The Picket of the Tenth Indiana Regiment discovering the Approach of the Rebels at Mill Spring, Kentucky
1862
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1862
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This black-and-white scene shows three soldiers in a wooded area at night. One man in the center raises his rifle, pointing toward something unseen. Another soldier crouches nearby, holding a rifle and a bag, while the third stands to the right, also armed. The forest around them is dark, with a small fire flickering in the lower right corner. The title says this moment happened during the Civil War, when soldiers spotted enemy troops. The lighting is dramatic, with stark contrasts between light and shadow. Check out chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and dark like this.
