A Dress Parade of the Seventeenth New York 1861

This photograph shows the 17th New York regiment parading in the American Civil War. The image encapsulates the institutional structures of military life and how the war mobilized citizens. The photograph creates meaning through the visual codes of military formation. We see soldiers aligned and uniformed, creating a unified front. It may have been taken for recruitment purposes, or as a form of morale booster during a difficult conflict. Such images were important for maintaining the military's image, as well as for family members to remember their loved ones. To understand this image better, one must research the history of Civil War photography and military recruitment tactics. Understanding the regiment's history and specific battles would further contextualize the photograph. It's a window into the social conditions that shaped the Civil War. Art like this gains greater meaning when we understand the context of its creation.