[Outer Line of Confederate Fortifications, in Front of Petersburg, Virginia, Captured by 18th Army Corps] 1864

Timothy O'Sullivan captured this albumen silver print, "[Outer Line of Confederate Fortifications, in Front of Petersburg, Virginia, Captured by 18th Army Corps]" during the American Civil War. The image presents us with a stark, wide-angle view where earth tones dominate, creating a somber mood. The composition is structured by the trenches in the foreground that lead the eye towards the horizon line filled with figures and canons. O'Sullivan uses light and shadow to define the textures of the earthworks, contrasting the rough, torn surfaces of the trenches with the softer, more diffused light of the sky. Consider how O'Sullivan's choice to focus on the landscape itself becomes a powerful statement. By emphasizing the physical alterations of war, the image speaks to the deeper ideological structures at play during the conflict. It offers no heroism, just the stark reality of a landscape reshaped by division and struggle. The photograph serves as a haunting reflection on the transformation of space through conflict.