A fresco painted on a wall in the U.S. Capitol, Washington, in 1857 was covered over with a new wall in a redecoration scheme of 1950. In the process the fresco was faced with a protective layer and a gap was left between this and the wall. Blueprints were left of the construction, but much important detail was missing. The painting had now to be removed to another part of the Capitol. The article describes how this was done from behind and how the fresco was mounted on a new support, strong but light. As the bricks were removed, the plaster had to be reinforced until the fresco could safely be taken out downwards and backwards and fixed to a new frame constructed of aluminium and wire mesh. The panel could now be transported by trolley and crane to its new position. Here it was bolted to a prepared frame in the wall, the facing was removed, and the paint surface retouched The article is illustrated with 23 half-tone photographs and detailed diagrams.