Lot 616: Painting of the Battle of Mobile Bay, Sinking of the CSS Tennessee

19th Century oil on canvas painting of the 1864 Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay. The painting depicts the USS Monongahela ramming the CSS Tennessee as other Union warships move into position to engage. The two twin-turret monitors depicted at the right are USS Winnebago and USS Chickasaw. Antique molded giltwood frame. Sight- 20"H x 29"W. Frame – 25"H x 33 1/2"W. Note: The painting is based on a period photograph by T. Lilienthal, New Orleans, Louisiana (now in the Philibrick Collection, Kittery, Maine). Although unsigned, this painting may be by Lilienthal himself (who also advertised that he was a painter), or by an artist with whom he had a relationship, most likely Paul Poincy and/or Victor Pierson. Lilienthal was known to have supplied Poincy and Pierson with individual portraits of prominent officials for them to copy in their 1872 mural, "Volunteer Fireman's Parade." Poincy fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War, and after the war, he and Pierson made names for themselves as historical genre painters. (Information sources: the Philibrick Collection, Kittery, Maine; US Naval Historical Center; Claudia Kheel, Louisiana State Museum. Background: Federal warships and submarines steamed into Mobile Bay August 5, 1864, led by Rear Admiral Farragut's flagship, USS Hartford. The Hartford drove off the Confederate gunboats, but the CSS Tennessee remained in the battle zone, firing on the U.S. Navy ships as they passed and significantly damaging the last in line, USS Oneida.

PROVENANCE: Private Virginia Collection, purchased in New Orleans in the 1980s.

CONDITION: Lined, with significant craquelure and inpainting. 3" area of impact craquelure, center sky area. Frame with some small areas of loss to gilding.