A Narrow Escape
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Accession Number
S/NPG.2018.89.35
Tags
Art Historical Context
*A Narrow Escape* (1872) is a compelling print by FOY, an artist active in the 1870s, housed in the Smithsonian American Art and National Portrait Gallery collections. Created just seven years after the Civil War end, this work captures a pivotal moment in American history during Reconstruction, when stories of enslavement and liberation were still fresh in the national consciousness. As a print—a medium prized in the 19th century its affordability and ability to reach wide audiences—it likely served to disseminate powerful narratives visually, blending portraiture with dramatic storytelling. ...