Franz Sigel
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Milton and Ingrid Rose
Accession Number
NPG.97.199
Tags
Art Historical Context
This vibrant lithographic print, produced around 1862 by the Ehrgott & Forbrigerography Company of Cincinnati—a firm renowned for Civil War-era illustrations—captures Major General Franz Sigel astride his horse, sword in hand, against a battleground backdrop. As a key medium of the time, lithography allowed for affordable, mass reproduction of portraits, bringing the faces of Union heroes into homes across the North and fueling public support for the war effort. Franz Sigel, a German immigrant, teacher, and newspaper editor, rose to prominence as a Union Army leader, symbolizing the contribut...