Cyclorama and Puppets

 

I left those crazy mountain roads and headed further south to that grand old lady of the south – Atlanta. The very first time I came to Atlanta for work. I had the great honor of meeting Fran Tarkenton, the great Vikings quarterback. Minnesota people will know just how cool that was.

Cyclorama – a pictorial representation, in perspective of a landscape, battle, etc., on the inner wall of a cylindrical room or hall, viewed by spectators occupying a position in the center. Back in the late 1800's, they were very popular.

In the case of the Cyclorama of Atlanta, the painting was, at one time, the largest oil painting in the world. The circular picture is a 307 foot long, 49 feet tall oil painting, weighs 10,000 pounds and is a sight to see. You stand on a platform that is about fifteen feet tall and the painting is all around you.

The Cyclorama was painted by 17 German painters in Milwaukee in 1886 and depicts the Battle of Atlanta in 1864, when General Sherman broke the back of the Confederacy.

Fun Fact: When the movie 'Gone With The Wind' was released, Clark Gable visited the Cyclorama. Legend has it that Gable remarked that there was only one thing wrong with the painting: “I'm not in it.” Well, before you knew it, a plaster Clark Gable was created as a dying Yankee soldier and Clark got his wish.

The figures in the front are plaster.

Center of Puppetry

Imagine my delight when I saw that there was a special Jim Henson exhibit at the Center for Puppetry. Yes, that's right – Jim Henson of Muppet fame. It was a wondrous exhibit seeing the puppets that were actually used in Sesame Street. Besides the actual puppets, there were film clips of Jim Henson's career. I got to see how the puppeteers worked the puppets and also got to watch extremely funny clips of some of the movies he created. With all the creativity he displayed I am very comfortable calling him a wizard.

I must admit, I actually got a little star struck when I saw Ernie

The Jim Henson exhibit took up half of the Center's floor space. The other half dealt with puppetry the world over. It seems that puppetry might just be a universal human trait.

I also should mention that I am again fortunate to meet up with my old-time fellow travelers Lou and Dave here in Atlanta. We will be caravanning together for a few weeks before they go their way and I go mine.