The artwork, titled “Bombardment of Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor 12th & 13th of April, 1861,” was created by Currier and Ives in 1861. This piece is part of the Romanticism art movement and is classified under the genre of battle paintings. It belongs to the “American Civil War” series.
The artwork vividly captures the intense and dramatic bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. The fort, depicted at the center, is engulfed in towering flames and thick, dark smoke, indicative of the fierce cannon fire it endured. The sky is illuminated with bright, fiery projectiles arcing towards the fort, contrasting with the darker hues of smoke and flames. The turbulent waters of the harbor foreground the scene, reflecting the chaos above and adding a sense of urgency and gravity to the historical battle.