Andersonville Prison, Ga., August 17, 1864. South View of Stockade c. 1864 - 1889

Curator: This is a photograph entitled "Andersonville Prison, Ga., August 17, 1864. South View of Stockade" taken by Andrew Jackson Riddle. The work is currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The overwhelming density of the tents creates a palpable sense of confinement and desperation; you can almost feel the weight of the situation pressing down. Curator: Indeed. This photograph serves as a stark record of the Confederate prison camp during the Civil War. Andersonville was notorious for its inhumane conditions and high mortality rate. Editor: Look at the crude materials used for shelter; scraps, bits of cloth—evidence of a desperate attempt to create some semblance of normalcy under unimaginable circumstances. Curator: The image circulated widely after the war, becoming a symbol of Confederate cruelty and contributing to the shifting public memory of the conflict. Editor: It forces us to confront the social and political implications of the prison system. Curator: An important and difficult piece, it urges consideration of how images shape public understanding of historical events. Editor: A sobering study of survival under duress; the bare necessities rendered monumental.