EXHIBITION OVERVIEW
By featuring Jefferson's written legacy from throughout his life, the exhibition reveals the evolution in Jefferson's thinking. It also shows that his ideas were not always consistent nor were his words always sublime. The exhibition reveals a man keenly interested in expressing his ideas and his beliefs on varied subjects over the span of many decades and from differing perspectives. In the end, Jefferson's fame and influence transcend the complexities and the contradictions. In fact, the exhibition demonstrates vividly that Jefferson's words and his thoughts—his written legacy—endure and continue to influence political, intellectual, and social developments in this country and throughout the world.
In several places throughout the exhibition, audio-visual and digital stations provide opportunities to learn more about Jefferson's words and influence and the holdings in his library. The serpentine walls of this exhibition are based on the design specified by Thomas Jefferson for the landscaping of the University of Virginia. The use of serpentine walls on the grounds of the University of Virginia at Charlottesville reveals at least three of Thomas Jefferson's strengths--his frugality as a builder, his interest in horticulture, and his ingenuity Building a wall that curves uses twenty five percent fewer bricks than building a straight wall because a curved wall supports itself and can be only one brick thick instead of the two-brick thickness required to keep a straight wall standing. And, once built, a serpentine wall provides the gardener with locations that provide light or shade at particular times of day or seasons of the year, whichever might be best for a unique or delicate plant set out in that location.
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