Civil War Series

Civil War Series

Richard LeFevre

Richard J. LeFevre’s Civil War Series presents the history of the War Between the States (1861 – 1865) through works on paper that depict 32 of the war’s most significant battles. By combining his love of history and his skill as an illustrator, LeFevre used inventive mixed-media techniques to create these powerful images inspired by his personal investigation into that terrible and definitive era. He sought to authenticate the audience experience by incorporating images from period publications such as Harper’s Weekly and Leslie’s Illustrated. Century-old woodcut engravings, made from sketches by Civil War artists who were present at the battles, were flash-framed onto paper with a copier. They were further manipulated with watercolor, pencil, and collage techniques. Some contain photographic tintype images of prominent battle figures. Military leaders, such as Grant, Lee, Meade, Stuart and Farragut are represented in the context of events pertinent to each battle. Throughout the series, LeFevre includes quotes from legendary figures and battle-weary foot soldiers. Technical drawings of engines and ironclads describe precise details of war machines that accompanied soldiers in battle. The paintings are allegorical in nature and are presented in chronological order. The Gettysburg triptych is the centerpiece of the exhibit. The Civil War Series, which took LeFevre four years to complete, portrays the Civil War without bias toward the Union or the Confederacy. The paintings premiered at The United States Civil War Center in the Foster Hall Gallery at Louisiana State University in 1998. On several occasions, LeFevre created dynamic public presentations, augmenting images from the series with his own spoken narrative and live, period music.

Bequest of the artist