Seminar Leader: Kirk Savage, Associate Professor of Art History, University of Pittsburgh

The Civil War destroyed the institution of slavery and transformed the U.S. socially, politically, and economically, all at great cost to human life: more Americans died in this war than in any other in the nation's history. The War's impact on art was almost as profound and long-lasting. Not only did the subject inspire some of the nation's best painters, sculptors, photographers, and illustrators, it also changed the face of town and countryside as monuments to soldiers and statesmen of the Civil War era spread across the landscape. This seminar will examine the far-reaching impact of the war on American art, both during the conflict and afterward, as it moved from current event into the realm of memory. We will pay close attention not only to the imagery of battle but also to the social and political issues which shaped the image of the war and which in many respects continue to shape us today. Some of the questions we will address include:

* How did artists come to grips with the new realities of warfare and the unprecedented scale of death it caused?
* How did the new media of that era (especially photography) change the way that war was represented and understood?
* What insights did artists offer into the social and political changes happening both on the homefront and battlefront?
* Did the memorialization of the war in public art create new understandings of the conflict or perpetuate old myths?