Ambrose Everett Burnside, 23 May 1824 - 13 Sep 1881 Search this
Joseph Hooker, 13 Nov 1814 - 31 Oct 1879 Search this
Winfield Scott Hancock, 14 Feb 1824 - 9 Feb 1886 Search this
John Aaron Rawlins, 13 Feb 1831 - 6 Sep 1869 Search this
Edward Otho Cresap Ord, 18 Oct 1818 - 22 Jul 1883 Search this
Francis Preston Blair, Jr., 19 Feb 1821 - 9 Jul 1875 Search this
Alfred Howe Terry, 10 Nov 1827 - 16 Dec 1890 Search this
Henry Warner Slocum, 24 Sep 1827 - 14 Apr 1894 Search this
Jefferson Columbus Davis, 2 Mar 1828 - 30 Nov 1879 Search this
Oliver Otis Howard, 8 Nov 1830 - 26 Oct 1909 Search this
John McAllister Schofield, 29 Sep 1831 - 4 Mar 1906 Search this
Joseph Anthony Mower, 22 Aug 1827 - 6 Jan 1870 Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
58.4 x 92.7cm (23 x 36 1/2")
Frame: 100.3 x 134.6 x 12.7cm (39 1/2 x 53 x 5")
Type:
Painting
Date:
c. 1865
Exhibition Label:
As the Civil War moved into its final stages in the fall of 1864, the Norwegian artist Ole Peter Hansen Balling and a prosperous New Yorker conceived of the idea for a large equestrian painting depicting the commander of the Union armies, Ulysses S. Grant, flanked by an array of generals who served under him. Upon completion, the painting would be used to raise funds for the United States Sanitary Commission, a private organization for aiding sick and wounded soldiers. To obtain likenesses of the twenty-seven figures in the picture, Balling traveled to Union army encampments to make life studies of his subjects. Among the most cooperative was Grant, who gave Balling repeated opportunities to draw him as he rode with staff officers to survey the forward lines near his headquarters at City Point, Virginia.
The final rendering of Grant and His Generals approached being life-sized. Balling also painted this smaller version, most likely to serve as the template for a color lithograph of the picture. Today both paintings are in the National Portrait Gallery’s collection; the large version is on display in a nearby stairwell.
Left to right: Thomas C. Devin (1822–1878), George A. Custer (1839–1876), Hugh J. Kilpatrick (1836–1881), William H. Emory (1811–1887), Philip H. Sheridan (1831–1888), James B. McPherson (1828–1864), George Crook (1830–1890), Wesley Merritt (1834–1910), George H. Thomas (1816–1870), Gouverneur Kemble Warren (1830–1882), George G. Meade (1815–1872), John G. Parke (1827–1900), William T. Sherman (1820–1891), John A. Logan (1826–1886), Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885), Ambrose E. Burnside (1824–1881), Joseph Hooker (1814–1879), Winfield Scott Hancock (1824–1886), John A. Rawlins (1831–1869), Edward O. C. Ord (1818–1883), Francis Preston Blair (1821–1875), Alfred H. Terry (1827–1890), Henry W. Slocum (1827–1894), Jefferson C. Davis (1828–1879), Oliver O. Howard (1830–1909), John M. Schofield (1831–1906), Joseph A. Mower (1827–1870)
Mientras la Guerra Civil se acercaba a su etapa final en el otoño de 1864, el artista noruego Ole Peter Hansen Balling y un próspero neoyorquino idearon hacer una pintura ecuestre de gran formato que representara al comandante de los ejércitos de la Unión, Ulysses S. Grant, flanqueado por un nutrido grupo de los generales que estaban bajo sus órdenes. El cuadro se utilizaría para recaudar fondos a beneficio del Comité Sanitario de Estados Unidos, organización privada que ayudaba a los soldados enfermos o heridos. Para poder hacer los retratos de los veintisiete personajes que aparecen en el cuadro, Balling visitó los campamentos de la Unión y dibujó bocetos del natural. Entre los modelos más cooperadores estuvo Grant, quien permitió a Balling dibujarlo en varias ocasiones mientras cabalgaba con sus oficiales para inspeccionar el frente de batalla cerca de su cuartel general en City Point, Virginia.
La versión final de Grant y sus generales es casi de tamaño natural. Balling también pintó esta versión más pequeña, probablemente como plantilla para una litografía a color. Hoy, ambas pinturas se encuentran en la colección de la National Portrait Gallery. La versión grande se expone en el vano de una escalera cercana.
Desde la izquierda: Thomas C. Devin (1822–1878), George A. Custer (1839–1876), Hugh J. Kilpatrick (1836–1881), William H. Emory (1811–1887), Philip H. Sheridan (1831–1888), James B. McPherson (1828–1864), George Crook (1830–1890), Wesley Merritt (1834–1910), George H. Thomas (1816–1870), Gouverneur Kemble Warren (1830–1882), George G. Meade (1815–1872), John G. Parke (1827–1900), William T. Sherman (1820–1891), John A. Logan (1826–1886), Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885), Ambrose E. Burnside (1824–1881), Joseph Hooker (1814–1879), Winfield Scott Hancock (1824–1886), John A. Rawlins (1831–1869), Edward O. C. Ord (1818–1883), Francis Preston Blair (1821–1875), Alfred H. Terry (1827–1890), Henry W. Slocum (1827–1894), Jefferson C. Davis (1828–1879), Oliver O. Howard (1830–1909), John M. Schofield (1831–1906), Joseph A. Mower (1827–1870)