United States Capitol
Washington DC
2019

Antonio Capellano's relief panel "Preservation of Captain Smith by Pocahontas" above the West Door in the Capitol Rotunda, Washington DC

Preservation of Captain Smith by Pocahontas is a relief sculpture by Antonio Capellano that is carved into the sandstone walls of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda

• Artist: Antonio Capellano
• Location: Above the western door of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda
• Part of: A set of four relief panels depicting scenes from American colonial history
• Technique: True fresco, a difficult painting technique

https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/preservation-captain-smith-pocahontas-1606-relief-sculpture

The relief panel depicts the rescue of Captain John Smith by Pocahontas, the daughter of Chief Powhatan. The story of Smith's rescue is controversial, with some scholars believing Smith fabricated the event or misunderstood it.


The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government. It is located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

https://www.visitthecapitol.gov/explore/the-capitol

The United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., is a symbol of the American people and our government and the meeting place of the nation's legislature, the U.S. Congress. The Capitol is a working office building, but it is also the place where visitors from around the United States and the world come to learn about American democracy.

Construction of the Capitol began in 1793. In November 1800, Congress, along with the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court, moved into the newly completed north wing. The south wing was completed by 1807, but in 1814, the British burned the Capitol during the War of 1812. What is now the center portion of the Capitol was completed in 1826.

As the country expanded, more states came into the union and more representatives and senators arrived at the Capitol to represent these new states and their constituents.

Beginning in the 1850s, the Capitol had to grow to make room for these new representatives and senators. The first major construction project extended both wings and enlarged the Capitol Dome. Later, both the West Front and the East Front of the Capitol were expanded, and in 2008, the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center was completed.

Other buildings on the Capitol Grounds include:

• Office buildings for the House of Representatives and the Senate
• The Botanic Garden and the Library of Congress
• The Supreme Court

The Architect of the Capitol is the steward of these landmark buildings and grounds.