Kurz and Allison — Battle Between the Monitor and Merrimac

Kurz & Allison — Battle Between the Monitor and Merrimac

Date: 1889 (copyrighted 1889 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.

Description:
This naval engagement scene, fought March 9, 1862 at Hampton Roads, emphasizes horizontal movement across expansive water passages. Atmospheric effects are constructed through layered blue-gray stone impressions rather than halftone process.

Water and sky fields show organic tonal variation and overlapping pigment passes, confirming traditional chromolithographic technique. The surface remains matte and fiber-integrated, consistent with late 19th-century production.

The print embodies:

expansive maritime composition
layered tonal blending
clear multi-stone registration
industrial-era naval imagery rendered with painterly chromolithographic texture

Provenance:
Original bound portfolio → VLAF