Minnesota State Capitol artwork

Cass Gilbert, the architect of the Capitol building, had envisioned that the artworks would add "educational value" and provide for the "advancement of civilization and intelligence."

The Capitol rotunda, and each of the three chambers contain important murals expressed in allegorical symbolism created by Edward Emerson Simmons, Kenyon Cox, Edwin Howland Blashfield, Henry Oliver Walker, John La Farge.

[2] During the renovation, numerous paintings were criticized for their portrayals of Native Americans and were either moved to locations where expanded interpretation could be given or were removed from the building entirely.

In the planning of the Capitol building from 1896 to 1905, its architect Cass Gilbert had envisioned marble and bronze statuary on the exterior and numerous artworks in the interior.

[3] Gilbert sought out many of the finest artists of the period, such as Kenyon Cox, Elmer Garnsey, Edwin Howland Blashfield, Henry Oliver Walker, Edward Emerson Simmons, John La Farge, Douglas Volk, Francis D. Millet, Howard Pyle, and Rufus Fairchild Zogbaum.

In regards to The Progress of the State, one critic of the time encouraged Minnesotans to, "Take a sledge hammer and smash them Roman bronchos and that chariot!

[4] In 1971, the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board and the Minnesota Historical Society were entrusted to approve design, structural composition and location of all works of art.

Conservation included extracting grime, old yellowed varnish, and any overpainting done in past restorations using solvents when they could but also applying a variety of small tools.

Specifically, five of dome's zodiac lunettes and the fourth panel in the Simmons's Civilization of the Northwest mural series in the rotunda required the challenging task of being removed from the walls to conservation labs.

Shallow penetrations at the base of the dome form lunettes over each of the twelve windows, in which two putti hold a framed symbol of the zodiac which suggests the constellations in the skies above.

[24][3] In alcoves on the second floor of the Capitol, rotunda stand the larger-than-life statues of Civil War heroes John B. Sanborn, Alexander Wilkin, William Colvill, and James Shields.

[25] The statue of James Shields by Chicago artist Frederick Cleveland Hibbard is a second casting with the original at the Carroll County Courthouse, Carrollton, Missouri.

Because the original design work had been paid for by a state appropriation of $10,000 from the Missouri Legislature, Minnesota veteran groups were able to get a second casting from Daniels for $1,450 for placement in the Capitol rotunda.

[32] Backus also went on to design a bas relief bronze memorial plaque for the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, which is mounted on a wall on the Capitol's first floor.

Fighting in the Shenandoah Valley in March 1862, Shields delivered Stonewall Jackson's only defeat at the Battle of Kernstown and was gravely wounded in the process.

[35] Colonel William J. Colvill led the First Minnesota Regiment at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, the bloodiest battle ever fought on American soil.

[39] In 1905, Cass Gilbert advised the Board on a series of Civil War paintings for the room including their placement, subject matter and recommended the artists, of which he critiqued their work from first contact to final installation.

Gilbert prided himself in handling colors, materials, and spaces and in directing the work of decorators and designers, to create the aesthetic unity he envisioned.

[40] Gilbert rebuffed a self-appointed committee that sought to commission its own painting of the Battle of Gettysburg for the room, in the name of artistic integrity and maintaining the cohesion of his designs.

Francis D. Millet was commissioned to do two paintings for the room, The Fourth Minnesota Entering Vicksburg and The Treaty of Traverse des Sioux.

The Third Minnesota Entering Little Rock, placed in 1910 was painted by artist, Stanley M. Arthurs who was a student of Howard Pyle and an assistant of his on larger commissions.

Blashfield's painting focuses the eye on a Confederate officer, standing unarmed against the regiment's charge which was a conviction at the time that bravery could be found on both sides of the conflict.

A series of public input meetings were held around the state to gather feedback and consider options for new policies regarding art in the renovated building.

[46][47][48] In a common division of labor for turn-of-the-19th century mural projects, the grant staircase lunettes were designed by Elmer Garnsey and painted by his assistant Arthur R. Willett.

Each of the twelve smaller lunettes at the base of the skylight vault on either side of the east and west grand staircases depicts an occupation or industry found in early Minnesota.

The lunettes above the west grand staircase illustrate images reflecting agriculture, fur trading, hunting, dairy farming, logging, and horticulture.

The first lunette directly over the judges' bench, The Moral and Divine Law, depicts Moses on Mount Sinai and represents human conscience and divine law: the lunette above the entrance to the courtroom, titled The Relation of the Individual to the State, illustrates a moment in Plato's Republic where Socrates is at the home of Cephalus, debating concepts of justice.

The south mural, titled The Adjustment of the Conflicting Interests, shows Raymond, the Count of Toulouse taking an oath before the bishop and magistrate of his city.

Carlo Brioschi, an Italian immigrant to St. Paul, and his son Amerigo were commissioned to create a sculpture on the surface facing the House Chambers.

In the center, riding on the top of a cart filled with corn and wheat and pulled by oxen is a seated woman representing Minnesota who was modeled after a popular actress of the time, Mary Anderson.