Breastworks near Williamsport, Md., thrown up by Gen. Lee’s army, on its retreat toward the Potomac
1863
Edwin Forbes sketched this battlefield landscape in 1863, capturing the earthen fortifications left behind by General Lee's retreating army after the Battle of Gettysburg. Notice the mysterious numbers scattered across the paper—these aren't random scribbles, but a clever color-coding system Forbes used to map out depth and layers for his final oil paintings back in the safety of his studio. It offers a fascinating, on-the-ground glimpse into how a Civil War artist translated the grim reality of retreating troops and muddy trenches into a structured, lasting composition.
- Technique
- Graphite on paper
- Material
- Paper