Passage Through Baltimore (from Confederate War Etchings) 1861 - 1863

Curator: This is Adalbert John Volck’s print, “Passage Through Baltimore,” likely made between 1861 and 1863. Part of his “Confederate War Etchings” series. The Met has it. Editor: Immediately, I am struck by the somewhat absurd composition. The terrified man peeking out from what looks like a boxcar… and is that a cat on a stool, arching its back? Curator: Indeed. Volck was a Confederate sympathizer living in Baltimore, and this piece uses satire to address the Union’s suppression of Confederate sentiment in Maryland, a border state. We must consider that historical context to appreciate the full weight of Volck's narrative, specifically how it impacts questions about identity, belonging, and state power. Editor: Let's delve into that boxcar: note the simple planks and the inscription "P.W. & B.R.R. Co." Painted or stenciled hastily. Volck is interested in this construction. He is emphasizing that this mode of transportation may as well be used to transport enslaved or imprisoned individuals, which would directly correlate to labor practices and material access. What do you think of the rendering? Curator: It’s fascinating how he uses this seemingly simple image to address profound issues of liberty and oppression. That huddled figure within becomes symbolic of the Confederate "cause" trapped and cornered. Consider the implications here—Volck casts the Union as the oppressor of basic human rights, turning the ideals of freedom and equality on their heads. Editor: The printmaking itself, an engraving, lends a certain documentary quality, although its stark contrasts belie its polemical intention. We must note, this type of image production and distribution of material in times of conflict directly relates to social consumption, labor division, and, even more precisely, to modes of production, thus questioning traditional views of war artwork. Curator: And in positioning it this way, it perpetuates the narrative of the South as an underdog, bravely fighting against tyranny, despite its deeply rooted involvement in its own specific forms of oppression, one defined specifically by racial discrimination and injustice. The artwork uses a historical episode to champion values antithetical to the experiences of Black individuals during the conflict. Editor: It makes me ponder on Volck's access to printmaking tools and their manufacture during wartime. That the message is delivered on paper made of specific material through careful crafting allows the symbolism within the artwork to extend beyond the final scene, as a tool and an act in and of itself. Curator: An astute observation, connecting the physical means of dissemination to its ultimate power. It does highlight the complex entanglements of art, ideology, and materials, wouldn't you say?