Existing comment:
Peter C. L'Enfant
Peter C. L'Enfant, an aristocratic French student of architecture and drawing, joined the American Revolution in 1777 and saw combat. His artistic talents and personal ambition led to commissions to design patriotic emblems and public buildings for the new nation. In March 1791, President Washington appointed him to plan the new seat of government. L'Enfant's elegant plan, with the Capitol at its center, created the grand avenues, vistas, and ceremonial spaces of today's national capital. |