Atlanta to the Sea 1949

Ella Fillmore Lillie created this image, "Atlanta to the Sea," using etching, a printmaking technique that involves scratching a design into a metal plate. Here, Lillie evokes a haunting sense of the American South. We see the ruins of what was likely a plantation building, perhaps destroyed during the Civil War and General Sherman’s march to the sea. The artist made this work in the 20th century, yet the impact of the war on the Southern landscape and economy was still very real. The moss-draped trees and ruined building are a stark reminder of the enduring legacy of slavery. This imagery conjures the lost grandeur of the antebellum South, even while the presence of a steamboat suggests a society trying to move forward. As art historians, we need to consider how the artist is engaging with the history of the American South. Studying newspapers, census records, and other primary sources can offer us insight into the society and culture that shaped her work.