Painted Confederate canteen, att. John Adams Elder

Painted canteen attributed to John Adams Elder (American, 1833-1895). Painted scene is a variation of Elder's work, "After Appomattox". The scene depicts a Confederate Cavalryman wearing a gray kepi, an oilcloth raincoat, yellow pants (regulation for cavalry), and knee-high riding boots. He is supporting his weary companion, an infantryman, who is wearing a gray jacket and dark pants under a full length gray greatcoat. A sense of weariness is depicted by the slow gait of the horse with its downcast gaze. This weariness is reinforced by the infantryman trudging at his side. Both men appear to be unarmed and it is quite possible that the artist was depicting the road from Appomattox as the men began their journey home. Note also that it was raining when the Confederates started their journey home after Appomattox. The entire circular image bears a gold border. The spout is also gold. The lettering on the reverse of the canteen reads, "Souvenir of the Trip to Richmond, VA, Oct. 1881". Also, the words "Yorktown Centennial" are lightly written in pencil just above the painted date. This canteen was purchased in October of 1881 during Richmond's Centennial Celebration of the surrender of British General Cornwallis to General George Washington at Yorktown, VA. John Adams Elder, a professional painter by 1856, returned to his hometown of Fredericksburg, VA in 1859, shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. In 1862, he enlisted as a soldier in the Confederate States Army. The next three years would have a profound effect on Elder, for when the war was over he settled in Richmond and began painting battle scenes. One of his epic works is entitled "The Battle of the Crater" depicting a furious battle in which he had participated during the last year of the war. The battle wound up as a major Union disaster and ultimately a major inspiration for Elder's successful career as a painter of battle scenes. Elder continued to paint genre and battle scenes of the Civil War. He also painted portraits of C.S.A. Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jefferson "Stonewall" Jackson. Around 1890, Elder became incapacitated by illness and returned to Fredericksburg where he died in 1895. A Fine Art appraisal completed by Hastings Art Management Services will be provided to the winning bidder of this item. This item is illustrated on page 65 of the book "Collecting the Confederacy" by Shannon Pritchard. Overall excellent condition, with expected wear for age. Blacklighting does not reveal inpainting or restoration. 7 1/8" diameter(does not include spout) x 2 3/8" width. Note - the Fredericksburg, Virginia Area Museum and Cultural Center held a retrospective exhibit of the paintings by John Adams Elder, "Fredericksburg's Artist of the Civil War", in October 2007.