Art on Sunday #17
This work1, from Yale University Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, was essentially created by hand painting over a photograph by Andrew J. Russell taken in the middle of the American Civil War. The U.S. Library of Congress has a copy of the photograph2 (below) without the artistic embellishments.
Description on back of image:
United States Military Railway Department.
Construction and Transportation
No. 21. Expedients for Crossing Streams. – No. 21 represents a pair of small pontoons, designed to facilitate scouting operations. They should be about 10 inches diameter, and 7 or 8 feet long. They can be carried by a strap around the waist, and concealed by an overcoat. A boat can be made of these by running poles through the loops, and then placing sticks across. They were originally designed for the use of surveying parties, but for scouting expeditions they may be of much value.
Source information:
- Brigadier General Herman Haupt on a scout boat; http://brbl-dl.library.yale.edu/vufind/Record/3565624 Andrew J. Russell, photographer; painter unknown; Yale University Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
- Gen’l H. Haupt; http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2006676150/ Andrew J. Russell, photographer; Library of Congress
