The monument became the responsibility of the Architect of the Capitol in 1973, when the circle on which it stands was made part of the United States Capitol Grounds. In the almost 100 years since its completion, the condition of the monument had deteriorated to such an extent that restoration became necessary. Carrara marble cannot withstand the outdoor environment, particularly modern acid rain, which dissolves the porous stone and leaves a sugary, crystalline surface. The marble was also disfigured by grime, dark lichen growths, and black crusts caused by pollution. Several limbs and objects were broken off through weathering or by protestors climbing the monument.
Conservation treatment in the spring of 1991 was preceded by analysis of the marble and the black crusts, and by testing the effectiveness of various consolidants. The monument was then thoroughly cleaned of grime and plant growth with water detergents and chemical agents. The black crusts were laboriously removed with toothbrushes. Fissures in the marble originally created by stresses in the stone and enlarged by the action of acid rain were filled. The major missing sculptural elements were replaced with casts in a lightweight cementitious material tinted to match the stone and attached with stainless steel rods. Finally, a special stone consolidant was repeatedly applied to harden the marble and to make it water repellent. This consolidant will need to be reapplied approximately every 10 years.
The conservation treatment markedly brightened the marble, brought out obscured details, and reintegrated the form and meaning of the sculptural groups. Although it was not possible to restore the monument to its original appearance, the surface having been significantly eroded in more than a century outdoors, further deterioration was arrested and the life of the monument has been prolonged.
Related work in 1990 included replacing stone curbing, resetting granite, repairing and repointing all of the masonry, laying new paving blocks in the circle, and repairing and waterproofing the fountain basin.
Conservation work in July 1999 included cleaning the marble with water under gentle pressure, replacing several missing pieces, and applying a "shelter coat" of lime to help extend the life of the sculpted figures, which have been eroded by acid rain.
Facing the Capitol is Peace, a classical figure draped from the waist down and holding an olive sprig. Below her are symbols of peace and industry. A dove, now missing and not documented in any known photographs, once nested upon a sheaf of wheat in a grouping of a cornucopia, turned earth, and a sickle resting across a sword. Opposite, the symbols of science, literature, and art (including an angle, a gear, a book, and a pair of dividers) signify the progress of civilization that peace makes possible.
At the corners of the monument, four marble globes are visually supported by massive brackets. The fountain below, with a jet on each side, empties into a quatrefoil-shaped basin.
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