Had to get out of the jail cell today too. On a lark I went to the Atlanta Cyclorama. No, it is not related to bicycles. It turned out to be one of the most interesting civil war sights I’ve been to yet.
It is one of a few remaining large scale paintings. It’s so large that it has its own building to display it in. I don’t remember if it is life sized or bigger than life sized, but it is a 360 degree representation of the final siege of Atlanta. The detail of of the painting is phenomenal. Imagine if you were back at the height of the battle and took a 360 degree digital image, it is that good. Smoke, mud, blood, charging horses....and the way it was presented really brought it all to life like nothing I’ve seen before.
The painting is hung against the walls of a circular building. The recently (mid-90s?) remodeled building has the audience climbing up to sit in a giant round shaped viewing area in the middle. (Imagine a round Imax theater) The painting is up against the wall, at least 40-50 feet in front of you. In-between the edge of the circular seating area and the flat painting is a 3D appropriately scaled diorama that magically melts into the painting. There are trenches, small dirt mounds, horses, soldiers, fences, trees, a railroad, a bridge...all things that extend from the painting. The narration begins and shines a light on a particular area of the painting and describes the details of a particular scene...a dying soldier’s story, which battalions line is failing, what general is on the horse overlooking the battle. As the narration goes on, the entire seating area pivots around so that you can see the entire painting and continue learning about the depicted scenes without ever getting up. The narration is complete with gun fire, cannon roar, screams of the injured. It is a truly amazing display.
Just outside is the train engine “The Texan”. It is the other half of the train duo in the “Great Locomotive Chase”. I saw “The General” at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History just down the road in Kennesaw. A really good little museum and great story.
I might be bored to death at work, but I’m learning alot about the Civil War!
The Texan
It is one of a few remaining large scale paintings. It’s so large that it has its own building to display it in. I don’t remember if it is life sized or bigger than life sized, but it is a 360 degree representation of the final siege of Atlanta. The detail of of the painting is phenomenal. Imagine if you were back at the height of the battle and took a 360 degree digital image, it is that good. Smoke, mud, blood, charging horses....and the way it was presented really brought it all to life like nothing I’ve seen before.
The painting is hung against the walls of a circular building. The recently (mid-90s?) remodeled building has the audience climbing up to sit in a giant round shaped viewing area in the middle. (Imagine a round Imax theater) The painting is up against the wall, at least 40-50 feet in front of you. In-between the edge of the circular seating area and the flat painting is a 3D appropriately scaled diorama that magically melts into the painting. There are trenches, small dirt mounds, horses, soldiers, fences, trees, a railroad, a bridge...all things that extend from the painting. The narration begins and shines a light on a particular area of the painting and describes the details of a particular scene...a dying soldier’s story, which battalions line is failing, what general is on the horse overlooking the battle. As the narration goes on, the entire seating area pivots around so that you can see the entire painting and continue learning about the depicted scenes without ever getting up. The narration is complete with gun fire, cannon roar, screams of the injured. It is a truly amazing display.
Just outside is the train engine “The Texan”. It is the other half of the train duo in the “Great Locomotive Chase”. I saw “The General” at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History just down the road in Kennesaw. A really good little museum and great story.
I might be bored to death at work, but I’m learning alot about the Civil War!
The Texan
No comments:
Post a Comment