Kurz and Allison — Assault on Fort Sanders

Kurz & Allison — Assault on Fort Sanders

Date: 1891 (copyrighted 1891 by Kurz & Allison)
Medium: Multi-stone chromolithograph on heavy wove paper
Image Size: 20 7/8 x 14 3/4 in.
Sheet Size: 24 x 18 1/2 in.
Publisher: Kurz & Allison, Chicago

Description:
This chromolithograph depicts the November 29, 1863 assault at Fort Sanders. The composition compresses figures into the foreground, intensifying the immediacy of the scene through tightly layered diagonals of rifles and bodies. Earth and shadow passages are built through successive pigment applications, producing dimensional depth without mechanical halftone screening.

Under magnification, the surface reveals lithographic crayon texture and overlapping color passes, confirming traditional stone-based chromolithography. The heavy wove sheet absorbs pigment into the fibers, producing a matte, saturated finish characteristic of late 19th-century production.

The work demonstrates:

dense foreground clustering
layered tonal modeling
careful multi-stone registration
industrial-scale historical image production with painterly surface effects

Provenance:
Original bound portfolio (1880s–1890s) → Velvet Foundation for the Arts (VLAF)