. . . a panoramic depiction of the Civil War Battle of Atlanta, painted on the inside a 42 foot tall cylinder with a circumpherence of 358 feet.
The Atlanta Cyclorama housed in Grant Park adjacent to the Zoo, is one of the largest oil paintings in the world. It is a panoramic depiction of the Civil War Battle of Atlanta, painted on the inside a 42 foot tall cylinder with a circumpherence of 358 feet. Today the mural is housed in a specially-designed building designed by noted Atlanta architect John Francis Downing, which was completed in 1921.
Shows at the Cyclorama include a film that covers the history of the Atlanta Campaign leading up to the battle narrated by James Earl Jones. Then, each section of the painting is viewed from the slowly rotating seating and a guide points out highlights of the painting. After the show, you can browse the Civil War museum that houses The Texas, a Civil War era train that was engaged in a episode now commonly called "The Great Locomotive Chase."
The Battle of Atlanta was commissioned by General "Blackjack" Logan, who was vying to become vice-president of the United States. The painting vividly depicts a charge that he led about 4:30 pm after being appointed temporary commander of the Army of the Tennessee after the death of General James McPherson (biography of James McPherson), as well as other events occurring at that point in time including the intense battle in the vicinity of the Troup-Hurt House. Although the painting accurately depicts the fighting, it definitely takes a Union perspective. General Sherman can be seen near the Augustus Hurt house while General Hood is not in the painting.
The painting was purchased by a Madison, Georgia businessman in 1890. Atlanta got its first view of The Battle of Atlanta on February 12, 1892, when it premiered at the location vacated by the Chattanooga cyclorama. Less than a year later on January 18, 1893, the roof on the Edgewood Avenue building collapsed because of the weight of eight inches of snow.
Over the next 20 years the city of Atlanta slowly took control of the painting. After moving the painting to the building now known as the Cyclorama, the WPA (Works Progress Administration) added a diorama in the 1930's. When the Cyclorama was renovated in 1979, the diorama was replaced because the natural material used had destroyed about 20% of the original painting.
"The Cyclorama." Atlanta, Georgia. 2006. Roadside Georgia. September, 2008 http://roadsidegeorgia.com/site/cyclorama.html