Rebel Works in Front of Atlanta, GA, No. 2 1864

George N. Barnard made this albumen print, titled "Rebel Works in Front of Atlanta, GA, No. 2," sometime during the American Civil War. Albumen printing was a photographic process that used the protein found in egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper. The process gives the photograph its distinctive sepia tone, and smooth surface. The image depicts a series of cannons in a defensive position. The cannons are the products of heavy industry, but surrounded by constructions made from felled trees and sandbags. The cannons and the defensive fortifications reflect the intense labor and material resources dedicated to the conflict. The photograph itself is a document of that effort, captured using a relatively new technology that would eventually transform our understanding of war and its consequences. This photograph invites us to consider the relationship between technology, labor, and the visual representation of conflict, expanding our understanding of both the Civil War and the history of photography.