Press

An exhibition featuring the art of Civil War soldier and renowned Hudson River School painter Sanford Robinson Gifford will open at the New York State Museum on November 9, 2013. Sanford Gifford's Civil War is presented in conjunction with An Irrepressible Conflict: The Empire State in the Civil War, a 7,000-square foot exhibition commemorating the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War. Both exhibits are open through March 23, 2014.  

Sanford Gifford's Civil War features three of Gifford's paintings from the New York State Military Museum's collection in Saratoga Springs, as well as artifacts and images from the New York State Museum and New York State Library. The Board of Regents and the State Museum are committed to partnering with cultural institutions throughout the state to bring cultural treasures to Albany.

"We are pleased to host a selection of Gifford's paintings from the New York State Military Museum here at the State Museum," said State Museum Director Mark Schaming. "The Civil War impacted all New Yorkers and Sanford Gifford, a New York native, soldier, and important American artist associated with the Hudson River School, provides a distinctive look at the impact of the War through these important paintings."

New York State played a pivotal role in the Civil War.  Its citizens included abolitionist leaders, such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, John Brown, and Sojourner Truth; prominent politicians, such as William Seward and Horace Greeley; and prominent generals who helped with the war on the battlefield, such as Philip Sheridan and Gouverneur K. Warren. One of the lesser known wartime contributions made by the people of New York include the masterful works of art created at the time by important artists who lived in New York and fought in the war such as Sanford Gifford.

Sanford Gifford's Civil War is part of continued programming by the New York State Museum, State Library, and State Archives to complement An Irrepressible Conflict including lectures, guided tours for students, and educational activities for children and families. Additional support for the Civil War exhibition is provided by RBC Wealth Management.

Photos from the exhibit are available at:
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/PRkit/2013/sanford-gifford/


More information about An Irrepressible Conflict  can be found here:
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/civilwar/

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department's Office of Cultural Education. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.