The Young Recruits

Currently not on view

The Young Recruits

1855

Christian Schuessele (Schussele) (American (born France), 1824/26–1879)

In this painting, a Revolutionary War officer cheerfully rallies a group of boys wearing comical hats and armed with toy weapons. But not every face in this painting is joyful. For Christian Schuessele, who left revolution-torn Europe in 1848, the lessons of the successful American War of Independence (1775-83) were hardly playful or childish matters. By 1855, when the artist painted this scene, the United States was again struggling, this time to remain a union. In an era when artists rarely addressed political tensions, The Young Recruits raised questions about patriotism and readiness for war, bringing national issues into the realm of the family and the neighborhood.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

The Young Recruits

Date:

1855

Artist:

Christian Schuessele (Schussele) (American (born France), 1824/26–1879)

Medium:

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

39 1/4 x 52 1/2 inches (99.7 x 133.4 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

Purchased with The McNeil Acquisition Fund for American Art and Material Culture, 2009

Accession Number:

2009-6-1

Geography:

Made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America

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Currently not on view