Civil War Regalia of Major Levi Gheen McCauley

Art Institute of Chicago

Civil War Regalia of Major Levi Gheen McCauley

George Cope

Date
1887
Medium
Oil on canvas
Culture
United States
Department
Arts of the Americas
Institution
Art Institute of Chicago

George Cope was commissioned in 1887 by his friend Levi McCauley of West Chester, Pennsylvania, to commemorate Major McCauley’s service in the Civil War. He depicted the ensemble of military artifacts in a style known as trompe l’oeil (French for “fools the eye”). With its shallow backdrop, precisely rendered objects—including swords, medals, a leather belt and buckle, a Major’s kepi (hat), and a holster—and accompanying shadows, the composition is convincing in its illusionism, drawing viewers in for a closer look.

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Object type
AAT300033618

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