150th Anniversary of the Civil War: Portraits
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War (1861-1865), and at Art in the Age we are excited to commemorate this historic turning point in our nations history.
To kick off the year, we thought we would point you in the direction of an amazing Flikr created by The Library of Congress, showcasing an incredible collection of original Civil War portraits.
In remembrance of the Union and Confederate soldiers, the Liljenquist Family recently donated their rare collection of almost 700 ambrotype and tintype photographs to the Library of Congress.
Most of the people and photographers are unidentified, but you can read some of the personal stories that did survive in notes found with the photo cases.
These fascinating photographs represent the impact of the war, which involved many young enlisted men and the deaths of more than 600,000 soldiers. Many of the photos feature details that enhance their interest, including horses, drums, muskets, rifles, revolvers, hats and caps, canteens, and a guitar. Among the rarest images are African Americans in uniform, sailors, a Lincoln campaign button, and portraits with families, women, and girls and boys.
Stay tuned for our continued coverage of the 150th anniversary throughout the year.
