Thomas O'dea; "Andersonville Prison, Fort Sumter, GA"

Often times when I look at vintage or antique pieces I wonder about the lives they have lived.  What kind of parties did those 1970's chairs witness in that Manhattan apartment?  Who were the beautiful French women, and men, who took one last glance in that 19th c. mirror before a night out on the town in Paris?  With this original lithograph of the Civil War prison at Fort Sumter, completed by Thomas O'dea in 1885, it went deeper.  When I removed the print to clean the frame, I saw the time and care someone had taken to redraw areas of the print that had been lost over time.  It was a very evocative moment for me, especially being American, and led me to continue my task with a certain sense of reverence.  I thought about the importance and horror of the War, the lives lost and the fact that this is an important historical remembrance.  The lithograph is by no means in excellent condition.  It has been repaired, there are pieces missing and it was at one time varnished which has given it an almost leather like patina.  However, while I generally like things in excellent condition, with this piece it doesn't seem to detract, but adds another layer of depth and meaning.  Following are remarks from the National Park Service and then comments on the piece by the artist:

 After the Civil War, drawings of Andersonville Prison became very popular. Probably the most famous drawing was done by Private Thomas O'Dea who served in Company E of the 16th Regiment Maine Infantry and who survived his confinement at Andersonville. He decided to draw a picture of the stockade, not to revive war issues or prejudices and animosities, but to show a true picture of the prison. Private O'Dea's picture became very well-known     


I never drew a picture before in my life. Were I an artist, I could have completed it in a short time. I commenced this work in the winter of 1879 and finished it in 1885 devoting to it my leisure moments for over 5 years. To gratify my own desires I resolved to attempt the task knowing that if successful, my production would be immediately recognized as a faithful and accurate picture of the original prison and vicinity. I have seen different pictures of the subject by different authors. The inaccuracies of all these pictures induced me to try my hand at producing one, hoping in the venture that I would be able to supply the deficiencies, correct the misrepresentations of the rest, and give the public a true description of the prison, and view of the sufferings of its inmates. In executing the work, I had no picture, map, plan, or scale to guide or instruct me, but I relied upon and drew the whole subject from memory. To the casual observer, such a thing may be looked upon as absurd and impossible, that it is impossible after such a length of time for "memory" to retain such a perfect list and one of details as here portrayed and that I must have had assistance from some other source to be able to present such a vast combination of characters and situations in so perfect manner. Ah, my friends, had you been there and experienced the sufferings that, in common with the thousands of other unfortunates who "were there," you too, like myself, would have the whole panorama photographed in your memory to remain there to your dying day. For a period of 12 months I resided in the "Prison Pens" of the South, as a "Guest" of the "Confederacy." There is not a man born that can accurately describe the scenes and sufferings of those who were imprisoned in those southern hells. ONE HAD TO BE THERE TO WITNESS AND UNDERSTAND IT!

64" l., 44" h., framed.  American, c. 1885
SOLD

Advertising Flyer for O'dea's Famous Picture

 Monumental Framed Lithograph

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 restored area with hand drawn figures

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