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Volck, Adalbert John (1828-1912) Making clothes for the boys in the army

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00493.11 Author/Creator: Volck, Adalbert John (1828-1912) Place Written: s.l. Type: Print Date: circa 1880-1890 Pagination: 1 etching : b&w ; 26.1 x 34.6 cm. Order a Copy

Depicts three women sitting in a crowded bedchamber, engaged in the entire process of making clothing. On the far left, a woman wearing a bonnet spins the raw material into thread. The thread is then woven into cloth by the woman working the loom. On the right, a woman sews the finished pieces into garments for Confederate soldiers. The scene is a quiet, domestic one, designed to convey the patriotism and sacrifice considered appropriate and desirable for Southern women. Size in extent is for the mount. The actual size of the etching is 20.4 x 26.6 cm. Title in pencil on verso.

Adalbert John Volck was a dentist, political cartoonist, and a caricaturist who sympathized with the Southern cause. During the Civil War, Volck supported the Confederacy through his satirical political cartoons. He also smuggled drugs and medical supplies for the Confederate army, and served as a personal courier to President Jefferson Davis.

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