Portrait of an African-American Union Soldier with a Playful Expression, with the Caption “I Am The Devil” Etched into Upper Margin.
American: 1860s. An incredible portrait of an African-American soldier holding a rifle with a bayonet, highly uncommon for three reasons: the fact that it shows an African-American soldier in uniform during the conflict, the playful expression of the sitter, and the caption. The caption is of unknown origin, possibly composed.....