Throughout its history, the consciousness of Washington D.C.'s national and international importance has guided the layout of its public spaces and the design of its public buildings. For George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the Founding Figures most responsible for overseeing the initial design and direction of the Capitol, America's principle legislative building should be a unique architectural expression of the country's new political system. However, creating a structure of such significance presented numerous pragmatic and political difficulties, as well as changing symbolic intensions, as Revolutionary-era iconography gave way to that expressive of national expansion. In Temple of Liberty, Pamela Scott presents an in-depth exploration of the first United States Capitol begun in 1793 but not completed until 1916 with the placement of sculpture in the House wing's pediment. This fascinating work is an accompaniment to the "Temple of Liberty" exhibition scheduled to be held at the Madison Gallery of the Library of Congress in the Spring of 1995--an exhibition of original prints, drawings, and documents that depict a young nation building its first and most significant architectural symbol. Together, the book and exhibition will offer a new understanding of the role of this important building in the history of American architecture and evolution of our government.

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