Article 8 -- February 15th 2014 Capturing Romney — In the chilly air of winter’s wake January 10th, 1862 Alfred R. Waud entered Romney to sketch the area as it then appeared. The veteran journalist was a new breed of reporter who filled the pages of the Victorian Era press with images that presented the news in an illustrated newspaper. Using a pencil to roughly capture the action, these artist journalists would send their latest dispatches to their employers to be interpreted, engraved into beech wood blocks and then used in the printing of the illustrated newspaper. Alfred R. Waud is among the elite reporters of the time and recognized as being among the very best in capturing accurately the visages of a land wrenched apart. Recognized as a true witness of the American Civil War, Waud’s artwork is less heroic and more factual than the vast majority of what was produced in the Civil War. Working first for the New York Illustrated News, Waud jumped ship and signed on with Harper’s Weekly in December 1861. His two known depictions of Romney were some of his first while working for Harper’s. The images are done looking at the town from the east and the north. They were done about January 10th, 1862 and in advance of an expected battle between the federal garrison at Romney and the famous Stonewall Jackson. The image here presented shows the area near what is today Subway Restaurant. The road is the Northwestern Turnpike (present-day US 50). The town is on the left surrounded by Federal camps. The smoke from continuously fed camp fires wafts in the air. From the page one can almost smell the acrid oak smoke that would have hung heavy in the haze that blanketed the town. That Waud came to Romney, VA in January 1862 to capture for readers the town just prior to Jackson’s arrival denotes the importance of the region. Likewise, sketch artist Thomas Nast was present in Romney at this time; Nast’s work is next week’s topic.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 04:24:23 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015