A rare glimpse inside the Temple of Liberty

By LINDA HERRICK

Former Auckland artist Peter Waddell, who has been based in Washington DC for some years, has been given the rare opportunity to work inside the Capitol's Temple of Liberty, which was completed in 1826 and remains a symbol of George Washington's vision for the new country's future.

From that access, Waddell has produced 20 extraordinarily detailed oils which reveal interior architectural and decorative details most of us would never be allowed to see.

Inside the Temple of Liberty opens at the Octagon Museum on Thursday, hosted by the US Capitol Historical Society and the Board of Regents of the American Architectural Foundation; it runs until October, accompanied by a series of talks, tours and workshops.