Washington. Harewood Hospital
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
33.65.301
Tags
Art Historical Context
This poignant albumen silver print, *Washington. Harewood Hospital* and created between 1861 and 1865, captures a stark moment from the American Civil War. Attributed to pioneering photographer Mathew B. Brady or his studio, it depicts the bustling grounds of Harewood Hospital in Washington, D.C.—one of the largest Union medical facilities, where thousands of wounded soldiers were treated amid the war's relentless toll. The image reveals rows of tents and wooden wards filled with convalescing troops, alongside horses and supply wagons essential for transporting the injured and provisions. Bra...
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...