George Cope
American, 1855–1929
Civil War Regalia of Major Levi Gheen McCauley
INV-1544
George Cope
American, 1855–19291887
Civil War Regalia of Major Levi Gheen McCauley
George Cope American, 1855–1929 →Realismpaintingamerican arts
Date
1887
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
127 × 92.7 cm (50 × 36 1/2 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Quinn E. Delaney and Chauncey and Marion McCormick funds; Wesley M. Dixon Endowment
George Cope was commissioned in 1887 by his friend Levi McCauley of West Chester, Pennsylvania, to commemorate Major McCauley’s service in the Civil War. He depicted the ensemble of military artifacts in a style known as trompe l’oeil (French for “fools the eye”). With its shallow backdrop, precisely rendered objects—including swords, medals, a leather belt and buckle, a Major’s kepi (hat), and a holster—and accompanying shadows, the composition is convincing in its illusionism, drawing viewers in for a closer look.
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