Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman and Horse. This View was taken in the Trenches before Atlanta, Ga [1864]. c. 1870

Curator: This is a stereograph created around 1864, attributed to E. & H. T. Anthony, titled "Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman and Horse. This View was taken in the Trenches before Atlanta, Ga." Editor: My first thought is the stark contrast between the general's composed posture and the destructive artillery wheel beside him. It really drives home the idea of war’s duality. Curator: Indeed. Sherman's image here is carefully constructed to project authority amid the chaos. It was a period where photography served a key role in shaping public opinion about the war and its leaders. Editor: And it’s interesting to consider how the industrial production of these images—stereographs becoming a mass-produced commodity—influenced perceptions of the war itself. All those perfectly replicated images! Curator: Precisely. The photograph flattens the experience of war, making it a consumable item for the home. Editor: It makes you wonder about the labor involved, doesn’t it? From the manufacturing of the photographic materials to the distribution networks, all supporting this image. Curator: Thinking about the means of image production in that era gives us a better understanding of its influence. Editor: Yes, seeing the artistry alongside the process reveals so much about the time.