Civil War Regalia of Major Levi Gheen McCauley
George Cope
1887
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
127 × 92.7 cm (50 × 36 1/2 in.)
Classification
painting
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
154495
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
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 ...