"Regular Contraband"
Medium
albumen print (carte-de-visite)
Dimensions
image/sheet: 8.9 × 5.5 cm (3 1/2 × 2 3/16 in.) mount: 10.1 × 6.1 cm (4 × 2 3/8 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund
Accession Number
2018.95.3
Art Historical Context
"Regular Contraband," an albumen print carte-de-visite attributed to the Civil War-era photographers McPherson & Oliver 1863, captures a poignant moment from America's defining conflict. Produced in Washington, D.C., this tiny photograph—measuring just 8.9 × 5.5 cm on its sheet—exemplifies the carte-de-visite format, sensation in the 1860s akin to today's trading cards. These pocket-sized portraits, coated in egg-white albumen for luminous detail and warm tones, made photography accessible, allowing soldiers, families, and collectors to share images affordably. The title refers to "contraband...