Prepatory Sketch for Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg
1871
oil
From the collection of Museum of Fine Arts Boston
1871
oil
From the collection of Museum of Fine Arts Boston
The painting depicts a chaotic scene of war, with horses and soldiers in the midst of battle. The dominant colors are earthy tones, with shades of brown and gray, and the brushstrokes are bold and expressive. In the foreground, a group of horses are shown in various states of panic, with some rearing up on their hind legs and others running wildly. The soldiers are also shown in different poses, some standing and others fallen to the ground. This painting is a preparatory sketch for a larger work, and it showcases the artist's skill in capturing the intensity and chaos of battle. To learn more about the artist's use of chiaroscuro, a technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume and depth, explore the work of Peter F. Rothermel.
