Bombardment and Capture of Island Number Ten on the Mississippi River, April 7, 1862 1862

Currier and Ives made this print of the Bombardment and Capture of Island Number Ten on the Mississippi River in 1862 using lithography, a printing process that relies on the chemical repulsion of oil and water. The image is a snapshot of a pivotal moment in the American Civil War, depicting Union ironclad warships engaged in a fierce battle with Confederate forces. The scene pulses with energy through the billowing smoke, cannon flashes, and determined postures of the vessels. The image suggests the intense labor involved in the production of these ironclad warships. The image is of mass production, which transformed raw materials into tools of war. The lithographic process itself allowed for the mass dissemination of such images, fueling public opinion and shaping the narrative of the war. Currier and Ives democratized art by making it accessible to a broader audience, blurring the lines between documentation, entertainment, and propaganda, prompting us to consider the role of art in shaping historical narratives.