Commissary Department, Head-Quarters Army of the Potomac
February 1864
Medium
Albumen print, pl. 61 from the album "Gardner's Photographic Sketch Book of the War, Volume II" (1866)
Dimensions
Image/paper: 17.2 × 22.5 cm (6 13/16 × 8 7/8 in.); Album page: 31.1 × 44.6 cm (12 1/4 × 17 9/16 in.)
Classification
photograph
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
196201
Art Historical Context
Step into the gritty reality of the American Civil War with Timothy O'Sullivan's *Commissary Department, Headarters Army of the Potomac (February 1864 Captured at the Union Army's nerve center, this albumen print offers a rare glimpse into the logistical backbone of General George G. Meade's forces. Amid the brutal winter of 1864, as the war dragged into its third year, O'Sullivan documented the commissary—where food, supplies, and sustenance were meticulously managed to keep troops fed and fighting. It's a testament to the unsung heroism of wartime organization. O'Sullivan, a master photogra...
About the Artist
Timothy O'Sullivan · 1840–1882
Timothy H. O'Sullivan (c. 1840–1882) emerged as one of America's pioneering photographers during a transformative era. His early life remains sparsely documented, with records suggesting he was born either in New York City or Ireland before immigrating young, possibly growing up on Staten Island. As a teenager, he apprenticed under Mathew Brady at his Fulton Street gallery in New York, mastering w...