Edwin Forbes

The Sanctuary

Edwin Forbes's original etching, The Sanctuary is printed upon thick nineteenth century wove paper and with full, large margins as published by the artist in 1876. It is the fortieth and final etching from his complete set of etchings dealing with the American Civil War. In many ways it is the greatest. The scene is self-explanatory. A Black family, escaping from slavery, has found the Union line. Their journey no doubt has been both dangerous and exhausting. The old man leans weakly on his cane, the mother lifts her arms skyward. Her son and his dog look on in wonderment. Few images in the history of Civil War art are as brilliantly depicted as this family group reaching freedom. The Sanctuary is thus Edwin Forbes's final, great statement. Through all the unbelievable waste and carnage of the war he seems to be saying, 'This is what we fought for'.

The Sanctuary

View other original works of art by Edwin Forbes.

Edwin Forbes (New York, 1839 - 1895)
American Civil War
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Notes	Description	-
01-		After Dress Parade by Edwin Forbes	Original Etching	1876	Signed and titled in the plate by Edwin Forbes	Union officers in their quarters	Available
02.-		Coffee Coolers by Edwin Forbes	Original Etching	1876	Signed and titled in the plate by Edwin Forbes	Union soldiers waiting around the camp fire for their coffee	Sold
03.-		Home Sweet Home by Edwin Forbes	Original Etching	1876	Signed and titled in the plate by Edwin Forbes	Union soldiers relaxing by their tent. One plays his instument while the other sits and listens to his music	Sold
04.-		Newspapers in Camp by Edwin Forbes	Original Etching	1876	Signed and titled in the plate by Edwin Forbes	A civilian on a horse distrubuting newspapers to the camp site for the Union soldiers	Sold
05.-		The Army Forge by Edwin Forbes	Original Etching	1876	Signed and titled in the plate by Edwin Forbes	A transportable forge and its blacksmith shoeing a horse	Sold
06.-		The Sanctuary by Edwin Forbes	Original Etching	1876	Signed and titled in the plate by Edwin Forbes	A Black family, escaping from slavery, has found the Union line	Sold

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Title:	The Sanctuary
Artist:	Forbes, Edwin (New York, 1839 - 1895)
Date:	1876
Medium:	Original Etching
Publisher:	Edwin Forbes, New York
Note:	Edwin Forbes: One of the most important names in nineteenth century American Civil War art is that of Edwin Forbes. A highly skilled etcher, painter and illustrator, Forbes first devoted himself to studies of animal life. During the Civil War, however, he became the leading illustrative artist for Frank Leslie's, Illustrated Newspaper, New York, producing a large number of accurate, on-the-spot pictorial images of the conflicts and events surrounding the six year struggle. His art is now placed alongside that of Winslow Homer and Thomas Nast for his valuable contributions to Civil War art.
	After the war Forbes opened a studio in Brooklyn, New York, from which he sold his paintings and etchings. His reputation as a graphic artist reached an international level in 1877 when he was elected an honourary member of the London Etching Club, a distinction given to very few American artists.
	This superb, original etching is one of a number of retrospective images created entirely by Forbes and published in a full edition ten years after the conclusion of the fighting. In total, he created forty etchings of this large size, most dealing with scenes of camp life behind Union lines. The Sanctuary is the fortieth and final etching of the complete set. It depicts a Black family, escaping from slavery, has found the Union line. It is not known how many impressions were struck from each plate, but judging from the large size and the scarcity of these etchings on the art market of today the edition was probably less than two hundred.
Size:	13 X 18 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Condition:	Printed upon thick nineteenth century wove paper and with full, large margins as published by Edwin Forbes in 1876. Signed and titled in the plate by the artist. a fine, early impression of this outstanding, large etching and in excellent condition throughout. The Sanctuary is one of the finest etchings of the American Civil war.
Price:	Sold - The price is no longer available.
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