Feldman analysts is artistic portrayals of the American Revolution and civil war. She talks about the influence of paintings, sculptures, in memorials on how history is remembered. The Smithsonian Associates host to this event. Today we are going to look at the American Revolution and civil war, in particular, but a little beyond that. Controversies about the stories we tell. I am going to focus, because it is impossible to cover such an amount of material in one top. Im going to focus in particular on the nations capital, and the public buildings on the mall, which is after all, the centerpiece of american political culture, and our public culture, where people come from all around the world, and the country to participate in government, to learn about government, to understand our heritage. So i thought what is it we say to those people when they come to washington . What have been some of the controversies . What are some of the issues we should be aware of . And what is missing . S
Where he also had figures such as this but in his case, its peace rielding in ayuchlful chariot. You can see the peace in the center. The partially nude female figure crowned riding the four horses and golden victory figures off to each side. Well, this is what mills had in mind for George Washington. They were thinking of it for George Washington that transposed him from the human, from the everyday, from a general to now a super human almost godlike figure. And so when construction, which had been halted on the Washington Monument for about 20 years in the 1860s and 70s, when construction was started up again, the engineer, thomas casey, who really loved modern inventions, elevators, electric lights, decided no were not going to put that temple at the bottom. He wanted the Washington Monument to stay that would represent america. Moving forward into the 20th century. And so he now saw it as a sleek monument of american ingenuity. So it was his decision, essentially, not to create the
Former, and most recently, Civil War Monuments and the militarization of america which one the book award from the society of civil war historians as best book of the year on the issues of the civil war era. Hes been the editor of several influential volumes, including a particularly still relevant and useful set of edited essays on reconstruction originally issued almost 15 years ago, but still relevant today and a topic we wrestle with today. As well as a number of edited volumes. We are delighted to have him join us today. I will lead him with the first question, if you are ready . You might be muted. Things we aret of going to want to touch on in a relatively brief time today. Monograph,arkable you approach memorials and all kinds of interesting ways that we will want to touch on as works of art, what happens if we context in a national rather than bifurcated into , northern, andrn confederate stories. And what cultural readings we can read from them beyond the meaning of the civil
Provided the video. Good evening everyone. It is my absolute delight and pleasure to have the opportunity to speak with my good friend and professional colleague harold. Feel free to use the question and answer button at the top of your screen and we will get to as many questions as we can towards the end. To let us turn our attention to some objects that help us describe the civil war. Lets see the cover of the book. Civil war and 50 objects. In the museum realm, particularly the history museum, the art, objects and documents on display have the power to stand in for a larger historical narrative and make so much more than what is structurally defining of that object in itself. Harold, about this book, how did this come about and how effective is it and conveying the narrative of the civil war in 50 objects . It is kind of a tactile history that brings you closer to the lived experience of the civil war. That is what made it so exciting for me, and if you are asking how it happened, i
Objects. Now in the nume realm, particularly the history human, the art, objects, and documents on display have the power to stand in for a larger historical narrative, conveying so much more than what is structurally defining of that object itself. But what about our book, civil war in 50 objects . How did this come about, and how effective is it at conveying the narrative sweep of the civil war in 50 objects . Well, its kind of a tactile history that brings you closer to the lived experience of the civil war. Thats because i was thats what made it so exciting for me. And if youre asking how it happened, it happened because of louise mayer. Louise asked me if i would be doing in this kind of a chronicle for publication, and she said, why dont you come in . I think you were there that first day of review. Why dont you come in, and ill put some of the objects i have in mind on a few tables in the Administrative Offices of the historical society. And what i saw during that the historical