Civil War Soldier
Charles Ethan Porter American
Only a handful of black-and-white drawings are known by Porter. While their original purpose is unknown (were they intended for commercial illustration or personal use?), they reveal the artist’s academic training at New York’s National Academy of Design, where he may have been one of the first Black Americans to study. This poignant depiction of a reflective Union soldier suggests Porter’s interest in exploring post–Civil War subject matter that spoke to broad audiences. It also likely carried personal meaning for the artist, who lost two brothers in the conflict, both of whom fought in Black Connecticut regiments.
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