“A spirit in my feet said ‘Go,’ and I went.”*

by chuckofish

Today we toast the most famous photographer of the 19th century, Mathew Brady (1822-1896). (His birthday was yesterday.) Best known for his scenes of the Civil War, he studied under inventor Samuel F.B. Morse, who pioneered the daguerreotype technique in America. Brady opened his own studio in New York City in 1844, and photographed every U.S. president from John Q. Adams through McKinley (except Harrison, who died 31 days after taking office) and myriad public figures throughout the century.  

Wonderful faces!

When the Civil War started, he set out to use his innovative mobile studio and darkroom to document the war, enabling the taking of vivid battlefield photographs that brought home the reality of war to the public.

Thousands of war scenes were captured, as well as portraits of generals and politicians on both sides of the conflict, producing a remarkable pictorial history of the war. (Many of these photos were taken by his assistants, rather than by Brady himself.)

This short video from the Smithsonian is “age-restricted” because it includes photos of dead bodies on the battlefields of the Civil War. We did not restrict the boy (when a mere child) from spending hours pouring over the pages of the American Heritage pictorial history of the Civil War. This big book included many photos taken by Mathew Brady.

I was likewise fascinated by those photos in that book at an early age. They were definitely more graphic than anything I had ever scene, but I don’t think I was scarred by the experience. No more than I should have been anyway. Some scarring is warranted.

The boy then made many of his own drawings of battles and soldiers.

The U.S. National Archives has most of Brady’s original photographs.  You can see them:  just click here.

P.S. I did something the other day that was life-changing. I switched out the light bulbs in my bedside table lamp and the lamp on the desk in my office for ones with a higher wattage. Amazing. I can see! Praise Jesus. It’s the little things, am I right?

Also, I am feeling this: a new way to exercise. (Turn on the sound and watch the whole workout.)

Does the word ‘gentleman’ still mean anything today? Here’s why it should.

And, finally, I hear this:

*Mathew Brady