US Grant Memorial

This dramatic memorial, at the base of the US Capitol steps in Washington, DC, looking out over the Mall, is in honor of Ulysses S. Grant. Built in 1902, it is the 2nd largest equestrian memorial in the world. The central figure is Grant on his horse, guarded by lions at the base of the statue. At either side is a grouping of cavalry soldiers seeming to leap out of the metal they are made from, charging into the middle (and perhaps down the mall for a swim in the reflecting pool). The high contrast between shadows and light in these photos are from the strong morning light shining almost perpendicularly.