"Building Winter Quarters"
1861–65
Medium
Albumen silver print from glass negative
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1933
Accession Number
33.65.173
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Building Winter Quarters" a poignant albumen silver print from glass negative, captured between 1861 and 1865 by Mathew B. Brady or his studio photographers during the American Civil War This medium, using egg whites to bind light-sensitive silver salts, produced richly toned, highly detailed images that were revolutionary for their time, allowing the public to witness the war's gritty realities up close. The photograph depicts Union soldiers constructing makeshift winter quarters—temporary shelters of logs, tents, and earth to endure harsh campaigns. Horses haul materials, while women, like...
About the Artist
Unknown|Mathew B. Brady
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...