Lee Lying in repose

JW in SC

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Mar 20, 2021
I'm sure a number of you have visited Washington and Lee University but I wanted to share these photos for those who have not visited Lee Chapel on it's campus. Lee and his family are buried in the family crypt under this statue in a small "museum" dedicated to his writings. His horse Traveller is buried just outside the building.

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When was your visit? Mine was three years ago in April, 2018 and although the chapel was open and Lee's office and the small museum were completely accessible the recumbent statue by Volk was barred and shuttered - I had to get creative to get the shot above. I don't remember seeing the rear of the statue, even on previous visits during the Centennial in the 1960's or later in the 1990's before the institution that bears his name - at least thus far! - "decided" that he was an embarrassment.

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First visited Lexington in 1964. Tour guide said this statue was made from a photo made of Lee lying in his tent. Hope to be able to visit again this summer without wearing a mask and social distancing.
It's more that the sculptor depicted Lee as if lying asleep in his tent; no such photo of Lee exists and the likeness was based on the many usual formal portraits that do. I can think of one fairly well-known wartime "portrait" photo showing an officer of the 3rd Cavalry (U.S.) lying asleep on a cot in his tent at Harrison's Landing that some wag has placed a large whiskey or wine bottle beside, but such "candid" outdoor photos are extremely rare. Lee's statue was deliberately intended to portray him as a living - albeit sleeping - Confederate General and not a dead civilian corpse!
 
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When was your visit? Mine was three years ago in April, 2018 and although the chapel was open and Lee's office and the small museum were completely accessible the recumbent statue by Volk was barred and shuttered - I had to get creative to get the shot above. I don't remember seeing the rear of the statue, even on previous visits during the Centennial in the 1960's or later in the 1990's before the institution that bears his name - at least thus far! - "decided" that he was an embarrassment.

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Yes you will notice the alarm system in my photos that replaced the ropes shown in yours. They have never replaced the actual Confederate battle flags that were mounted on the walls but removed sometime between our first visit in the late 1990's and this second visit in 2019.
 
Yes you will notice the alarm system in my photos that replaced the ropes shown in yours. They have never replaced the actual Confederate battle flags that were mounted on the walls but removed sometime between our first visit in the late 1990's and this second visit in 2019.
I guess that at the time of my visit they were as concerned about some crazies vandalizing the statue as others possibly being "offended" by Lee's presence.
 
https://leefamilyarchive.org/reference/books/ceremonies/index.html

I was fortunate enough to visit the Lee Chapel a couple of years ago. The statue was created by renowned sculptor Edward Valentine and was unveiled in 1883. I have attached an interesting article that talks about how the committee was formed to commission the building of the statue, the fund raising, and the various ceremonies that took place at the unveiling. Needless to say, a great deal of effort, that took place over several years, went into the entire project.

It is a beautiful memorial. It absolutely breaks my heart to witness the disrespect that has been shown toward Lee and his family by many of the current faculty and administration. Quite simply, without Lee and the Lee family there would be no Washington and Lee University.
 
may not be there much longer - or at least public visitation may not be allowed in the future
What do you mean? I was there in 2019 and my sister and I were taken by a docent up and behind the recumbent statue. There was no talk then of no public visitation. I assumed what @Viper21 meant about it being closed was due to Covid. If it won’t reopen, that’s rather shocking news.
 
The docent told us, and James N. might know this obscure fact, but the sculptor made an illusion out of the cloth that passed under the sword and up over his arm(?) if I’m remembering this correctly. I have some pictures up close and will have to go back and look and try to post some and see if anyone can see it. I admit I’m not good at seeing things like that. I saw it when finally pointed out to me, but I don’t know if I can see it again.
 
What do you mean? I was there in 2019 and my sister and I were taken by a docent up and behind the recumbent statue. There was no talk then of no public visitation. I assumed what @Viper21 meant about it being closed was due to Covid. If it won’t reopen, that’s rather shocking news.
The same folks wanting to change the name of the University, want to permanently close, the Chapel, & museum as it is. They wish to re-purpose it into something else. With a new name of course....

This movement is going on quietly in the background, so it doesn't get a lot of attention.
 
Well, Traveller is in a pretty small hole, outside the gift shop. Our family lawyer, who went to college there, assures me he wasn’t involved, but the students, back in the day were simply terrible to his skeleton. They wrote horrible graffiti all over it and finally the UDC stepped in and had the skeleton taken apart and buried in that hole that has the pennies on it. I don’t think there is much left to give the heave ho too anymore. It‘s also a flat stone, as I remember, commerating Traveller.
 
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