Towards the end of and following the Civil War, American painters utilized their skills to convey the effects and aftermath of a nation that had been at war with itself. These artists depict citizens from different social statuses and their transition to life directly after the war. The paintings chosen for this exhibition mostly depict small families, groups, or a singular person as the focal point. An intimate insight is provided by how these artists humanize the people they paint. Expressing their subjects in a state of naturalness, the painters assist in making the emotional toll on citizens post-war more palpable to viewers while simultaneously instilling a mildly uneasy sensation of sympathy.
This exhibition walks through the process of American citizens grieving and dealing with the disorder caused by the war, affecting people from every walk of life. Veterans, farmers, housewives, slaves, musicians, artists, daughters, and sons face an uncertain future as they approach life after the war. These paintings show us an array of stories from people throughout America attempting to rebuild their country. Though not entirely chronological, the following images show the adversities of shifting from a life defined by violent tension to reimagining a new society born succeeding the war. Johnson, Guy, Wood, and Homer have all contributed to our view and accessibility of the Civil War. The narrative told by their art illustrates how we analyze the lives of those playing a prominent part in our country’s history.
Winslow Homer, Prisoners from the Front
1866
Oil on canvas
The Met Accession Number: 22.207
Homer’s Prisoners from the Front portrays the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in May of 1864 from one of his two visits to the Union frontlines during the war. Painted after the war ended, Homer illustrates the symbolic detachment between the North and South militaries, which is revealed by the defiant stances of the different men. Homer uses this painting as a way to distill the conflict’s more extensive meaning for Americans. This piece is known to be one of the most notorious paintings for shaping our modern view of the Civil War.
Thomas Waterman Wood, A Bit of War History: The Veteran
1866
Oil on canvas
The Met Accession Number: 84.12c
This image is one of three triplets in a set that forms a narrative for African American military soldiers throughout the Civil War. Thomas Waterman Wood depicts his subject’s face swelling with pride, indicating his fulfillment in serving. Whether the soldier has returned to re-enlist or solely to obtain his stipend, his dignity shines even with an amputated leg. The other two paintings in the A Bit of War History collection cling to the theme of showcasing these men in their most simple yet noble forms. When most portrayals of African American soldiers were often made in a caricature style, these paintings presented an honorable perspective on their service to the Union.
Winslow Homer, Near Andersonville
1865-1866
Oil on canvas
The Newark Museum of Art, N.J.
Near Andersonville provides a discreet yet rich look at the potential freedom for some after the war. The title of this image refers to the site of a Confederate prison in Georgia, known for being the South’s largest prison for captured Union soldiers. Though the place is known for its massive death rate and unhealthy living conditions, Homer focuses his painting on one black woman stepping out of a small structure. Lost in a state of thought, the woman’s gaze offers insight into her unknown future as she watches Confederates march alongside captured Union soldiers. She is the only black woman to be featured in Homer’s wartime paintings, forcing his earlier works focusing on white male soldiers, even if only for a moment, to take the back seat.
Winslow Homer, Veteran in a New Field
1865
Oil on canvas
The Met Accession Number: 67.187.131
The Veteran in a New Field sets the stage for life post-Civil War. Homer uses plenty of symbolism in this piece to convey both the hope and the despair felt among Americans following the war. The title itself describes the painting’s representational meaning, displaying the veteran in his “new field” of work among crops rather than a battlefield. A military jacket and small canteen can be seen in the bottom right corner, representing the notion of him throwing off the old responsibilities and attempting to move on to this new life path as a civilian.
1866
Oil on canvas
The Met Accession Number: 1992.128
The Contest for the Bouquet moves us to view the dynamics of family life following the war. Guy was one of the first artists to focus genre painting on children as the main subjects. This significant evolution in style led wealthy American families to commission pieces of the complete family in their “natural environment.” Robert Gordon, whose family is depicted in the portrait, is one example of how those made rich after the war chose to express their assets through art. Gordon collected paintings while using them to demonstrate his social standing and financial comfort following the Civil War.
Eastman Johnson, The Hatch Family
1870-1871
Oil on canvas
The Met Accession Number: 26.97
Like The Contest for the Bouquet, Eastman Johnson’s painting, The Hatch Family, serves a similar purpose: thoroughly convey luxury and stability post-war. These paintings were often commissioned to show off one’s “spoils of war,” usually alluding to the number of children and level of casual refinement represented. Alfrederick Hatch, the commissioner of this image, sits to the right of his desk, relishing in the vibrancy of his children playing about the room. Like Robert Gordon, he too is an avid collector of art, eager to show his prosperity following the war in the form of art.
1870
Oil on canvas
The Met Accession Number: 23.77.2
Since the end of the war, artists began to move their attention to more contemporary examples of life. Homer starts to gravitate towards depicting lighter scenes with a more carefree spirit. Though his choice of painting three bathers was seen as audacious for the time, the air of the portrait is much less weighty in essence. These ladies carry a relaxed temperament, driving one to gloss over the reality of the nation having been at war with itself only a few years prior. By 1870, most American artists had moved on to more current and leisurely themes, appreciating the quieter moments and painting them.
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