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Thomas Jefferson is a statue ofFounding Father and third United States president,Thomas Jefferson, in front of theRotunda at the University of Virginia, the university he founded and designed. The statue was crafted byMoses Ezekiel in 1910 and is a copy of theJefferson Monument inLouisville, Kentucky.
The statue of Thomas Jefferson was dedicated on June 15, 1910 in front of the Rotunda at the University of Virginia. Designed by sculptorMoses Ezekiel in 1897, and cast in 1898, the statue portrays Jefferson standing on top of a replicate of the Liberty Bell, surrounded by four winged allegorical figures--at the front is Liberty, at the back is Justice, on Jefferson's proper right is Human Freedom, and on Jefferson's proper left is Religious Freedom. Religious Freedom holds a tablet, and Jefferson holds a scroll which represents theUnited States Declaration of Independence.[1]
In August 2017 the statue was the target of graffiti vandalism.[2]
In September 2017, the statue was the target of protest in the context of theCharlottesville historic monument controversy and the recent2017 Unite the Right rally. They covered the statue of Jefferson in a way similar to how the city had recently covered theStonewall Jackson andRobert E. Lee sculptures as well. After the protesters dispersed, one counter-protester arrived carrying a gun, who the police eventually arrested forpublic intoxication.[3] University of Virginia presidentTeresa A. Sullivan later responded by calling forcivil discourse.[4][5]
Located in:Charlottesville, Virginia | |||||||||||||||||||
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38°02′10″N78°30′11″W / 38.03606°N 78.50318°W /38.03606; -78.50318
