The artwork titled “Battle of Fredericksburg, 13. Dec. 1862” was created by the artist Currier and Ives in the year 1862. This piece falls under the art movement of Romanticism and belongs to the genre of battle painting. It forms part of a series focused on the American Civil War.
The artwork vividly depicts one of the intense scenes from the Battle of Fredericksburg, a significant conflict during the American Civil War. In the foreground, soldiers can be seen aggressively engaging in combat, with numerous fallen and wounded individuals graphically depicted, emphasizing the battle’s brutality. The backdrop reveals vast numbers of troops in formation, moving forward under the plume of cannon smoke, symbolizing the scale and chaos of the conflict. An American flag is prominently displayed, signaling the Union forces’ presence. The detailed and dynamic representation effectively conveys the tumult and desperation of war, characteristic of Currier and Ives’ romanticized yet poignant style.