New photography exhibit looks back on the Civil War

on Thursday,February 17,2011 20:02

Photography has not only been a creative outlet for art enthusiasts, but a keystone in documenting history. Recently, the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York, announced that it will be displaying photographs from the Civil War, according to the Associated Press. The goal is to help viewers envision how life was during one of the most important times in American history.

Among the works being put on display are a series of pieces documenting the assassination of President Lincoln. An Alexander Gardner photograph depicting the hanging of three men and a women following the conspiracy is a part of the exhibit. Approximately 130 pictures will be shown throughout the four-month event.

"What's unique about the album is the photographs were assembled from many different sources to tell the story of the Lincoln conspiracy," Alison Nordstrom, the museum's curator of photographs, told the news source. "It's a real page-turner, a heart stopper that culminates in the photographs of the hanging."

The museum, which owns more than 1,100 Civil War artifacts, may be able to inspire individuals to pursue careers in photography with their pieces.

More than half of the individuals who held jobs as photographers in 2008 were self-employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.