Combat Naval (L'Alabama coulant sous le feu de Kearsage)

Art Historical Context

This etching by Charles Longueville captures the dramatic sinking of the Confederate ship CSS Alabama during its battle with the USS Kearsarge off the coast of Cherbourg, France, on June 19, 1864. Created just two months later, the print preserves a pivotal moment from the American Civil War that unfolded in European waters, drawing international attention to the conflict’s naval dimensions. The title, “L’Alabama coulant sous le feu de Kearsage,” highlights the decisive Union victory that ended the Alabama’s raiding career. Longueville worked in the medium of etching, a technique well suited for rapidly circulating images of current events in the nineteenth century. With fine lines and careful shading, the artist conveys the chaos of smoke, cannon fire, and churning seas as the Alabama lists beneath the Kearsarge’s guns. At roughly 8 by 12 inches, the intimate scale invites close viewing, allowing museum visitors to appreciate both the technical skill and the sense of immediacy the print conveys. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum in 1883 as a gift from William H. Huntington, this work remains a vivid reminder of how prints helped shape public understanding of distant battles. Its focus on ships and naval combat underscores the era’s fascination with maritime power and the global reach of the Civil War.