Artillery Waggons, Balaklava in the Distance 1855

Roger Fenton's "Artillery Waggons, Balaklava in the Distance" (1855) captures the stark reality of the Crimean War. The image, currently housed at the Art Institute of Chicago, depicts a row of artillery waggons, their wheels stark against the dusty ground, with the encampment at Balaklava stretching out in the distance. Fenton, a pioneering war photographer, sought to document the conflict in a direct and realistic manner, contrasting with the romanticized depictions of war prevalent at the time. This evocative image speaks to the hardships and realities of war, making it a powerful testament to the power of photography to document history.