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The image depicts a soldier standing near an engraved stone that reads "DIED FOR THE UNION." The scene includes trees, a low horizon with a setting or rising sun casting a glow on calm waters, and the soldier holding a rifle. The color palette is gray, with shades to create depth and emphasize the moonlit background. Engravings of "ARLINGTON HEIGHTS" and "DIE WACHT AM POTOMAC" frame the composition.
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The image depicts a soldier standing near an engraved stone that reads "DIED FOR THE UNION." The scene includes trees, a low horizon with a setting or rising sun casting a glow on calm waters, and the soldier holding a rifle. The color palette is gray, with shades to create depth and emphasize the moonlit background. Engravings of "ARLINGTON HEIGHTS" and "DIE WACHT AM POTOMAC" frame the composition.

National Gallery of Art · Print

Arlington Heights. Die Wacht. Am Potomac.

Thomas Nast

Date
1871
Medium
wood engraving in black on newsprint
Dimensions
image: 34.61 × 23.18 cm (13 5/8 × 9 1/8 in.) sheet: 40.96 × 28.26 cm (16 1/8 × 11 1/8 in.)
Classification
Print
Accession number
2013.3.5
Credit line
Donald and Nancy deLaski Fund
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CG-W
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Tree
  • Gun
  • wood engraving
  • Man
  • Stone
  • Writing
Provenance

Acquired in 2013 from The Old Print Shop, New York.

Inscription

upper left: ARLINGTON; upper right: HEIGHTS; caption carved in block, lower center: DIE WACHT. AM POTOMAC; signed in block, lower right: Th: Nast.

NGA object ID 159710. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.