1861
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Songs of War is a 1861 ink by American 19th Century, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This woodcut shows a chaotic crowd of soldiers, musicians, and a lone woman. Some men march with rifles, others play instruments or hold flags. A soldier on horseback stands out in the center, while a woman in a long dress clutches an American flag. The scene is packed with tiny faces, all shouting or singing, and the text "Glory, Hallelujah" and "The Songs of the War" appears at the bottom. Notice how the artist used sharp lines and shading to fill every inch of the page, even in the smallest faces. This style was common in newspaper illustrations of the time. Next, look up technique: engraving to see how artists carved these detailed images into wood.
This artist painted everyday American life in the 1800s. Look at *Farmhouse in Mahantango Valley*—a quiet, sunlit scene of rural Pennsylvania. *Boy and Girl* shows two children standing close, their faces turned toward…
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