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Finally, one piece of documentary evidence was found that might relate to the finish on the columns.  When President Madison wrote President Jefferson in April of 1800 to ask what the best method to finish his columns was, part of Jefferson’s response included the reference for a plaster layer "the thickness of a knife blade” for finishing the surface of a brick-cored column.  The plaster found by Dr. Buck on the columns is very thin and can be described as thick as a knife blade.  After all the evidence was analyzed, it was determined that the columns had been plastered white during President Madison's retirement at Montpelier and that the Madisons had possibly whitewashed the columns at some point between ca. 1812 and ca. 1844 when they sold Montpelier.

3b

A detail of the thin, 19th century plaster and paint finish found on the Colonnade columns.