The Seceding South Carolina Delegation 1860

Winslow Homer made this engraving of the South Carolina delegation, published in Harper's Weekly in 1860, using wood engraving on paper. Here, we see these men presented in a structured arrangement, their portraits bearing a striking resemblance to those of Roman senators from antiquity. Their stern countenances, framed by beards, evoke a sense of gravity and resolve. This visual association cleverly links them to the ancient idea of a republic. The artist uses a visual rhetoric that suggests a continuity, a legacy inherited and now enacted. Yet, the cultural memory embedded in these images carries with it the burden of history—not just of Rome, but of all republics that have risen and fallen. It evokes a complex interplay between the past and the present, as it also brings into question the very ideals these men claim to uphold. These symbols engage the viewer on a subconscious level, tapping into deep-seated fears and hopes about the course of history. The use of classical motifs, here, is not merely decorative but rather serves as a powerful tool to engage with the emotional and psychological undercurrents of a nation on the brink. The progression of such symbols is never linear; they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different contexts.