Ira D Sankey - Evangelist of Song

Scarce

Print Type: Stone Lithograph
Publisher: Currier & Ives
Dimensions: SS 13 x 10"
Provenance: Hill House
Frame: 19 x 15"
Notes & Literature: Sankey was born in Edinburg, Pennsylvania, on August 28, 1840, one of nine children of David Sankey and his wife Mary Leeper Sankey. The family's ancestry was English on the father's side and a mix of Scottish and Irish on the mother's. David Sankey was a banker, a former state senator and a Methodist lay preacher.[4][5] As a young boy Ira displayed a love of music that was encouraged by his parents, who typically spent evenings with him at home, singing hymns. At the age of eight he began attending Sunday school.

When he was 19, Ira underwent an experience of religious conversion at a revivalist meeting held at a nearby church, King's Chapel. A year later the family moved to New Castle, where the young Sankey joined the local Methodist Episcopal Church. His enthusiasm and talents were quickly recognized and led to his appointment as Sunday school superintendent and choirmaster.

In 1861, at the start of the American Civil War, Sankey answered President Lincoln's call for volunteers and joined the Twelfth Pennsylvania Regiment. He served between 1861 and 1863. In the army he continued his religious and singing activities, forming a choir and assisting the chaplain. When his period of enlistment was over he returned to New Castle, where his father had been appointed by Lincoln as a Collector of Internal Revenue. In 1863 Sankey joined his father in government service and, that same year, married Fanny Edwards, a member of his choir.

Condition Report: Minor lightening t/l corner. Very Good.

Subject References: The lithograph "Ira D. Sankey - Evangelist of Song - Currier & Ives" was created in 1871 by the American printmaking firm Currier & Ives. It depicts the popular American gospel singer and songwriter Ira D. Sankey (1840-1908) leading a hymn sing at a revival meeting. The lithograph is a powerful and evocative image of the power of music to inspire and uplift the human spirit.Sankey was born in Edinburg, Pennsylvania, in 1840. He began his musical career as a singing teacher and choir director. In 1870, he met the evangelist Dwight L. Moody, and the two men began a highly successful partnership that lasted for over a decade. Sankey's powerful and emotive singing style helped to make Moody's revival meetings some of the most popular and influential events of the late 19th century.The lithograph "Ira D. Sankey - Evangelist of Song - Currier & Ives" captures the excitement and energy of a Moody and Sankey revival meeting. The image is dominated by Sankey's figure, which is shown standing at the front of a large crowd of people. Sankey is holding a hymn book in his hands, and he is singing with his eyes closed and his head thrown back. The crowd is shown listening intently to Sankey's singing, and many of the people in the crowd are shown raising their hands in praise.The lithograph is a powerful and evocative image of the power of music to inspire and uplift the human spirit. It is a reminder of the important role that music can play in bringing people together and creating a sense of community. The lithograph is also a testament to the popularity and influence of Ira D. Sankey, one of the most important figures in the history of American gospel music.The lithograph was created using the lithographic printing process. Lithography is a printing process that uses a stone or metal plate to create an image. The plate is first coated with a light-sensitive material. The image is then drawn on the plate using a greasy crayon. The plate is then washed with water. The water washes away the unexposed material, leaving the image behind. The plate is then inked and pressed onto paper, transferring the image to the paper.The lithograph "Ira D. Sankey - Evangelist of Song - Currier & Ives" is a beautiful and important work of art. It is a reminder of the power of music to inspire and uplift the human spirit. The lithograph is also a testament to the popularity and influence of Ira D. Sankey, one of the most important figures in the history of American gospel music.