Gallery Edition – The 71st reg. N.Y. at Alexandria by Alfred Rudolph Waud – 59×44 Interior Architectural Study

Curatorial Narrative “The 71st reg. N.Y. at Alexandria” by Alfred Rudolph Waud serves as a poignant exemplar of the realist tradition in mid-nineteenth century American art. Executed in 1861, this drawing reflects the artist’s keen observation skills and ability to capture the ephemeral nature of light and atmosphere. The fine brushwork employed here lends an air of spontaneity, as if the scene has been momentarily frozen in time. The use of dark gray pencil strokes for figures and trees creates a sense of depth and volume, while the brown tones from the paper provide a rich, tactile quality that invites contemplation. As “The 71st reg. N.Y. at Alexandria” is enlarged to its original scale of approximately 59×44 inches, its chromatic structure becomes increasingly nuanced, with the dark gray pencil strokes taking on a greater atmospheric weight. The spatial rhythm established by Waud’s composition characterized by sweeping lines