Curatorial Narrative The Army of the Potomac (5th Corps) crossing the North Anna, at Jerico Ford by Edwin Forbes is a seminal work of realist painting from 1864, situated within the tumultuous context of the American Civil War. Forbes’s masterful technique and adherence to historical documentation imbue this piece with an aura of authenticity, as if the viewer has stumbled upon a forgotten daguerreotype. The artist’s brushwork is characteristically fine, applying paint in delicate layers that create a rich, sepia-toned chromatic structure. This nuanced palette, reminiscent of early photographs, not only evokes the time period but also establishes an atmosphere of contemplative stillness amidst the chaos of war.Upon enlargement to 67×44 inches, Forbes’s minimalist composition reveals itself as a masterful exercise in spatial rhythm and atmospheric weight. The monochromatic palette assumes a more somber tone, underscoring the sense of