Description

"Spring Capitol" is one of Dad's few paintings of the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

The Capitol stands majestically in the distance, its dome gleaming under a light blue sky dotted with long, puffy clouds. The American flag waves proudly, a symbol of the freedom my family sought when we escaped Communist Hungary in 1956.

In the foreground, the reflecting pool mirrors the grandeur of the Capitol, its waters calm and serene. A line of visitors stands at the edge of the pool, shown adequately as simple colorful sticks. To the right, the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial monument stands tall, a tribute to a storied past. And the lawn in front of the Capitol is a brilliant green, bursting with the promise of spring.

Dad first visited Washington, D.C. in 1979 with my brother. He returned in 2008, this time with me. During both visits, he brought his easel along, setting it up, determined to capture the essence of this iconic scene.

• To see Dad's first painting of the U.S. Capitol, click here

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest, Hungary, Dad was a classically trained expressive impressionist. His art was not just about depicting scenes; it was about capturing emotions and the stories of scenes.

So, this watercolor is not just about the physical features of the Capitol but the spirit of the place – the important sense of hope and history that it embodies and the promise of freedom that America delivered to our family.

On this day in 2008, Dad saw and painted Spring Capitol. ❤️

Through My Father's Eyes