Explore the 360° Work 'Battle of Atlanta'
The exhibit at the Atlanta History Center displays Atlanta’s cyclorama and tells the story of the painting
By WABE 90.1 FM
Written by Lauren Booker, WABE
Inside Atlanta's Cyclorama by Lauren Booker / WABEWABE 90.1 FM
A cyclorama is a circular shaped representation of a 360 degree scene that can be viewed from inside of it.
Outside Of The Cyclorama by Courtesy of Atlanta History CenterWABE 90.1 FM
The restored cyclorama, which was moved from its old spot in Grant Park in February 2017, was unveiled on Feb. 22, 2019.
It is one of only two cycloramas in the U.S.
Cyclorama by Lauren Booker / WABEWABE 90.1 FM
The story of the cyclorama includes how the piece has been interpreted by owners in the North and the South over the course of more than 100 years.
Cyclorama by Lauren Booker / WABEWABE 90.1 FM
It was created about 22 years after the Battle of Atlanta (which the painting depicts), occurred in 1864.
Soldier In Cyclorama by Lauren Booker / WABEWABE 90.1 FM
Some notable elements inside the cyclorama include a figure of a Union soldier lying on the ground in the diorama that has the face of Clark Gable from “Gone With the Wind.”
Cyclorama by Lauren Booker / WABEWABE 90.1 FM
Though the painting depicts a northern victory, Southerners saw in the painting an Atlanta rising like the mythical phoenix — the symbol still used on police cars and city buildings today.
Cyclorama by Lauren Booker / WABEWABE 90.1 FM
The move and restoration was a big undertaking. A section within the center was built to house the 49-foot, 10,000-pound painting, which was dropped through the facility’s ceiling and hoisted into its current holding place, according to Jones.
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