Art: Countess in the Capitol

Washington's Capitol guides were just beginning their chants one day last week when a tiny, blue-eyed woman with curly grey hair strode into the rotunda. While sightseers gawked, she hopped spryly on to a roped-off platform, sat down on John Trumbull's huge (13 by 18 ft.) Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, which was lying flat there, and started touching up Trumbull's paint. Marie Francisca Kalnoky, a full-fledged, two-castle Hungarian countess who fled Europe in 1949, was busy at her latest job: giving some of the Capitol's historic paintings their first restoration in 80 years....

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