Worship of the North (from Confederate War Etchings) 1861 - 1863

Editor: Adalbert Volck’s "Worship of the North" from his Confederate War Etchings, done sometime between 1861 and 1863, presents a pretty critical view of… well, what appears to be the North. It’s an etching, with a lot of detailed sketchwork. How should we interpret its statement given the context of its creation? Curator: This piece really grabs you by the materials, doesn’t it? Etchings were often used for propaganda during wartime because they could be mass-produced and distributed widely. So, the very *process* tells us Volck intended a broad reach. What does the imagery suggest about his view of Northern society’s productive forces? Editor: Well, I see what looks like a… goddess of Ego being worshiped, almost mocked, by figures that seem like caricatures of politicians and businessmen. It feels like a critique of materialism and self-importance, maybe? Curator: Exactly! Note how he uses etching to depict those figures—the precise lines enabling detailed mockery. Volck isn't just commenting on individual egos; he's implicating an entire economic and social system seemingly built on those foundations. Who is benefiting from that structure? And who is paying the price, in terms of both resources and labor? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way before. It's not just the political figures, but the implied Northern *society* benefiting from this system of "Ego Worship". And creating the print in the South is its own statement about their diverging material realities! Curator: Precisely. Understanding the means of production helps us understand the artist's commentary on the social and material disparities fueling the conflict. Editor: Thanks! I'll definitely look at other pieces with an eye toward the method of production as a social commentary. Curator: My pleasure. Examining the labor involved really does add a richer dimension.