bird-cage" netting on the sides lightens the load both physically and visually.

DOROTHEA LYNDE DIX

By Sheila Levrant de Bretteville and Susan Sellers, 1999

Marble, 67 x 23 in

Commissioned by the Massachusetts State Senate in conjunction with the Massachusetts Foundation of the Humanities

Dedicated October 1999.

DOROTHEA LYNDE DIX was born on the Maine frontier when it was still part of Massachusetts. After an unhappy childhood, she left home at the age of 12 to live with relatives in Boston and Worcester. Although she had little formal schooling, she spent her teens and 20s teaching and writing books for young readers. In the 1830s, Dix became seriously interested in how the outcasts of society— criminals, the poor, and, especially, the insane —were treated. Most people who suffered from mental illness lived in harsh conditions at home, in prisons, or in poorhouses. She began by visiting every city and town in Massachusetts. In 1843, her powerful firsthand report was published and submitted to the legislature, which was persuaded to increase funding for the overcrowded Worcester State Asylum. As her investigative and lobbying skills grew, she took her crusade to other states, where she played a direct role in founding 32 mental hospitals. After serving a few, troubled years as Superintendent of Women Nurses for the Union Army, she returned to her work as “the voice of the mad.”

LUCY STONE

By Sheila Levrant de Bretteville and Susan Sellers, 1999

Marble, 67 x 23 in

Commissioned by the Massachusetts State Senate in conjunction with the Massachusetts Foundation of the Humanities

Dedicated October 1999.

LUCY STONE was one of the very first Massachusetts women to earn a college degree, graduating in 1847 from Oberlin College in Ohio. She embarked almost immediately on a career as a public speaker—during the week, she lectured against slavery, on the weekends, for woman’s rights. Over the next few years, she earned a good living, and a national reputation, giving public lectures on the injustices faced by blacks and women. When she married reformer Henry Blackwell in l855, Stone promised to love and honor her husband but refused to use the word “obey” or to take his name. After her marriage, Lucy Stone continued to lecture, drawing large and enthusiastic audiences. In 1857, she gave birth to her only child, Alice Stone Blackwell, and curtailed her lecturing. She was just returning to her career when the Civil War began. During the war, she worked for the Union cause; as victory neared, she supported ratification of the 14th and 15th Amendments, although she was bitterly disappointed that women were not given the vote along with black men. Stone’s allies Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton opposed ratification. The result was a bitter division in the woman suffrage movement, which lasted for more than 30 years. From her base in Boston, Lucy Stone founded the American Woman Suffrage Association, and, with the help of her husband and later her daughter, published the influential weekly paper the Woman’s Journal.”

SARAH PARKER REMOND

By Sheila Levrant de Bretteville and Susan Sellers, 1999

Marble, 67 x 23 in

Commissioned by the Massachusetts State Senate in conjunction with the Massachusetts Foundation of the Humanities

Dedicated October 1999.

SARAH PARKER REMOND was the granddaughter of a free black man who fought in the Revolutionary War. Her parents owned a successful business in Salem. They placed great value on education, but racially segregated schools kept Sarah from getting the formal schooling she desperately desired. The Remonds were ardent abolitionists. Sarah’s older brother Charles Lenox Remond was the American Anti-Slavery Society’s first black lecturer. In 1856, she joined him on the anti-slavery circuit and quickly became one of the Society’s most persuasive lecturers. Two years later, she was invited to take the anti-slavery campaign to Great Britain. She sailed alone in September 1858 and spent the next few years lecturing to enthusiastic crowds throughout England, Scotland and Ireland, and raising large sums of money for the cause. Once the Civil War began, she worked to build support in Britain for the Union. After the war, she stayed in England, soliciting funds and clothing for the newly freed slaves. She combined lecturing with courses at the Bedford College for Ladies. In 1866, she left England for Italy, and at the age of 42, entered medical school. She became a doctor, married an Italian, and, as far as we know, never returned to the United States.”

JOSEPHINE ST. PIERRE RUFFIN

By Sheila Levrant de Bretteville and Susan Sellers, 1999

Marble, 67 x 23 in

Commissioned by the Massachusetts State Senate in conjunction with the Massachusetts Foundation of the Humanities

Dedicated October 1999.

JOSEPHINE ST. PIERRE RUFFIN was born in Boston. The city’s public schools were segregated, so her parents sent her to Salem, where the black community had succeeded in desegregating the schools. At the age of 16, having completed a Boston finishing school and two years of private tutoring in New York, she married George Lewis Ruffin, a barber who would later graduate from Harvard Law School, hold elected office, and become the first black judge in the North. The Ruffins helped recruit soldiers for the Mass. 54th and 55th regiments, and, after the Civil War, were active supporters of many causes. Widowed in l886, Josephine Ruffin started the Woman’s Era, the first paper published by and for African American women. The paper urged its readers to become actively involved in issues such as suffrage and racial injustice. In 1893 Ruffin founded the New Era Club, one of the first black women’s clubs in the country. Two years later she called the first national meeting of black women, which took place in Boston. That same year, she desegregated the Massachusetts State Federation of Women’s Clubs and was elected to its Executive Board. She was a charter member of the Boston chapter of the NAACP and a co-founder of the League of Women for Community Service, which still exists today”

MARY KENNEY O'SULLIVAN

By Sheila Levrant de Bretteville and Susan Sellers, 1999

Marble, 67 x 23 in

Commissioned by the Massachusetts State Senate in conjunction with the Massachusetts Foundation of the Humanities

Dedicated October 1999.

MARY KENNEY O'SULLIVAN, the daughter of Irish immigrants in Hannibal, Missouri, got her first factory job at 14. Angry about the low wages and poor working conditions endured by women workers, she became a trade unionist. From 1892-93, she was employed as the first woman organizer for the American Federation of Labor, organizing garment workers, printers, binders, carpet weavers and shoe workers. While in Boston in 1892, she met John O’Sullivan, a former seaman who was labor editor of the Boston Globe. They were married in l894.With his help, she continued her career and remained active in the labor movement while raising three children. In 1902 she was widowed; a year later, she co-founded the National Women’s Trade Union League. As a leader of the WTUL, Mary O'Sullivan forged alliances between middle- and working class women. A leader in Massachusetts reform circles, she focused her efforts on woman suffrage, housing for the poor, prohibition, and pacifism. However, her highest priority remained the advancement of working women. Frustrated with the male-dominated labor movement, she turned to legislative remedies. She lobbied for laws to protect women and children in the workplace; when they were passed in 1913, she was hired as a factory inspector for the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Industries. She retired at age 70 in 1934.”

FLORENCE LUSCOMB

By Sheila Levrant de Bretteville and Susan Sellers, 1999

Marble, 67 x 23 in

Commissioned by the Massachusetts State Senate in conjunction with the Massachusetts Foundation of the Humanities

Dedicated October 1999.

FLORENCE LUSCOMB moved from Lowell to Boston at the age of two. She was raised by her mother Hannah, an active supporter of woman suffrage, trade unionism, and other progressive causes. Graduating from MIT in 1909, Florence Luscomb was one of the first women to receive a degree in architecture; she practiced until WW I brought a halt to most building. Her true calling proved to be political activism. She held paid positions with the Boston Equal Suffrage Association, the Massachusetts Civic League, and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. She walked picket lines in support of striking workers and became an officer in the Boston local of the United Office and Professional Workers (CIO). She served on the boards of the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union and the Boston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Florence Luscomb ran for public office four times. In 1922, she lost her race for Boston City Council by less than one percent. She ran for Congress in 1936 and 1950; in 1952 she was the Progressive Party candidate for Governor. Her platform advocated economic justice, peace, and an end to the widespread infringement of civil liberties which followed WWII. A lifelong radical, she was living in a Cambridge cooperative at the age of 90.”

1630: Governor Winthrop at Salem Bringing the Charter of the Bay Colony to Massachusetts

By Albert Herter, 1942

Oil on canvas, 110 x 130 in.

Gift of the artist and his son, Governor Christian Herter.
Unveiled December 16, 1942.

In 1630 John Winthrop sailed on the Arbella in a fleet of eleven ships with approximately 750 people, including shareholders of the Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay in New England, who brought with them the original charter of Massachusetts secured from King Charles I in 1629. The charter granted governance over the land between the Charles and the Merrimack Rivers (land north of the Plymouth Bay Colony). Power was invested in a governor, a court of assistants, freemen who were the first stockholders, and later, larger landowners. Representatives of these groups constituted the first General Court.

John Winthrop is greeted in Salem by John Endecott who had arrived with other settlers five years earlier, and had served as governor until Winthrop's election.

"Sacred Cod"

By unknown artist, ca. 1784

Pine, painted, 10 x 59 1/2 in.

Given by John Rowe, March 17, 1784.

The Cod was given by John Rowe, a prominent merchant and representative from Boston, and installed in the Old State House "as a memorial of the importance of the cod fishery to the welfare of this Commonwealth, as had been usual formerly." This is the second carving of a New England codfish to preside over the General Court—its predecessor presumably lost during the Revolution. By this time, the image was a familiar one, appearing on everything from corporate seals to weathervanes and stairwell decorations. New claims to fishing rights both coastal and on the high seas, however, strained negotiations with England for years, and undoubtedly fueled Rowe's desire to reinstall the simple yet potent emblem over the heads of his fellow legislators.

When the new State House was inaugurated in 1798, there seemed to be no question whether the simple carving would follow the General Court to Beacon Hill. Installed in the House (current Senate) Chamber, it continued to symbolize the importance of the sea, and the fishing industry in particular, to the survival and prosperity of the Commonwealth. The Cod was transferred to the gallery of the current House Chamber in 1895, where it continues, "riding serenely the sound waves of debate, unperturbed by the ebb and flow of enactment and repeal…"

1697: The Dawn of Tolerance in Massachusetts: Public Repentance of Judge Samuel Sewall for his Action in the Witchcraft Trials

By Albert Herter, 1942

Oil on canvas, 110 x 130 in.

Gift of the artist and his son, Governor Christian Herter.
Unveiled December 16, 1942.

The widespread belief in witchcraft and the presence of the devil was swept into an outburst of confusion and accusation in 1692 when a small group of men and women of Salem (now Danvers) were arrested for bewitching their neighbors. Samuel Sewall (1652–1730), a local magistrate, was a member of the court that ultimately sentenced nineteen people to be hanged. The tragedy was realized several months later: those still being held were released, all judgments reversed, and records of excommunication expunged. At Sewall's urging, the General Court appointed a "Fast Day" during which all jury signed a confession of error in the convictions.

Sewall is seen standing in Old South Church in Boston with his head bowed as his confession and prayers for pardon are read aloud. Sewall is said to have fasted one day each year, praying for his soul and the souls of those wrongfully put to death. At the dedication of the murals, this event in particular was singled out as a turning point, for it represented "the beginning of the recognition of the 'quality of mercy' in human affairs."

1788: John Hancock Proposing the Addition of the Bill of Rights to the Federal Constitution

By Albert Herter, 1942

Oil on canvas, 110 x 130 in.

Gift of the artist and his son, Governor Christian Herter.
Unveiled December 16, 1942.

The Federal Constitution, which was modeled on that adopted by the Commonwealth in 1780, was drafted in Philadelphia in 1797 and required the approval of nine states for ratification. When taken up by the Massachusetts Convention in January 1788, many members opposed this version of the document as it lacked a Bill of Rights that would protect citizens from a strong central government. To meet the opposition, Governor John Hancock, who presided, proposed amendments that would guarantee certain privileges including freedom of speech, press, and religion, as well as the right to bear arms, regulated search and seizure, a speedy trial, and a trial by jury, among others. The Bill of Rights, which was probably drafted by Theophilus Parsons, was submitted to the assembly not as conditions for ratification, but as amendments to be considered by the first Congress. Upon ratification by Massachusetts in 1788, key states later also ratified the Constitution with the understanding that a Bill of Rights would be the first item of business considered by the new government.

This mural shows Hancock standing in the pulpit of the Meeting House on Long Lane (now Federal Street) in Boston proposing the Bill of Rights to the assembled group. In 1791, the first ten amendments – the Bill of Rights – which define and protect the rights of all Americans, were added to the Constitution.

1779: John Adams, Samuel Adams, and James Bowdoin Drafting the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780

By Albert Herter, 1942

Oil on canvas, 110 x 130 in.

Gift of the artist and his son, Governor Christian Herter.
Unveiled December 16, 1942.

In 1775, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress removed General Sir Thomas Gage as governor and assumed administration of the colony under the second Charter of 1692. Fearful of the direction the state might take without a well-defined system of government, many demanded some form of compact—a constitution. The first draft of the document, prepared by the legislature in 1777 during the first Constitutional Convention, was overwhelmingly rejected.

A second convention held in 1779 appointed John Adams—lawyer, diplomat, author of Thoughts on Government (1776), and future president of the United States—and two colleagues to gather the myriad ideas into a fair, balanced, workable document. Concerns of representation in a bi-cameral legislature, separation of power among three branches of government, and the rights and consent of the governed fueled Adams' framework for a stable and democratic government, guided by a declaration of trust in public servants.

In this mural, Adams confers with Samuel Adams and James Bowdoin at his home in Braintree (now Quincy). The challenging nature of their work is expressed in the quiet concentration of the figures. The Massachusetts Constitution was ratified at town meetings in June 1780. One of the oldest working constitutions in the world, it served as the model for the constitution of the United States in 1788.

1689: Revolt Against Autocratic Government in Massachusetts: The Arrest of Governor Andros

By Albert Herter, 1942

Oil on canvas, 110 x 130 in.

Gift of the artist and his son, Governor Christian Herter.
Unveiled December 16, 1942.

Dispute over the rights and privileges granted under the Charter of 1630 led to its revocation in 1684, leaving Massachusetts without any of its former land rights or the right to govern independently. The charters of other colonies were also annulled, and Sir Edmund Andros was appointed by the crown to govern over all. His despotic rule eliminated representative government.

In 1689, however, William of Orange led the successful overthrow of King James II. Word of this reached Boston which quickly took up arms. Fearing an uprising, Andros, who resided in town, retreated to Fort Hill where he was arrested without incident, and the "bloodless restoration" of the rights of Massachusetts citizens was achieved April 19, 1689. The Second Charter for the Province of Massachusetts Bay was issued in 1691.

John F. Kennedy "City Upon a Hill" Address

By John Benson of the John Stevens Shop, Newport, RI

Monsoon slate, and 23 carat gold leaf, 21 x 40 in.

Installed January 25, 1972 under Res. 1969, ch. 2.
Unveiled by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, brother of the president.

Ten days before his inauguration, John F. Kennedy delivered his "City Upon a Hill" address during which he quoted from John Winthrop's treatise, A Model for Christian Charity, invoking the attributes that Winthrop and his shipmates would need as they built a new government on a perilous frontier. Kennedy called on courage, judgment, integrity and dedication, qualities of the Bay Colony and the Bay State which he hoped would also characterize his administration.

The John Stevens Shop, founded in 1705, had received the commission for the lettering on the Kennedy Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery and was the natural choice for the Massachusetts project. As the speech was too long to replicate on the Speaker's rostrum, 111 words were carved into the same black slate used at the president's gravesite.

DAVIS, Caleb

Photograph, 12 ½ x 11 ½ in.

Circling the walls of the Speaker's Office are images of former Speakers dating back to the adoption of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780. The earliest, Caleb Davis, a wealthy merchant and revolutionary war patriot, hangs on the wall opposite the fireplace, at the upper left. Prints and photographs are clockwise around the room—seventy-four at present.

The display was first installed in 1899 and is updated after each administration. Images of the earliest Speakers were reproduced from a variety of sources including extant paintings, prints, and line drawings until photographs could be obtained directly from each sitter. There is a similar display of former Senate Presidents in that office.

SALTONSTALL, Leverett

Photograph, 12 ½ x 11 ½ in.

Leverett Saltonstall, descendant of Sir Richard Saltonstall (who accompanied John Winthrop on the Arbella), graduated from Harvard in 1914 (LL.B in 1917), and served in the U. S. Army during WWI. He began his long and distinguished political career as an alderman in Newton, and served for a short time as Middlesex District Attorney before being elected to the House in 1922. "Salty," as he was popularly known, was chosen Speaker in 1929, serving eight years during the Great Depression.

In 1938 he defeated James Michael Curley for governor, who described him as having a "Harvard accent with a South Boston face." During his three terms, Saltonstall led the Commonwealth through World War II, tightening fiscal policy in support of the war effort while retiring over 90 percent of the state's debt.

Upon the resignation of Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. in 1944, he was elected by a wide margin to the U. S. Senate, representing Massachusetts along with John F. Kennedy until the latter was elected president. Seen as a moderate by both parties, he was the ranking minority leader on five influential committees, and served as Republican whip. His political legacy remains in the thousands of pieces of legislation that he worked on to the benefit of the public he loved to represent.

O'NEILL, Jr., Thomas Phillip "Tip"

Photograph, 12 ½ x 11 ½ in.

"Tip" O'Neill graduated from Boston College in 1936 and immediately entered into politics. Elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives the following year, in 1949 he became its first Democratic Speaker. In 1952 he was elected to the congressional seat vacated by Senator-elect John F. Kennedy. He served with long-time Massachusetts Congressman John W. McCormack (Speaker from 1962-1971), and Edward M. Kennedy who entered the Senate in 1962.

With powerful allies, O'Neill, an outspoken liberal Democrat, rose quickly through the ranks, gaining national attention with his early opposition to U. S. involvement in the Vietnam War and his support of the impeachment of President Richard Nixon. He sponsored the bill that created the Cape Cod National Seashore Park (1961), and as Speaker was instrumental in bringing the "Big Dig" to Boston. He served until his retirement in 1987—fifty years after he entered public service. In 1991 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His wake was held in Memorial Hall.

Fireplace

Mahogany, marble, brass, 64 x 81 x 9 1/2 in.

Possibly commissioned from A. H. Davenport Co., 1895

The Speaker's office features dark mahogany paneling accented by a carved frieze of swags and reeded egg-and-dart moldings. A handsome fireplace contains a red and ochre marble hearth and face, with carved pilasters and a frieze of classical urns and anthemion. Brass fittings and tools have been retained for this as well as a similar, equally majestic hearth in the adjacent office. Doorways in this room incorporate broken scroll pediments beneath intricately carved cornices.

CUSHING, Thomas

Photograph, 12 ½ x 11 ½ in.

Born into a prominent Boston family, Cushing graduated from Harvard in 1744, practiced law, and worked in his father's accounting firm where he became acquainted with the slightly older Samuel Adams. Elected to the General Court in 1761, he served as speaker during the tumultuous years leading up to the revolution, often being perceived by the British as the face of the colonial dispute. After dissolution of the assembly by Governor Gage in 1774 he was elected to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, and served as a delegate to both the First and Second Continental Congresses.

The first General Court under the new Massachusetts Constitution convened at the Old State House on October 25, 1780, and Cushing was elected from the new state senators as their presiding officer. Among his duties during his one-week tenure, he delivered the oath of office to his life-long friend John Hancock as the first governor of the Commonwealth, under whom he served as Lt. Governor. He served briefly as Acting Governor during the months between Hancock's resignation and the administration of James Bowdoin, whom he served as Lt. Governor as well.

ADAMS, Samuel

Photograph, 12 ½ x 11 ½ in.

Samuel Adams, colonial patriot and politician, while still at Harvard where he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees, already was demonstrating his tendency to question authority, especially in unjust circumstances. He worked for a short time with Thomas Cushing (later the first Senate President), and in the family malt house, but his business skills were found as lacking as his political interests were strong. He was elected to his first post in 1747, clerk of the Boston Market, thus beginning a long career in the political limelight.

Known best for his radical views on British sovereignty over the colonies, Adams was a popular figure whose notoriety spread quickly through his political appointments, fiery essays and his clandestine engagements. Although never a wealthy man like his colleagues John Hancock, Thomas Cushing and James Bowdoin, he rose to positions of power and influence in nearly every major political event until the end of his life. As Senate President he signed, with Governor Hancock, the Charter of the first Bank of Massachusetts in 1783, which included the first provisions requiring bank examinations. Taking a philosophical approach to the role of government, he promoted republican virtues and values, supporting public education and the federal constitution if amendments could be proposed.

COOLIDGE, Calvin

Photograph, 12 ½ x 11 ½ in.

After graduation from Amherst College, Coolidge began practicing law but soon was elected to a number of local seats, including Mayor of Northampton. In 1906 he won election to the House of Representatives, narrowly defeating the incumbent Democrat. Known as a Progressive Republican, he voted for women's suffrage and the direct election of Senators. In 1911, won a seat to the State Senate, and became chairman of the committee that arbitrated the "Bread and Roses" strike by the workers of the American Woolen Company in Lawrence. Reelected in 1913 by an increased margin, Coolidge was unanimously chosen President of the Senate. His acceptance speech was entitled Have Faith in Massachusetts. A small office within the Senate President’s suite, used by Coolidge during his term, has been preserved with original furnishings and wall finishes.

As governor, Coolidge supported wages and hours legislation, opposed child labor, favored safety measures in factories, and even worker representation on corporate boards. He gained national attention for settling the Boston police strike in 1919. Coolidge is the only Senate President to rise to the presidency of the United States. Making use of the new medium of radio, he was the first to have his inauguration broadcast, and on February 22, 1924, delivered the first presidential political speech from the White House. An impressive full-length portrait of Coolidge, painted by Edmund Tarbell, hangs in the Senate Reading Room.

Fireplace & Clock

Fireplace: Probably commissioned from A. H. Davenport Co., 1898
Clock: Unknown maker, ca. 1900

Fireplace: Mahogany, marble, brass, 86 x 110 x 18 in.
Clock: Wood, gilded, 38 x 84 x 8 in.

Elegant fireplaces adorn each room of the Senate President's suite. That in the President's office is of white, ochre and green onyx marble with brass fittings and original andirons with flame finials. It is set into an elaborate mahogany mantle supplied by the A. H. Davenport Company, of Boston and New York, one of the largest and most prominent fine woodworking firms in the country.

Above the fireplace is a French-inspired, American-made electric clock installed around 1900. The gilded clock surround is decorated with symbols of strength and prosperity including oak leaves, cornucopia and eagle wings. Similar clocks can be seen in the major rooms of the Brigham extension.

The coffee table was commissioned in 1988 of materials that correspond to those surrounding the fireplace. Metal coffee urns that were converted to lamps flank the mantle.

Vase

Chinese, by unknown maker, ca. 1840

Porcelain, painted and gilded, 23 x 10 in.

Given by Dorothy B. Hammond, in memory of Roland B. Hammond, North Andover.

The baluster-shaped vase has applied gilded "ears" and framed panels illustrating scenes from courtly life in garden and architectural settings. Surrounding these panels are flowers, birds, insects and other elements from nature depicted in famille rose, decorative patterns named for the predominantly pink and rose enamel colors found in Canton decorated porcelain that were favored in European markets.

Armchair

By A. H. Davenport Co., ca. 1898

Mahogany, 33 x 22 x 22 in.

This typifies the furniture commissioned for the Brigham extension from the A. H. Davenport Company. Dozens of these versatile mahogany chairs, which combined serviceable leather upholstery with elegant nail head accents and featured both scrolled and reeded arm supports, were purchased for the reception and committee rooms. Other examples include the small mahogany swivel desk chairs constructed with leather-paneled backs and nail head trim, and a suite of larger lounge chairs and settees, all upholstered in leather.

WASHINGTON, George

By unknown sculptor. Possibly modeled ca. 1800–1810 after an original plaster by Christian Gullagher at Christ Church, Boston

Marble, 24 x 20 x 11 in.

Presumed to be a purchase, ca. 1811. Resolves June 25, 1811.

The marble bust of George Washington is the first art object acquired for the new Bulfinch State House. A receipt in the Massachusetts State Archives, issued in 1811 from the Commonwealth to I. P. Davis for "a marble bust of Washington," is believed to reference this sculpture. (65 Roll Acct. no 1842). It was noted in Resolves of June 25, 1811 that the bust was intended for Representatives Hall.

First placed on display in the former House Chamber, the bust was installed in a staircase niche leading to the old "Green Room" (west of the Senate Chamber—above the executive offices), and then in one of the new niches that was constructed around the perimeter of Doric Hall in 1868. It remained there until 1898 when it was placed in the Senate Chamber.

Although acquired as a memorial to the President, the bust was for some time identified as a likeness of Samuel Adams until a small commission was appointed in 1890 to look into its authenticity. Research by the three-person panel led them to reaffirm the identification as that of Washington, based on its similarity to another bust of the president at Christ Church, Boston, which was modeled after a plaster bust by Christian Gullagher.

LINCOLN, Abraham

By Sarah Fisher Ames, 1867. Replica of original, most likely that in the United States Capitol

Marble, 30 1/2 x 24 x 15 in.

Purchased from the artist under Resolves 1867, ch. 88.

Lincoln's assassination in 1865 prompted countless memorial projects. In 1867 the Commonwealth authorized the acquisition of a bust of the late president from sculptor Sarah Fisher Ames, of Washington, D.C. Classically trained, Ames was a nurse and in charge of the hospital at the U. S. Capitol during the war. There she met the president on several occasions, and in 1862 modeled a portrait bust of him. This was originally installed in one of the niches that was created during the early remodeling of Doric Hall, and was later moved to the Senate Chamber.

Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, LAFAYETTE, Marquis de

By Horatio Greenough, ca. 1831–1833

Marble, 26 x 24 x 12 in.

Gift of Horatio S. Greenough, son of the sculptor, January 26, 1898.

The best-known of the Frenchmen who fought against the British in the American Revolution, Lafayette, born an aristocrat, arrived in Philadelphia in 1777 at the age of nineteen with a commission as major general. At Brandeywine he served on Washington's staff, beginning a lifelong friendship with the future president. In 1779 he returned to France and persuaded King Louis XVI to send a 6,000 man expeditionary army to aid the colonists. His best showing was at Yorktown in 1781, when he forced the British commander Lord Cornwallis to retreat across Virginia. Returning to France in 1782 he was promoted to brigadier general.

On a much heralded tour of America in 1824, Lafayette, who was now the last surviving general of the Revolution, came to Boston. He was received in Doric Hall, and addressed the General Court from the original House Chamber. Less successful back in France in his later years, however, he was almost tried for treason after the monarchy was overthrown in 1830 for his efforts to suppress radical democrats.

Horatio Greenough, seeking a commission that would secure his place in the art world, imposed on his friend, author James Fenimore Cooper, in Paris, to obtain permission to model a bust of Lafayette. The general was much in demand, however, and Greenough waited several weeks for the first sittings. The result was several identical busts, carved upon his return to America, including the one at the State House. Toga-draped in the classical tradition, with a hint of the idealization, Greenough has communicated Lafayette's considerable height and physique through the thick neck and broad shoulders crossed by the military sword strap. Yet he has also captured furrowed brow and sagging jowls of the aged general, to reinforce the public's memory of the revered patriot. Similar versions of this bust are at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Since 1935 the twentieth day of May is celebrated as Lafayette Memorial Day in Massachusetts. In recognition of his lasting contribution to Franco-American friendship and cooperation, a plaque was installed in Doric Hall in 1992.

SUMNER, Charles

By Martin Milmore, 1869

Marble, 30 x 28 x 16 in.

Gift of A. A. Lawrence and others, April 27, 1869.

Sumner, the outspoken senior senator from Massachusetts, was aligned with both President Lincoln and Governor Andrew during the war on issues of slavery and emancipation, delivering landmark speeches that brought him into conflict with political and citizens alike. In recognition of his long and distinguished representation of the Commonwealth, he is honored at the State House with a painting by Henry Ulke and this bust by Milmore. One of three busts by the sculptor in the collection, this is all the more remarkable since Milmore was only twenty when he modeled this.

The bust probably was installed in Doric Hall in one of the niches created during mid-nineteenth century renovations (since removed), until it was relocated in the Chamber upon the Senate's occupancy in 1898. Another version of this bust is in the collection of the U. S. Senate, dated 1875.

Musket: "Parker Firearm"

American, light fowler, mid-18th century
Walnut (?), iron, later brass plates
Overall length: 59 3/4 in., barrel length: 44 in., length to trigger pull: 46 1/2 in., .62 caliber

Bequeathed by Rev. Theodore Parker, grandson of John Parker, 1861.

The trigger guard is of Dutch form but is probably American-made. The butt-plate tang is of the stepped design favored in British military and hunting guns.

Despite service during the French and Indian War, Parker, a farmer and mechanic in rural Lexington, would most likely not have owned a traditional military firearm, but rather one more suitable for hunting such as this fowling piece. It is not known if Parker, as the captain of the Lexington Minutemen, actually fired this weapon on that historic morning, but his musket is one of the rare documented artifacts of the day.

Parker died less than six months after the Battle at Lexington, his firearm and other personal effects descending to his children. Despite its uniqueness among extant artifacts, firearms were expensive and continued to be used long after the Revolution, evidenced by extensive burn-back, as well as modernization or replacement of many parts, probably during the 1820s.

Musket: "King's Arm"

British, Longland pattern musket, 1756 (Grice lock dated 1762)
Walnut, iron, steel, later brass plates
Overall length: 62 in., barrel length 45 15/16 in., .765 caliber

Bequeathed by Rev. Theodore Parker, grandson of John Parker, 1861.

The 43rd Regiment of Foot was one of the units that marched from Boston through Lexington to Concord on April 19, 1775. The 43rd suffered both captures and casualties that morning, particularly on the retreat from Concord, and this musket was likely retrieved from one of those soldiers. It bears internal assembly marks, crown property and proof marks, company and rack numbers that place it with this light infantry unit. It was given to Captain Parker in recognition of his leadership at the historic standoff at Lexington earlier that day, during which the colonies suffered the first casualties of the War for Independence.

On January 26, 1861 both Parker muskets were accepted for the Commonwealth by Governor John A. Andrew and via joint convention were transferred to the Senate, where they have hung together in the Senate ever since.

Seal of the Commonwealth

By unknown artist, 1847

Painted and gilt wood

Commissioned under Res. February 24, 1847.

In the gallery, over the President's rostrum, is a large carving of the 19th century version of the coat of arms of the Commonwealth adopted in 1780. The heraldry can be traced back as far as 1639 when Massachusetts settlers adopted a seal that depicted a Native American with an unstrung bow and a down-pointed arrow. The background is painted blue, while the figure, shield and sword arm are gilded. The sword is a copy of one belonging to Miles Standish.

The design, originally engraved by Paul Revere, was further refined in 1898. Variations appeared until the official seal of the Commonwealth was standardized in 1908; this now includes the motto Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty).

Recent investigative analysis reveals that despite several layers of restoration and reinforcement, the coat-of-arms appears essentially as it did when it was fabricated at a cost of $375.25 for the original House Chamber over 160 years ago.

COOLIDGE, John Calvin

By Edmund Charles Tarbell, 1925

Oil on canvas, 100 x 47 in.

Commissioned by the Commonwealth under General Laws, ch. 8, sec. 19A.
Accepted under Res. 1925, ch. 2. Unveiled May 20, 1926.

By the time he received this commission, Tarbell was a leading member of the Boston School of artists, specializing in portraits and impressionist landscapes and interiors. He painted the portrait of President Coolidge in Swampscott, and in his New Hampshire studio during the summer of 1925. This remains one of the treasures of the Collection: an elegant full-length portrait from life of the sitting president executed in Tarbell's mature style, with great subtly in the handling of many shades of black and white.

Although commissioned by the Commonwealth to mark his term as governor, the portrait was installed in the Senate to honor Coolidge as the only Senate President of Massachusetts to rise to the presidency of the United States.

HARRINGTON, Kevin

By Richard Wheeler Whitney, 1979

Oil on canvas, 60 x 40 in.

Gift of friends of Kevin Harrington, May 11, 1979

Richard Whitney received the commission for this portrait through Vose Galleries of Boston, and painted it at Mr. Harrington's home in Salem over the course of three months. Whitney recalled that the commission was for a three-quarter length portrait, and he was greatly concerned over how to paint the 6 ft. 6 in. Harrington, and thus chose a seated pose. A chair from the Senate was brought to Salem for which Harrington was undoubtedly grateful, since the sittings often lasted as long as six hours each. "He's tough," Whitney remembered, "but he has a sense of humor. So he sat in an authoritative manner, but the cigar added to the casualness he also possessed. He told jokes all the time, so he's painted with a crack of a smile, hinting at the humor beneath. I think he was an easy man to capture…he was just delightful. We talked politics all the time and he was just fascinating."

BULGER, William M.

By Warren and Lucia Prosperi, 2007

Oil on canvas, 45 1/2 x 30 in.

Presumed to be a gift of the sitter.

Commissioned from Boston artists Warren and Lucia Prosperi, this portrait depicts Bolger seated at the rostrum of the Senate Chamber. The realistic style, based closely on photographs of the sitter taken in situ, captures the Senate President in an attentive, yet contemplative pose. Although he sits in a tightly compressed space, amid many pieces of furniture, room features, and even unseen companions, the artists' strong, even handling of all elements prevents them from overwhelming the portrait.

TRAVAGLINI, Robert E.

By Tomas Ouellette, 2008

Oil on canvas, 50 x 40 in.

Gift of Robert E. Travaglini, June 25, 2008.

Travaglini ran for the Senate in 1992, and within the decade was guiding the upper house as president through a period of great fiscal instability, as well as leading reforms in healthcare and human services.

After three years Travaglini passed the gavel to his colleague Therese Murray, and commissioned a portrait from Boston artist Thomas Ouellette to mark his tenure. Although a self-described contemporary realist, Ouellette followed Travaglini's request and depicted him in the office of the Senate President (constructed in the eighteenth century), with images of his predecessors placed on the wall behind him. For inspiration, the artist looked to Gilbert Stuart, the leading portrait artist of the federal period, and adopted the low horizon line, exterior column, and dramatic sky often seen in Stuart's political portraits. Even the pattern created by the parted drapes, reflected most obviously in the sails of the boat, can be seen throughout the composition.

Bay State Light Infantry Flag

By unknown fabricator, 1852

Silk, blue, 48 x 66 in., painted on each side with state coat-of-arms and 13 gold stars

Given to Governor Calvin Coolidge through James Beatty, Sergeant-at-Arms, by Rep. Frank Barrows in behalf of Hannah Bartlett Griffith Shaw, Carver, Mass, December 20, 1920.

Company K of Carver, Mass., was raised by Thomas B. Griffith and others under Special Order No, 21, June 1852, and incorporated into the 3rd Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division. The regiment was selected to help fill the state's quota of the first call of President Lincoln for troops to defend the U. S. Capitol in April 1861, after which it was eventually depleted in order to fill other calls for volunteers. Griffith, a prominent Carver businessman, remained associated with the unit until the late 1860s and likely was given the old banner in thanks for his service. It was installed in the Senate Reception Room in 1921.

Bergere

By George Bright , ca. 1797

Mahogany, ash, leather, 32 x 24 x 21 1/2 in.

Purchased for the new State House, 1797.

Boston cabinetmaker George Bright (1726–1805) made thirty of these barrel-backed chairs for the "Agents for building the new State House." The bergere form had been popular in Europe since the early eighteenth century. It is characterized by a continuous upholstered back and closed sides, and usually has a loose cushion on its deeper-than-usual seat. The State House examples end in fluted arm supports. Only one remains here, and is among the earliest documented pieces of furniture in the collection. The other chairs were dispersed among members of the legislature during the mid-nineteenth century—most are now in museums, including the Bostonian Society, Historic New England, and Winterthur. A reproduction stands nearby.

Another, larger set of mahogany bergeres, covered in black horsehair, dates to the early nineteenth century. These have the characteristic fluid back and sides, but feature taller frames with splayed crest rails and scroll arms that date to the later Empire and Directoire styles.

Among the many other examples of New England furniture in the room is a set of twentieth century Jacobean Revival high-backed arm chairs with black upholstery. The style is easily identified by its tall sloped back, long slender arms, and carved legs and stretchers that recall the handcrafted character of early seventeenth century English furniture. Three variations of this chair are among the nine on view. Five bear the name of their former occupants, including William Saltonstall and Kevin Harrington.