SOLAR ENLARGEMENT OR CRAYON PORTRAIT: DANIEL ROSE, COMPANY A 145th PENNSYLVANIA

$225.00 SOLD

Quantity Available: None

Item Code: 454-57

This is a very well done and nicely framed “solar enlargement” or “crayon portrait” of Daniel Rose, a private in Company A of the 145th Pennsylvania. The portrait process was developed in the late 1850s and became popular over the next few decades as a method of enlarging a photograph to a size suitable for framing and display in a conventional wall frame. The original was projected onto light sensitive paper and the resulting image was then touched up by the artist in black and white or with color added to increase the resemblance to a traditional, formal oil portrait.

Rose was clearly an older soldier and wears a regulation infantry frock coat with his cap in his lap showing his regimental number and company letter. Not only did the image come out of Pennsylvania, making it likely the 145th PA, Rose’s name is written on the reverse of the image, under the backing. The artist has well preserved and rendered his facial details, including his blue eyes. The original probably showed his collar turned down and the artist has slightly lost track of it in the coloring, letting a button appear within the light blue piping of his collar, but in general it is neatly done and included not only his coat, piping and buttons, but his light blue paints, red table cloth and green seat cushion.

It looks like the original was a large format albumen, perhaps itself a copy of a tintype or albumen. In any case, the solar enlargement captured portions of an oval mat or border on the original. The artist, however, took pains in the coloring to conceal this at the bottom by extending the tail of the soldier’s frockcoat, his pant leg, and the table cloth to create a more natural seated portrait, better giving the impression it was painted from life.

The regiment was organized in September 1862 and mustered out at the end of May 1865. It spent its entire service in the 1st Division of the 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, and fought hard, losing 18 officers and 187 enlistedmen in battles such as Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg, with losses as late as April 6, 1865, at Sailor’s Creek. Rose joined it in 1863, mustering into Company A on 9/14/63 and serving with them for more than a year, during their hard and fairly constant fighting in 1864, transferring to Co. B of the 18th VRC 2/1/65, from which he was discharged 8/2/65. He is buried in Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, PA. Genealogical sites indicate he was born in 1815 and died in 1877, and was a shoemaker by profession. His ages puts him over draft age and even enlistment age in 1863, but fits the portrait perfectly and just as men under 18 frequently misrepresented their ages to enlist, so did those older, particularly with the lure of the substantial bounties being paid at that point in the war.

This displays very well and is housed in gold painted, 11” x 14” wood frame, ready to hang. It is a nice piece for the photography collector, well illustrating the process, or for a collector of the unit.  [sr] [ph:L]

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