Paul Reilly Visit to Jackson's Grave

Visiting Stonewall Jackson's grave highlighted two key concepts in our class. Subtle ideas monuments make and how monuments are living memorials specifically apply to Jackson's grave. In my sketch I show the location of Jackson's grave. Jackson's grave is beneath a monument of Jackson facing South. Jackson is located in the center of the original graveyard before it was expanded. All four paved paths connect and form the circle that surrounds his grave site. Jackson himself  can immediately be viewed from the front entrance of the road and the highest man made feature in the graveyard.  These planned locations for the pavement and the scale of the monument. Several subtle ideas came to mind in viewing the monument itself. Jackson faces towards the south. This provides Jackson as ever watchful over the old confederacy. In contrast the artist could have chosen to have Jackson face his house or VMI where he taught but the message would have been very different. Jackson's monument being elevated requires me to look upward. This adds to Jackson's stature and importance in the area. Jackson is also portrayed with his arm. The artist(or Jackson) wanted to depict the strong and physically able Jackson to viewers of the monument. Jackson's monument is a living memorial as seen by the fresh lemons, confederate flags, and men who dressed up in confederate clothing to commemorate Jackson's memory.
Paul Reilly