Reminiscences of 1865

While many artists were celebrating America’s vastness and natural beauty, John Frederick Peto painted hyperrealistic trompe l’oeil (fool-the-eye) still lifes. Their somber mood and humble subjects speak of a nation still blighted by the destruction of the Civil War (1861–65). Affixed to this worn wooden door are objects that invite reflection on Abraham Lincoln’s life: an image of the assassinated president, his birth and death dates, the nickname Abe. The 25-cent paper money and the coin resembling an Indian Head penny were privately issued Civil War currency.