
Hannah Shapiro
Cataloguer & Sale Coordinator
Sold for US$5,376 inc. premium
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Specialist, Head of Sale
Provenance
Swann Galleries, 21 October 2008, Sale 2158, Lot 7
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Note
This extraordinary example of American Civil War field portraiture depicts a young soldier holding a cigar in one hand and his military-issued kepi in the other. The boy's handsomely hand-tinted, battle-worn uniform appears too large for his small frame, and its missing buttons and scattered holes indicate the brutal conditions of his encampment.
An oval-shaped window mat – typical of Civil War portraits – originally framed the painted backdrop and the soldier's full body. This uncased work offers a glimpse into the photographer's environment, from the worn studio floorboards and side screens to the tattered edges of the backdrop.