États-Unis d'Amerique 1865 - 7th Regt. of New-York 1865

This hand-colored lithograph, titled "États-Unis d'Amerique 1865 - 7th Regt. of New-York," was created by Draner in 1865. The printmaking process is key here, especially lithography, which allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction. The image depicts a rather foppish Union soldier, but the real story is in the making. Lithography involves drawing on a stone or metal plate with a greasy crayon, then treating the surface so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. This print was then hand-colored. Consider the labor involved – the artist’s design, the printer's skill, and the colorist's careful work. The image could be quickly and widely distributed, shaping public opinion during the Civil War. The very material of this artwork, a mass-produced print, speaks to the social and political context of its time, reflecting the rise of print culture and its role in shaping national identity and wartime sentiment. It reminds us that even seemingly simple images carry complex layers of meaning.