Your guide to the region's top events, mixed with some commentary about life, media, gossip and politics in Washington, DC.
|
Washingtoniana: What's Up With Those Horse Statues?
In this week’s edition of Washingtoniana—our Thursday feature where we collect your questions about Washington and do some sleuthing to find the answers—we find out the significance of various bronze equestrian military statues scattered throughout the area.
By
Jesseka Kadylak
Photo by Flickr user dbking
“What’s the deal with the statues on horses? Is there any significance to them? I’ve heard that there’s some significance when their front leg is lifted.” - Liz Palmer Several readers were wondering the same thing, Liz. With help from a reference librarian and good old-fashioned Internet digging, we’ve got it covered.
The equestrian statue, with a horse-mounted rider, dates back to ancient Rome, when military leaders and emperors commissioned bronze statues to emphasize their leadership roles. Eventually, they were melted down and the bronze was reused for other statues. The only remaining equestrian statue in Rome is that of Marcus Aurelius on Capitoline Hill.
There was a resurgence of equestrian statues during the Renaissance, and the style made its way to the United States in the 1850s. The art form became less popular when horses lost their status as work and war animals in the 20th century, according to Lida Churchville, reference librarian at the Historical Society of Washington.
The 1853 statue of Major General Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Park is the oldest full-scale equestrian sculpture in the United States. Clark Mills sculpted it in celebration of Jackson’s triumph over the British in the Battle of New Orleans, the last battle of the War of 1812. According to Churchville, it’s the first American sculpture to have a rider on a rearing horse.
After the Civil War, equestrian statues served as memorials to battle deaths. Legend has it that if the horse has one leg raised, the rider was harmed during the battle. If the horse is standing upright on its hind legs, the rider is said to have died in battle, and if all four hooves are on the ground, the rider survived the battle unharmed.
While some statues do follow that tradition—maybe out of coincidence—many statues in the District do not:
• In Jackson’s statue, mentioned earlier, the horse has two hooves raised, but Jackson died at the Hermitage in June 1845, not in battle.
• On the Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson statue in Manassas, all four hooves of the horse are on the ground, but he was injured by some of his own men when returning to his troops. He died days later, which means that the horse should have one leg raised if it were to follow tradition.
• James McPherson sits atop a horse with one raised hoof in the downtown-DC square that bears his last name. During the Civil War, he was killed during battle by the Confederates. To follow tradition, he should be seated on a rearing horse.
The handy myth-debunking Web site Snopes.com has even more statues in Washington that break with tradition.
To learn more, Churchville suggests picking up The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, DC by architectural historian James M. Goode. Have a question about the Washington area? Send it to eleaman@washingtonian.com, and we might answer it in an upcoming column. More>> Capital Comment Blog | News & Politics | Society Photos
|
Category Tags: Washingtoniana
Comments
7 At the end of the air filled with the desire to shop, windows everywhere Sale, the people involved in purchasing again and again the tide. As long as you look accurate, it is cheaper to buy a variety of favorite long can the good goods. can be concentrated in such raids without reckoning wanton procurement, but also easy to lose, so their reduced to "junk woman".
shopping, celebrities have always charge the former, experience is particularly rich . The stars of the shopping in Hong Kong after discount on large numbers of summer vacation in Hong Kong were more strongly into China. But the star, after all, not a fashion designer, was at a higher level, the reason gold, this issue also invite more place the most active designers and fashion people, personally surgeon, to help you sort out the change of the fashion pulse of new and old, peeling silkworm spinning, out of season rush to buy discount focus and dedication from their losses and gains experience.
Cecilia
raids Location: Times Square, Causeway Bay shopping
focus: the rebate, is cost-effective to buy cosmetics. In addition, Times Square, selling all kinds of girls clothing all year round, it is suitable for Cecilia’s style.
link Beijing: China Friendship Department Store < br> bag bargains key: even if a discount, the top big things, or very expensive. Therefore, learning to Cecilia, a down to meet their own tastes, purchasing power of local girls shopping for their installed it.
Vision Xuan
1. Fast shipping ,Best quaity products,
2. Payment Method : Accept Paypal,Western Union ,Money Gram,
3. and give free shipping, Accept the smallest order,
4. EMS,DHL,TNT,FEDEX etc.
Welcome into our WEB: http://www.cheapsneakercn.com
or http://www.newsneakerswholesale.com
raids Location: Pacific Place shopping
focus: Jessica, said: "buying things, the mood is most important, a discount is still followed. discount when the mind to keep the wrong reason will not buy a shirt. "seasonal, the Pacific Place and other brands such as D & G will hit 5 discount, shoppers are crazy. Jessica shopping frenzy does not belong to the girl, she likes to enjoy a leisurely way to try on clothes in the environment.
Link Beijing: Palace Hotel
bag bargains focus: a world-class brand of seasonal goods, but also enjoy five-star shopping environment. discount store dressing room to be some period of long lines, very annoying.
Carina Lau
mop Location: Central, The Landmark
shopping points: famous discount, the Carina is often the first time in the Landmark in Central to buy some clothes. waiting there almost every day, paparazzi photographed celebrities visiting the shop shapes and sizes. If there were paparazzi be exposed Shu Qi in the Landmark bought the former boyfriend Dawn LV purse.
link Beijing: International Trade
bag bargains focus: mature women have the economic strength of the F1 layer of the LV,cheap jordan shoes, Max & Mara and other big discount, absolutely immense interest.
Shirley
1. Fast shipping ,Best quaity products,
2. Payment Method : Accept Paypal,Western Union ,Money Gram,
3. and give free shipping, Accept the smallest order,
4. EMS,DHL,TNT,FEDEX etc.
Welcome into our WEB: http://www.cheapsneakercn.com
or http://www.newsneakerswholesale.com
raids Location: City Plaza shopping
points: Shirley admitted that discount when buying more for the family, prefer the design of flu in some famous small jewelry, see the chic, will be more to buy some souvenirs. Shirley that time to the mid-range priced discount shopping, more affordable, cost-effective.
link Beijing: Oriental Plaza
bag bargains focus :louis vuitton handbags There are many new jewelry store in particular is worth watching.nike shoes
Tsang
raids Location: Causeway Bay shopping Crawford
key: Do not look to see Eric Tsang, in fact, but his authentic "human fashion . "discount in August each year seven seasons, Crawford boutique often as low as 6 fold, Eric Tsang usually discounted selection of men’s time,replica IWC, including attending events to wear suits, usually wear casual clothes when shopping and so on.
Link Beijing: Lufthansa
bag bargains focus: Lufthansa Men do not fancy, but definitely has the quality of content, clothing brands such as BOSS, Xenia class brand, should be the successful man not to be missed Taobao focus.
Anthony Wong
raids Location: Causeway Bay SOGO SOGO shopping
focus: shopping is clearly not just a small girl’s patent, even if it rough as Anthony Wong’s "character man" is also keen to Shopping, I once SOGO SOGO Department Store in Causeway Bay and saw Anthony Wong, accompanied by the Assistant buy clothes. He admitted that from time to time the discount SOGO activities is to attract one of the reasons he went. Anthony Wong preference with punk-style clothing, hand-painted T-shirts and with nail jeans will let Anthony Wong put it down.
link Beijing: SOGO, Parkson
bag bargains key: do not discount timing activities,mbt shoes give you a lot of value for money windfall.
Ekin Cheng
mop Location: Sai Yee Street, (Shoes Street)
shopping focus: not so in love with actress and cosmetics to buy pretty dresses everywhere, like the movement of Ekin Cheng usually buy more emphasis on sports and leisure shoes, so Sneaker Street in Mong Kok he must be free to visit the place. Shoes Street stores selling NIKE, ADIDAS and so on of the newest sports and leisure shoes are usually sold at prices of seven Bazhe it off for the birth does not know how frugal is Ekin Cheng It is a very economical choice, so he does not shoot as long as it will go to buy a few pairs of sneakers Street favorite shoes home.
link Beijing: SOGO Oriental Plaza Sports 100
bag bargains Focus: Sports class clothing. Movement like you, discount,mbt shoes be sure to buy some more.
She Poetry Man
raids Location: Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui shopping
points: Poetry Man She always busy filming, not so ordinary girl visit this store a lot of time, so she likes to Harbour City, you can also see the works of famous fashion designers and international famous brand stores, discount focus when, against a lot of things to be able to Amoy.
Link Beijing: World all Stores
bag bargains focus: people who do not have much time, the best brands on all of this high place,replica Rolex, one will be able to scrape together almost.
1. Fast shipping ,Best quaity products,
2. Payment Method : Accept Paypal,Western Union ,Money Gram,
3. and give free shipping, Accept the smallest order,
4. EMS,DHL,TNT,FEDEX etc.
Welcome into our WEB: http://www.cheapsneakercn.com
or http://www.newsneakerswholesale.com
Posted by: sneakercn, Jun 29, 2011 05:05:13 AM
you so dumb it means that he died from a wond from battle a short time after battle
Posted by: bitch, Apr 26, 2010 07:18:46 AM
Jackson died after the battle of Chancellorsville - about two years after Manassas. The statue is correct for that battle.
Posted by: mcd, Oct 07, 2008 08:19:53 AM
I’ve also been that the circles, most with statues, in Washington were purposely place 2 cannon ranges apart so the City would be defensible from any point? Is this true, in whole or part?
Posted by: Kay Larson, Oct 06, 2008 10:32:04 PM
|
Post a comment
Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. Because of the prevalence of spam, we ask that you fill out the code in the image below to help us eliminate spam comments. By posting here, you affirm that you are 13 years of age or older. Washingtonian.com reserves the right to remove or edit content once posted.
|
|
|
