Connecticut State Capitol |
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A Local Look: The Gold Road to Connecticut’s Gilding Industry Then & Now
The Gilded Age spanned from the middle to the late 19th century. During that time, Hartford, Connecticut underwent many reforms and prosperous endeavors. A period when a few wealthy families compounded their riches during the Industrial Revolution because the trans-continental railroad made it possible to quickly ship steel and other goods to any part of the country. “The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today” by Mark Twain satirizes greed and political corruption in post-Civil War America. The mentioned author is one Canning is quite familiar with, perhaps more than most for having performed past restoration work at his home in Hartford, Connecticut - known today to be a National Landmark Mark Twain House and Museum. In high demand during The Gilded Age and benefiting largely from the industry boom were goldbeaters. Goldbeating is the technique of cutting gold bars into ribbons, beating them down with special hammers, stacking the ribbons, and then beating them down once more into gold leaf as thin as three millionths of an inch. This would be the beginning for young Matthew Swift, founder of The Swift Factory – Hartford, Connecticut, who would grow his gold leaf gilding empire through the decades..
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A notable opportunity the Swift Factory provided gold leaf for was the National Landmark Connecticut State Capitol. In 1942, at the height of M. Swift & Sons’ business, the company was awarded a contract to supply gold leaf required for the re-gilding of the Connecticut State Capitol dome. Nearly a decade after the first contract, M. Swift & Sons was contracted again in 1965 for the same request.
In its complete history, The Swift Factory operated for over a century from 1887 to 2005, and has now been listed since 2013 with the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a National Historic Landmark. The decision to close shop resulted from the free market establishment in 1968 - diminishing the gold standard - and the unfortunate death of the remaining Swift Factory owner M. Allen Smith - grandson to founder Matthew Swift. Throughout history, gilding has been employed to accentuate details, decoration, and craftsmanship, and it remains a significant detail in art and architecture today.
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Connecticut State Capitol close-up from 1980's project showing the composite decoration that was designed by John Canning along with some of the decorative painting, and gilding. |
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John Canning & Co. has also made an tremendous impact at the Connecticut State Capitol and even used Swift gold leaf for some of our initial gilding work at the Capitol. As an expert in restoration of historic finishes, Canning was first called upon for restoration services at the Connecticut State Capitol in the 1980's, and has continued to be called upon through the years with the most recent project being completed earlier this year. Initially master tradesman, John Canning was first called upon to be a consultant for the decoration and restoration of the Capitol by architect Dominic Cimino and later the Canning company went on to implement the work required for the entire interior building restoration. The Connecticut State Capitol was the first state capitol that Canning worked on and the first Capitol in the United States to undergo a complete comprehensive restoration for both the interior and exterior. This was a huge and significant project since other state Capitols used it as a model to guide them in their preservation and conservation work, studying the conservation methods, materials used and the history of the building's decoration while asking advice on how to carry out such work in an active building. A couple of those state capitols that used the Connecticut State Capitol project as a model included Michigan State Capitol and Pennsylvania State Capitol, both of which Canning has had the pleasure to perform multiple restoration and conservation projects at over the years.
There are a lot of important details and factors that went into Canning’s Connecticut State Capitol projects but taking just a glimpse at some of the details, our services have included the design and execution of conservation and restoration work in multiple spaces of the Richard Mitchell Upjohn's building whose interior was designed and executed by William James McPherson. Some notable areas of Canning's work include the House of Representatives, Senate Chambers, Hall of Flags, Judiciary Room, Atria, Dome, Statue of Genius, and Public Spaces. Note, the present day Senate Chamber was originally the State Library that was never decorated to the same level as the rest of the interior. It was decided in the restoration to decorate the Senate Chambers to the same high victorian decoration as the rest of the building. In order to accomplish this, John Canning designed a composite decoration keeping with the McPherson aesthetic style consisting of motifs found in the wall decoration of the old Library (which had been buried between the balcony floor and new caucus room, encapsulating some of the original designs and colors of the Library) and motifs lifted from the old original Senate Chamber ceiling (now the Judiciary Room).
Conservation and restoration services we have performed through the years at the Capitol include gilding, historic paint analyses, plaster conditions analysis, decorative painting, wood restoration, mural conservation, ornamental plaster, as well as plaster stabilization, repair, and restoration. Most recently we worked on the restoration of finishes that included decorative painting and gold leafing for the interior East and West Atria which was part of a larger extensive atrium skylight project. We are excited that this most recent Connecticut Capitol project will be receiving an Preservation Connecticut Award of Merit at the recognition event in May.
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Connecticut State Capitol close-up of work from most recent skylight atrium project that included decorative painting and gilding. |
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Canning’s gilding impact goes beyond the work at the Connecticut State Capitol’s interior. These decorative finishing techniques can be employed in all types of buildings besides civic buildings, such as sacred spaces, educational institutions, and entertainment venues alike. Some projects Canning has incorporated gilding at across the state include: Connecticut Old State House- Hartford, Waterbury City Hall- Waterbury, Eno Memorial Hall- Simsbury, Milford Town Hall- Milford, Horace Bushnell Memorial Theater- Hartford, Yale University ( Divinity School, Battell Chapel, Manuscripts and Archives Library)- New Haven, Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum- Norwalk, Aetna Insurance Dome- Hartford, St. Panteleimon Russian Orthodox Church- Hartford, San Joselito’s Chapel- Norwalk, Saint Mary’s Church- New Haven, St. Mary Church-Willimantic, Saint Mary Roman Catholic Church- Norwalk, Cathedral of St. Patrick- Norwich, Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist- Stamford and St. Thomas More- Darien.
Canning’s gilding work extends far and wide beyond Connecticut, including notable projects such as the Pennsylvania State Capitol, The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, San Francisco War Memorial Opera House and Radio City Music Hall. A delicately everlasting material, gold leaf has and continues to signify prominence. Whether conserving, restoring, or selecting a type of leaf for a new design, remember to consider the architecture and understand the true intent of its use. The brilliance of this work requires the hand of skilled and experienced artisans to achieve the desired effect, and it is important to consider this fact when selecting a contractor for a gilding project. In preparation, be sure to create an effective specification for the work to be done, and take the time to find the right specialty contractor for the job.
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Latest Articles & Announcements |
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Beginner's Guide to Gilding with Tips & Techniques |
Looking to grow your gilding knowledge? One of the most important tips for gilding projects is to make sure a knowledgeable and experienced professional is present to perform the gilding - that could be you! In our latest blog, we talk about water vs. architectural gilding and the process involved for each.
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| Paint Consolidation: What is it & How It’s Used |
Paint consolidation is the process of re-adhering paint layers to the base to preserve the work of the original artist. The need for consolidation may arise as a result of age, environmental changes, direct damage, or previous repairs to the artwork. Unlike surface cleaning or inpainting where visual results are immediate, consolidation is a laborious yet necessary process in stabilizing the relationship between the existing paint layers and the base before any cosmetic repairs. The consolidation process should never alter the appearance of the artwork.
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In celebration of St. Patrick – St. Patrick’s Day this month, Canning wanted to share some of our works at a few different locations – In preparing for plaster restoration at St. Patrick’s Parish in Lawrence, MA, our firm used historic images to guide our conditions assessment. Findings revealed a portion of the historic plaster ceiling had collapsed due to failing plaster keys, resulting in the plaster delaminating from the structural wood lath framing. Another notable church to mention is the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich, CT where Canning created a triptych for the back wall of the sanctuary that would simulate stained glass windows - featuring St. Patrick. Using a variety of gilding, transparent glazes, and metallic paint, our final product illuminates the sanctuary adding visual interest for the congregation and a majestic backdrop to the baldacchino. Finally, at St. Patrick’s Parish in Lowell, MA the team of Canning conservators, analysts, artists, decorators, designers, and tradesmen uncovered original colors, decorative patterns, and finishes, conserved 24 murals, restored Stations of the Cross, repaired and stabilized plaster - notably a Statue of St. Patrick, and conserved the scagliola columns. Our specialists cleaned and polished the fine-art marble sculptures of saints, angels, and the ornate altar, as well as, painted the new cry room and confessionals using a woodgraining technique.
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Canning is proud to have been on two project sites that were recently recognized by the U.S. General Services Administration at the 2024 GSA Construction Awards. Congratulations to Meridien Group LLC on being awarded Merit in Outstanding Subcontractor for project Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, John Canning & Co.’s involvement included stone cleaning, stone restoration, and gilding preservation. Most notably, our firm performed Sphinxstone wall and column repair throughout the space. Sphinxstone is a cast acoustic material simulating stone surprisingly made of seashell. Our innovative approach to using both traditional materials – sea shells – and techniques allowed for a sensitive restoration to maintain the historical character and properties of the original simulated limestone.
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Similarly, congratulations to The Christman Company for the Merit in Capital Projects award for project Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse. Here Canning was responsible for the conservation and restoration of the ceilings and decorative finishes in the historic corridors and lobbies. Minor plaster repairs of ornamental details were performed throughout the plaster ceilings, remaining original decorative painting finishes were conserved and inpainted, and any decorative painting removed from the plaster repairs was reinstated. The U.S. General Services Administration recognizes exemplary achievements demonstrating construction excellence on GSA projects of all sizes.
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This month The Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH returned to its hometown in Bridgeport, CT. Celebrating the return of this nationally known entertainment, an evening gala and show mesmerized all – an experience John Canning & Co. was pleased to sponsor and support. The Barnum Museum is currently still undergoing a decade-long restoration process resulting from an EF-1 tornado that struck the Barnum Museum in 2010. Read more about the Barnum Museum restoration.
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Upcoming – Thursday, April 18, 2024 – Connecticut Architecture Foundation (CAF) will host the 2024 Distinguished Leadership Award. The Foundation works by funding educational programs and opportunities, providing grants for research and awarding scholarships to promising students pursuing an education in architecture.
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Interested in Seeing More of Our Work? Follow Us on TikTok! |
Canning artisans apply size adhesive & gold leaf gilding techniques to 10 ornamental elements for exterior use. The benefits of using authentic gold leaf instead of paint are clear. Gold leaf will provide a longer-lasting, more beautiful look than paint.
Additionally, gold leaf will be less expensive in the long run due to its longer lifespan and resistance to sunlight and water. For these reasons, it's recommended to choose gold leaf over paint for outdoor gilding projects. |
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We understand the importance in sharing our expertise and knowledge in our field. Besides the monthly newsletter and blogs we post, we also develop and share downloadable resources to help guide you in your conservation, preservation and restoration projects. Check out the Resources page and see if any of the resources can help answer some of your questions and provide a better understanding of some of the intricacies in the preservation field.
Check out our Featured Downloadable Resource below.
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Design and aesthetics should be considered when determining the type of leaf to use on exterior versus interior gilding. Exterior gilding is often used on larger surfaces, such as domes or cupolas, and may feature bolder designs that are visible from a distance. Interior gilding, on the other hand, may be used on smaller surfaces, such as decorative accents, and may feature more intricate designs or details that are visible up close. Download Canning’s guide to learn more about exterior gilding.
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As a national nonprofit preservation organization, the National Trust for Historic Preservation works to save America's historic places and is a great resource for anyone looking to learn more or get involved. |
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The American Institute for Conservation and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation work together to promote the preservation and protection of cultural heritage. Partner with us to further that mission. |
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION #PerfectingPreservation #jcanningcrew |
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