Worship of the North (from Confederate War Etchings)

Art Historical Context

Created during the height of the American Civil War, *Worship of the North* belongs to Adalbert John Volck’s series of Confederate War Etchings. Produced between 1861 and 1863, the small print captures the intense political divisions of the era through a sharply satirical lens. Volck, a Southern sympathizer, used the etching to comment on Northern attitudes and leadership, presenting them in a manner designed to rally Confederate viewers and critique Union policies. Etching proved an ideal medium for such wartime commentary. Its ability to produce multiple impressions allowed these images to circulate widely despite the conflict’s disruptions, functioning much like editorial cartoons of later eras. The compact size—roughly postcard dimensions—made the prints easy to share among soldiers and civilians alike. Today, the work offers museum visitors a vivid glimpse into the visual propaganda that shaped public opinion on both sides of the war. Its presence in the Metropolitan’s collection reminds us how art can serve as both witness and participant in moments of national crisis.

About the Artist

Adalbert John Volck · 1828–1912

Adalbert John Volck (1828–1912) led one of the more remarkable double lives in American art history. Born in Augsburg, Bavaria, he emigrated to the United States as a young man, eventually settling in Baltimore, where he built a distinguished career as a dentist. Yet beneath his professional respectability lay a fierce artistic talent and a passionate political identity that would find explosive e...