Two famous images with something in common

[DaveGink]

Maybe this is well known and I just never knew it. But I thought this was really interesting. Anyone else see what I see in common between these two photos?

[mslaird]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

Same person, same clothing. It may just be my eyes, but it also looks like both photographs were taken in the same place as well by comparing the backgrounds.

[Kace]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

Certainly does look like the same location. If you knew what direction the camera was facing, you could also figure out which one was taken first buy the length of the shadows. Roll out the cart walk in the horse then butten up the old coat and you are ready for the next shot with out having to move and mess very much with the camera.

Kace

[33rd VA Co. H]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

My guess is that the cart photo was taken first. The rock under the left wheel is the same one in the next photo and it appears to be in the same position which is unlikely if the cart photo was not taken first.

[1st Maine Trooper]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

It is an interesting comparison for certain. For me the greatest interest is in the horse equipments on the troopers (?) mount. The lack of any sort of bedroll, the missing coat straps, large saddle bags, snaffle bit buckled into what appears to be a 6 buckle bridle. Also the length of the stirrups and the position of the surcingle buckle and the apparently large size of the horse blanket all bear closer examination.
Anyway, great find Dave.

Dave Myrick

[nastt]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

Looks like the same ground and spot to me, the gentlemen to the left in foreground is Alfred Waud of Harper's Weekly, I wonder if he had anything to do with the arranging of the images. Him and Alexander Gardner Photographer were good friends and Waud is in a lot of Civil War photography of his.

[CJSchumacher]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

The saddle looks like a pretty "standard" (if there is such a thing) officer's McClellan rig. Brass pommel and cantle mouldings, leather covered and seperate seat, hooded stirrups with fenders on the stirrup leathers, surcingle correctly placed OVER the quarter straps as intended, probable civilian/"officer" type of headstall (could there be enameling on the browband?), two bedroll straps on the cantle, etc.

In fact, being a "private purchase" setup would allow for the little oddities seen. Its definitely not an issued trooper's setup. That blanket could also be just about any blanket picked up. If you count the folds, you can see it's correctly folded with the rolled edge under the raw edge in rear and the rolled edge under the pommel in front. Its my belief that it looks slightly larger either because it could be just that or likely due to the slight stature of that horse. Either way, the saddle skirt still extends below the edge of that blanket.

I think its an officer's horse/rig that's been "trooperized" or stripped down to match the sack coat/sabre belt prop to get a "cavalryman in the field" shot for the camera. And that man could very well still be enlisted standing "to horse" with that "horse prop"...who knows really......

Still a great photo and love the catch with the other photo and background location.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

Hallo!

Maybe the "trooper" just went over after the shot to buy a newspaper?"

Just a-funnin'. :)

Curt

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

Are you sure this isn't Professor John Tobey with "Chance" (the CRs horse)?

[GermanDraftee]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

My guess is that the cart photo was taken first. The rock under the left wheel is the same one in the next photo and it appears to be in the same position which is unlikely if the cart photo was not taken first.

Not only the rock that was the left-rear chock, but all four rocks used to chock the wheels are in roughly the same position in both photos. The rock you point out is the only one that clearly shows its own shadow in both photos and there is little, if any, difference in the shadows. I'm with you: cart photo first, and the trooper photo very soon after.

Good eyes Dave! Thanks for posting

[GeraldTodd]

Re: Two famous images with something in common

I think the trooper was photographed first - you never put the cart before the horse.

Sorry, couldn't resist.