Apotheosis

High above Abraham Lincoln, in the Dome of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda is America’s equivalent of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel: the Apotheosis of Washington, which depicts George Washington becoming a god (apotheosis).

George Washington sits between Liberty and Victory, surrounded by maidens representing the thirteen original states.

The immense fresco was painted by Greek-Italian artist Constantino Brumidi. The fresco is suspended 180 feet above the rotunda floor and covers an area of 4,664 square feet (433.3 m2). The figures painted are up to 15 feet (4.6 m) tall and are visible from the floor below.

The dome was completed in 1863, and Brumidi painted it over the course of 11 months at the end of the Civil War. He was paid $40,000 ($711,135 adjusted for inflation, as of 30 December 2009) for the fresco.

In one scene, Liberty and the Eagle join other heroic figures (and of course, you really should click the image):