The Unfinished Art of Kentucky's Dome | Louisville News

The Kentucky State Capitol’s dome, now wrapped in scaffolding, hides a century-old artistic mystery: Governor Augustus Wilson once commissioned famed artist Francis Millet—known for his role in designing the Lincoln Memorial—to paint its pendentives, but the $350,000 quote (roughly $4 million today) killed the project. Millet, who’d toured the capitol to offer his vision, never got to finish it—he and his friend, Major Archibald Butt (a presidential aide with Louisville ties), perished aboard the Titanic. The pendentives remained blank for 100 years until 2009, finally completed and dedicated in 2010, leaving behind a haunting legacy of unrealized art. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3b94a376faf393be