The Washington Post Slams Civil War History

publiusforum.com ^ | 09/22/08 | Warner Todd Huston

[Mobile Vulgus]

Well, I think the Post is wrong... how about you? Making a mountain out of a mole hill, here?

[P8riot]

Well if their pal Obama is elected, they’ll get a second chance to get their facts right. First hand.

[itsthejourney]

Whole lot of talk about a painting that wasn’t shown with the article.

[Hatteras]

IBSW!

[ought-six]

“Well if their pal Obama is elected, they’ll get a second chance to get their facts right. First hand.”

That’s a fact.

[Soliton]

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/09/refurbished_gettysburg_cyclora.html

[230FMJ]

Mr. Kennicott obviously subscribes to the Howard Zinn school of history. Marxists hate everything America stands for and will go to any length to destroy it.

[groanup]

ping

[BubbaBasher]

I remember seeing it on a grade school field trip 40 years ago. It seemed pretty cool at the time but obviously can’t compete with today’s multimedia extravaganzas. At 100 years old it is now a piece of history and should be respected for the accomplishment, it’s scope and it’s detail.

[Misschuck]

The Civil War is a fascinating time in history. It is a real shame that a neutered little nobody like this is able to have a national forum for his anger.

[tanknetter]

Philippoteaux's Battle of Gettysburg -- with its exploding caissons, agonized horses and chaotic disarray of charging soldiers -- is an occasionally dramatic but hardly great painting. In 1883, impressionism was in full flower, and Philippoteaux's compatriots -- Monet, Cézanne, Degas -- were revolutionizing painting.

I've never seen the Cyclorama, when I was up in Gettysburg in mid-August that portion of the new visitors center (which is phenominal) hadn't opened yet, so I'll reserve my opinion until I have a chance to put eyeballs on it.

However, the above is all I need to dismiss out-of-hand the author as just another elitest, Europhile a**.

[catchem]

Right! Maybe they can have an ‘ethnic cleansing’ of all historical documentation, etc. Forbid remembrance of all things unapproved.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Same here, but I had no idea that it was that old.

[Tax-chick]

Yeah, a Degas version of the Battle of Gettysburg would be ... interesting. Honestly, what does this dinglebob think a battle is like? Water lilies?

[Charles Martel]

The writer seems to think that cycloramas are a uniquely American, and therefore inferior form af art. In fact, panoramic paintings (and the buildings designed to house them) were common in the great cities of Europe for a time. Several copies of the paintings often existed and "toured" the various cities, much like other art exhibits.

It is true that military subjects were common (the Battle of Waterloo, for one). I remember reading about these "paintings in the round" after viewing the one in Atlanta.

It was an art form that might've lasted longer, if not for the public's intense fascination with that next attraction to come along - the motion picture. What a shame that the writer can't see past his dislike for the subject and value a piece of history (and work of art) that is deserving of preservation.

[puroresu]

Seriously, it’s only a matter of time until Civil War history is re-written to classify the Confederacy as an evil on grander scale than Nazi Germany. We’re already on that path and an Obama “post-American” presidency will further it.

[Charles Martel]

Honestly, what does this dinglebob think a battle is like? Water lilies?

The dinglebob is also unaware that many painters (some of whom were inclined toward the new impressionist styles) actually earned money for their own artistic pursuits (and kept their families fed) by working on these "lowbrow" pre-impressionist panoramic paintings.

[Alouette]

Mr. Kennicott, please go to Moscow and visit the Borodinskaya Bitva, and tell the Russians how much their painting sucks.

[Little Ray]

I have been to the Cylclorama a couple of times. Its worth the trip. It IS art and quite impressive.

[Tax-chick]

Excellent point. I saw the Gettysburg Cyclorama most recently in the early 90’s. It’s a significant historical artifact, and I’m glad they’ve fixed it up.