Richard Ezdorf (1848-1926)

Richard Ezdorf was the chief draftsman and interior designer for all wings but the southwing in the State War and Navy Building. He was raised in Venice and studied engineering, architectural design and history in European schools. He came to the United States about 1873 when he was 25, and joined the Treasury Department's Supervising Architect's office.

He began his work on the State, War and Navy Building in Washington, D.C. initially as a draftsman under Alfred Mullett, the building's architect. One year later he became the chief designer of the interior under the next three supervising architects of the Treasury. During his tenure, he designed the Navy and War Department Libraries, light fixtures, sculptural ornamentation and other decorative elements for the building.