This painting depicts The Battle of Shiloh that took place on April 6 1862 in Shiloh, TN. This particular text is a piece of mural painted by Theophile Poilpot showing the horrors of battle. It shows the overwhelmed Union Army stopping and making a stand against the Confederate Army at a crossroads. It also shows how the Union army was able to reform its lines and counter attack, which then overwhelmed the Confederate lines. At first glance, it is obvious that the artist wanted to give the viewer a glimpse of war but a closer look at the details reveal symbols of deeper meanings. The barren trees, the disjunct between the horror of war and advertisement for farm equipment, and clearly defined company lines all represent a different symbolic aspect in the painting that together, evoke varying emotions from the observer. 

 If we look closely at the trees, we can see that they look almost dead, they are leafless, bark less, and all drooping. They are a symbol of death and destruction in war and give us the visual representation of this. This is so important that our eyes immediately focus on the massive oak right in the middle of the painting. Oak trees are usually large and strong. They are beautiful and seemingly everlasting. However, the oak in this painting does not look like an oak tree that represents strength and durability. The painter illustrated the mighty oak as lifeless and defeated, just like the old Confederate soldier sitting underneath it on its fallen branch. These two reflect each other, the tree represents the soldier; broken, down and defeated. When we look beyond the dead and lifeless trees, we see the live trees in the distance. This also shows the death and horrors of war, but as an isolated event. The country was torn by war, but the Northeast and Western parts of the country that were still busy and bustling as represented by the live tress in the upper and left parts of the painting. These places that were not scorched by the war but surrounded the war-torn, broken and dead part of the country. 

One of the most interesting things about this painting is the fact that is being used as an advertisement. Below the title of the painting, we see the phrase "The McCormick machines come victoriously out of every contest, and without a scratch." This line helps direct the painting at an audience of farmers, more so the large plantation owners that lost their slaves because of the outcome of the war and helps explain the toughness and resilience of this machinery.  In the painting, we see a McCormick Harvester in the shattered building right in front; this is an obvious addition to the original work. The addition shows harvester unharmed and spotless even in the midst of battle. This is actually an advertising genius for the time. The harvester is shown in one of the most famous battles of a war that just ended; the work and advertisement came out in 1885. The placement of the harvester directly below the confederate soldier and the tree naturally draw ours eyes to it. In addition, the fact that it is bright red helps us see it and by using a bright warm color it make it visual appealing because warm colors make people feel psychologically happy and for one brief moment it make us feel happy by taking us away from the battle. It makes us feel like this machine can really make it through anything and might actually last forever. Again, adverting genius for this time. 

Another major point that we notice is the lines of opposing sides. We see a well-formed and organized Union line on the right side of the road and a breaking, discombobulated, and defeated Confederate line on the left side of the road. This is very interesting also, since the Union did not rally and turn the tide of the battle until the second day of the battle. These lines represent the overall ending of war. The war left the South dead and broken. We see the Union line decimating the Rebel line with a volley of shots from their rifles; we also see shots from the cannon landing right in the middle of the Southern line. This depiction really shows the overall outcome of the war and shows what the North did to the South after The Civil War. They just kept shooting even after the other side had been defeated. Another thing we noticed about the line is that the Southern side as no leadership, whereas the Northern side have many key leaders on horseback overlooking the battle, guiding and directly the troops on the ground. This shows the prominent leadership that that Union had during not just this battle but also the whole war. 

The painting is demanding the viewer to observe and understand the ugly face of war. At the beginning of the war, many Americans still had a very naive view of war and the real effect it had on soldiers. People were going to battlefields to spend the day as spectators. This painting served to give a more realistic view of battle. The point of view seems to be from higher ground, much like the hilltops from where spectators watched. However, instead of picnic baskets and fallen men seen only through opera glasses, the artist shows the war in detail, down to the overturned horse and structures torn to pieces. This detail serves to evoke strong emotions from the viewer, from sadness and disgust to curiosity. The hopelessness and distress that emanates from the mural causes the viewer to sympathize with the soldiers and their plight. In some, it might even cause shame and the desire to shade the eyes from the undesirable sight. However, the gory detail also warrants further examination and the viewer could become entranced in the complexity and ugliness. 

The combination of symbolism in the mural send messages that reflect the state of the country at the time of the Civil War. It not only broadcasts the very real nature of war but also, in subtle ways, the attitudes of citizens at the time with the transformation of the painting into an advertisement and its attempt to set the ugly face of war at the forefront. The artist invites the observer in for a spectator's view but with a front row seat. 

Poilpot, Theophile. Battle of Shiloh - April 6th 1862. 1885. The Carolina Reader. Fall 2014 ed. USC Dept. of English. Plymouth: Hayden McNeil, 2014. 210. Print.
