The United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., is documented mid-construction in this CDV published by Masters & Immke, New Gallery, 80 Main Street, Princeton, Illinois, dating to the early 1860s when the dome and east wing extensions were still being completed. The view captures one of the most historically significant moments in the building's existence, with construction equipment visible at the base of the east front steps and the grounds in an unfinished state around the new Senate and House wings.

The Capitol is shown from a southeast angle with the new cast-iron dome rising fully above the central block, the Statue of Freedom visible atop the lantern, and the extended east portico with its colonnade and broad new steps in the foreground. Construction scaffolding or hoisting equipment is visible at the lower left of the steps, and several small figures stand on the steps. The Senate wing extends to the right with its full colonnade and unlandscaped grounds.

The Capitol dome was completed in December 1863 under the direction of architect Thomas U. Walter, and President Lincoln insisted construction continue throughout the Civil War as a symbol of national unity. The presence of the completed statue and the construction equipment on the east front suggests this photograph dates to approximately 1863 to 1865, when finishing work on the grounds and steps was ongoing.

The reverse bears the printed imprint of Masters & Immke, New Gallery, 80 Main Street, Princeton, Illinois, with the notation "Negatives Preserved," and penciled notations including "cdv11" and "25."