Being as enamored as I am with the events that occurred when we fought for our independence from England, I have seen my fair share of paintings of George Washington, as well as mannequins (shudder – “Unhidden Figures”), busts and massive statues of him on his horse. There are multiple depictions of General Washington kneeling in prayer at Valley Forge. My favorite is the image by contemporary artist Arnold Friberg called The Prayer at Valley Forge.
At Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newrown, Pennsylvania, there is an 8-foot-tall sculpture of George Washington. It is the work of sculptor Jennifer Frudakis-Petry of Plumstead, Pennsylvania. It is an incredibly moving piece to me, I could stare at it for hours. Amongst all I have read about Washington, the places I have visited where he once was – Mount Vernon, New York City, Philadelphia, Morristown, Washington’s Crossing – this sculpture tells me everything I need to know about the man.
I have no doubt that General George Washington continues to pray for this great nation of ours. I find that comforting. I could speculate what he would think about the world today but in the presence of this magnificent statue, I don’t have to wonder about his heart.
#sisterrain #alittlesightalotofheart #legallyblindwriter #ushistory #newtownpa #washingtoncrossingnationalcemetery #jenniferfrudakispetry #atopahorseageneralonbendedkneeaman
