From the article, The man who laid a war at America’s doorstep via the Washington Post:
In 1865, with the close of hostilities, Gardner produced a compendium of his best pictures. Entitled “Gardner’s Photographic Sketch Book of the War,” it remains one of the finest photo records of the conflict.
It was pricey, for its time: $150. But it contained shots of the stone bridge at Bull Run and the Dunker Church at Antietam. There were pictures of the dead at Gettysburg and the young rebel whose body was moved. And there were pictures of the ruins of Richmond.
“As mementos of the fearful struggle through which the country has just passed,” Gardner wrote in the preface, “it is confidently hoped that . . . [these photos] will possess an enduring interest.”
Antietam. Manassas. Gettysburg. These are battles that are forever etched in America’s memories. The man who captured some of the most horrific images during the War Between the States was Alexander Gardner, an intrepid Scotsman, a jeweler’s apprentice of Calvinist upbringing, a newspaper publisher, entrepreneur and photographer.
This historically significant compilation of images, Gardner’s Photographic Sketch Book of the War, is one of the most acclaimed photographic books ever published, and yet little known. Published in 1866 in two stunning volumes and with an original price tag of $150, only 200 copies were ever printed, with fewer than 14 remaining intact to this day. A complete set of the works sold at Christie’s in 2009 for $92,500, beating the $40,000 – $60,000 pre-auction estimate.
As the nation remembers the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Conflict, our goal is to bring this work of art and these images back to life and to make it widely available to those around the country, as well as around the world, who share our love of photography as well as the history of this great country.
This app is a faithful re-publication of Gardner’s 1866 masterpiece where you can enjoy:
- Alexander Gardner’s original introduction from 1866.
- Beautifully illustrated title page by renowned Civil War artist Alfred R. Waud.
- 100 Civil War images with accompanying captions written by Alexander Gardner between 1865-66, shortly after the cessation of hostilities.
- Biographies of photographer Alexander Gardner as well as acclaimed illustrator, Alfred R. Waud.
- Information on how photographers operated in the field during the early days of battlefield photography.
- Analysis of a number of Civil War photographs explaining how the photographers staged them in an effort to heighten the dramatic effect of the images, which captured the essence of the War.
- Share your favorite photographs with friends and family either through email or buy them a print of an image to hang on their wall.
* Of note – This app is a faithful reproduction of an original version of this 1866 manuscript. We have left all spelling mistakes and/or other “inaccuracies” as is, in order to provide a true accounting of this critically acclaimed tome. Also of note, the spelling of various words and locations has changed over the years as well, these have been left true to the 1866 copy as well.
Pricing and availability: Gardner’s Photographic Sketch Book of the War is available in the iTunes App Store for $4.99.