Portrait of a Civil War Soldier
Medium
ambrotype with applied color
Dimensions
overall: 21.5 × 16.5 cm (8 7/16 × 6 1/2 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mary and Dan Solomon
Accession Number
2008.135.3
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This poignant *Portrait of a Civil War Soldier*, created by an anonymous American photographer in the 1860s, captures the stern resolve of a young Union fighter during one of the nation's most turbulent eras. The American Civil War (1861–1865) saw millions don uniforms like this one, and such personal portraits served as cherished keepsakes for families, often the last images before battle. Measuring a modest 8½ × 6½ inches, this intimate scale made it ideal for carrying in a pocket or locket, evoking the human cost of the conflict. Crafted as an ambrotype—a glass-plate photograph using the w...
About the Artist
American 19th Century
The artist cataloged as "American, 19th Century" represents a collective of unidentified painters active in the United States during the nineteenth century, with 380 known artworks preserved in this virtual museum's collection. These works span a diverse array of genres typical of the era, including portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and genre scenes, reflecting the burgeoning artistic output of ...