We’ll give you this clue for this edition’s Mystery Photo: it’s Roman. Now you tell us where. Send your thoughts to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.
Ruthie Lachman Paul of Norcross recognized the last photo from a trip in 1983: “It’s the Equestrian statue of King José I in Lisbon.It is in the center of the new “Praça do Comércio” Commerce Square. It was finally on his 61st anniversary of rule. It is one of the most significant achievements of Portuguese 18th Century’s art. Locals and tourists alike frequent the square, as they have done for years.” The photo came from John Fennell of Atlanta, through Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill.
Jay Altman of Columbia, S.C. noted that Don Jose was the Portuguese king at the time of the 1755 earthquake that devastated the city of Lisbon.
Others recognizing the statue were George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; Steve Ogilvie, Lawrenceville; Fran Worrall, Lawrenceville; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex., who added that the statue was created by Joaquim Machado de Castro (1731–1822), one of Portugal’s most famous sculptors. He also found that “the statue is also considered by many to be one of Portugal’s most important monuments. Historical records suggest that the primary motivation for the monument’s location was to honor the king’s response to the devastation caused by the Great 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, which totally destroyed the Terreiro do Paço that was on this site. It was the first such statue to be cast in Portugal, and was unveiled on the king’s 61st birthday on June 6,1775.”
SHARE A MYSTERY PHOTO: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: elliott@brack.net and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Gwinnett student among finalists in Doodle contest
Reina Daeun Lee from North Gwinnett Middle School is one of 55 students selected as a state finalist for the 15th annual Doodle for Google contest. This year, Google invited K-12 students to answer the prompt, “I am grateful for…” through their art.
Here is her winning response: “I drew gymnastics on beam – the colors and shapes in the background show how I feel during gymnastics: excited, confident, and strong. I’m grateful for gymnastics, because it makes me feel powerful.”
Georgians can visit this blogpost or doodle4google.com to vote for Reina’s submission. Winners of the public vote will become one of five national finalists.
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