Fifty one portraits of the Confederate Army & Navy c. mid to late 19th century

Curator: This photographic print, "Fifty one portraits of the Confederate Army & Navy" by C. D. Fredricks and Co., presents a stark reminder of a deeply divisive period. Editor: It's striking how they’re all posed so formally, but knowing who they are, it feels… heavy. What should viewers take away from this compilation? Curator: We must consider the power dynamics at play. Who is represented, and who is conspicuously absent? The romanticized image of the Confederacy, often detached from the brutal reality of slavery, continues to haunt our present. Can we view this as a document, not of pride, but of historical accountability? Editor: So, it's less about the individual portraits, and more about what they collectively represent in history? Curator: Precisely. It's about confronting uncomfortable truths and understanding how these images contribute to a larger, often distorted, narrative. Editor: I see. It definitely makes me think about whose stories get told and remembered.