General Ambrose Burnside 1858 - 1869

This photograph of General Ambrose Burnside was created by Jeremiah Gurney, one of New York’s leading photographers. During the Civil War, images like this one were often produced using the tintype process. This involved creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of metal, coated with a dark lacquer or enamel. The tintype was cheap, quick to produce and easily portable. This made it a popular choice for soldiers wanting to send images home, or civilians seeking to commemorate loved ones serving in the military. However, the process was not without its limitations. Tintypes tend to have a limited tonal range and can lack the detail and clarity of other photographic processes. In this portrait, the general's stern expression and formal pose speak to the gravity of the historical moment. But it is important to remember that the photograph itself was a mass-produced object, made possible by the industrialization of photography. By understanding the material and social context in which it was made, we can appreciate the photograph's full significance as both a work of art and a historical artifact.