HF Jefferson Davis Coloring Book

[G Low]

If someone asked me off the cuff, I would have bet a thousand dollars that a Jefferson Davis coloring book DID NOT EXIST.

Sounds like something we might have had at our children of the confederacy meetings.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Sounds like something we might have had at our children of the confederacy meetings.

Hahaha!

 

[Library Lady]

Well, not Lincoln, but at the Smithsonian American History Museum we do have this 11 ton statue of Sexy Washington....

View attachment 543912

This was a very controversial statue from the get-go. Horatio Greenough, the sculptor, received one of the first fine arts commissions from the US government to create it. The statue was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Washington's birth (1832). It was completed in 1840 in the neoclassical style that was very popular at the time. It was designed to be on permanent display in the rotunda of the US Capitol. It remained there for only about 3 years because people were appalled by it. They felt it was extremely disrespectful to Washington. It was moved outside to the eastern plaza of the Capitol. A shed was built around it to protect it for the first winter, but that was seldom repeated and the statue suffered damage from the weather. It was moved again to the Patent Building and was there for a few years and then moved to the Smithsonian Castle in 1908 and underwent restoration. In 1964 it was moved to the Museum of History and Technology which is now the National Museum of American History. It's one of the statues Erin Thompson talks about in her book Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America's Public Monuments. When she saw it, it was in an inconspicuous place back by a stairwell.

 

[Stryker65]

This was a very controversial statue from the get-go. Horatio Greenough, the sculptor, received one of the first fine arts commissions from the US government to create it. The statue was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Washington's birth (1832). It was completed in 1840 in the neoclassical style that was very popular at the time. It was designed to be on permanent display in the rotunda of the US Capitol. It remained there for only about 3 years because people were appalled by it. They felt it was extremely disrespectful to Washington. It was moved outside to the eastern plaza of the Capitol. A shed was built around it to protect it for the first winter, but that was seldom repeated and the statue suffered damage from the weather. It was moved again to the Patent Building and was there for a few years and then moved to the Smithsonian Castle in 1908 and underwent restoration. In 1964 it was moved to the Museum of History and Technology which is now the National Museum of American History. It's one of the statues Erin Thompson talks about in her book Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America's Public Monuments. When she saw it, it was in an inconspicuous place back by a stairwell.

I hope I'm not going against the popular opinion when I say that, yes, I think it's extremely disrespectful to Washington.

 

[peacefulanimalguy7]

I hope I'm not going against the popular opinion when I say that, yes, I think it's extremely disrespectful to Washington.

Getting serious here, the statue definitely makes him look more like a god, which is obviously what he didn't want

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I hope I'm not going against the popular opinion when I say that, yes, I think it's extremely disrespectful to Washington.

I actually AGREE with @Stryker65.

 

[Library Lady]

I don't think the sculptor meant the statue to be disrespectful. I think he misjudged how popular (or not) an element of neoclassical art would be in America. The style was very popular at the time, but while it might be OK for Alexander the Great or the Caesars (not to mention Greek and Roman gods and goddesses) to be shown semi-nude, a semi-nude Washington was not going to fly in the US. In the present day, I don't think John Belushi and the toga party in Animal House is doing the statue any favors. An important part of the statue that we're not looking at because we're all distracted by the semi-nudity and the large foot, is that Washington is holding the sword with the handle out. He is willingly giving up power, something a god or king would not typically do. This is highly respectful to Washington.

 

[CWdiaryPA]

WHY IS HIS FOOT SO BIG

Perspective. GW was 6'2. His foot is far closer to the viewer than his head & torso. Even so, they coulda dialed back the footage a bit.

 

[G Low]

I hope I'm not going against the popular opinion when I say that, yes, I think it's extremely disrespectful to Washington.

I think it was supposed to be America's Cesar. It is amazing that he could have been an emperor but he just walked away!!

 

[John Hartwell]

The Apotheosis of Washington, whereby George rises into Olympus to take the place of Zeus at the head of the Pantheon, was a popular conceit at one time. The nudity was incidental:

Later on, he welcomed Abe to join him:

[now, behave yourselves!]

 

[G Low]

The Apotheosis of Washington, whereby George rises into Olympus to take the place of Zeus at the head of the Pantheon, was a popular conceit at one time. The nudity was incidental:
View attachment 543948 View attachment 543951
Later on, he welcomed Abe to join him:
View attachment 543949[now, behave yourselves!]

Well he did put his clothes back on.

 

[ColonelBuckwalter]

There's gotta be a pic of him shirtless

Davis goes to the beach.

 

[TallTallMan]

Maybe the battles of Monterrey and Buena Vista are in it.

"Color the V that doomed the Confederacy"

 

[TallTallMan]

I don't… do colouring books, I only draw and even if I did do colouring books I would never in a million years make it Jeff Davis (I can't tell if that reply was a joke or not)

It was a joke. I hope nobody on this forum does coloring books unless they're eight, which might go for a few around here...

 

[Belfoured]

It was a joke. I hope nobody on this forum does coloring books unless they're eight, which might go for a few around here...

Speaking of which, if there's a McClellan coloring book I just might order it.

 

[TallTallMan]

The description is in French because the Apple Book Service of Franklin, North Carolina, is selling it on AbeBooks France.

Wonder Book of Frederick, Maryland, is selling the book on AbeBooks in the US. That description is in English.

The Jefferson Davis Coloring Book, Used - AbeBooks

AbeBooks is the world's largest marketplace for new, used and out of print books.

www.abebooks.com

If the book is in like-new condition, that's not an unusual price for a niche adult coloring book.

I'm not even sure it's adult. It's probably an "alternative" for the littlest Rebel you know.

GW was a Sasquatch

Not you too...

If someone asked me off the cuff, I would have bet a thousand dollars that a Jefferson Davis coloring book DID NOT EXIST.

You can imagine my surprise. But considering my brainrot threads, I should'nt've been.

 

[Scott1967]

The Jefferson Davis Coloring Book.

Anyone got a black crayon

 

[Stryker65]

Anyone got a black crayon

Ohhh you went there...

 

[JerryD]

WHY IS HIS FOOT SO BIG

Good eye! We've been told its bigger due to the angle at which the statue was to be displayed. But that never did make sense to me. Seems since the foot is closer to the eye, it would be smaller, not larger, but who knows?

 

[JerryD]

This was a very controversial statue from the get-go. Horatio Greenough, the sculptor, received one of the first fine arts commissions from the US government to create it. The statue was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Washington's birth (1832). It was completed in 1840 in the neoclassical style that was very popular at the time. It was designed to be on permanent display in the rotunda of the US Capitol. It remained there for only about 3 years because people were appalled by it. They felt it was extremely disrespectful to Washington. It was moved outside to the eastern plaza of the Capitol. A shed was built around it to protect it for the first winter, but that was seldom repeated and the statue suffered damage from the weather. It was moved again to the Patent Building and was there for a few years and then moved to the Smithsonian Castle in 1908 and underwent restoration. In 1964 it was moved to the Museum of History and Technology which is now the National Museum of American History. It's one of the statues Erin Thompson talks about in her book Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America's Public Monuments. When she saw it, it was in an inconspicuous place back by a stairwell.

Pretty much spot on! Moving it from the Rotunda was actually first raised by the artist, as he felt the light in the Rotunda did not do justice to his work. Since Congress pretty much hated it, they lept at his suggestion, and had it moved out to the Capital East Plaza, like you say. Greenough, while American, made the statue in Italy where he was learning his craft, and Classicism was very popular in Europe at the time. But like you say, not so much here. Its actually inspired by a famous statue of Zeus that was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.