I love American history, and also learning about photography in America. I wanted to write this blog after our last class when we learned about photography during war, especially the Civil War. Alexander Gardner photographed the hanging of the Lincoln Conspirators
on July 7, 1865. This image is very disturbing and makes me feel unconfortable, but it is interesting to think that it was exceptable to take a photo like this. To see a photograph of people dying would be morally wrong now. Alexander Gardner also photographed two of the men who were thought to be Lincoln Conspirators, before they were hung. The first photo,
Portrait of Lincoln Conspirator David Herold, and the photo after,
Portrait of Lincoln Conspirator Lewis Payne. I wonder why both men look like they don't know they are being photographed and I keep thinking of different reasons why.
These are awesome! The contrast and clarity are striking. I can't say that I would have really given them a second thought, but once reading the context, its pretty amazing. Isn't it funny how much a story about the creation of a work changes our perspective on the piece?
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