Barnard and Gibson

Barnard and Gibson was a photographic entity active in 1862. Their surviving body of work focuses on documentary photography, providing important visual records of significant historical and infrastructural sites in the United States.

Nine photographs attributed to Barnard and Gibson are represented in museum collections, confirming their output during a pivotal period of American history. The Art Institute of Chicago is a primary repository for their work.

The collection includes historically resonant prints detailing battlefield sites and military infrastructure, notably the images Antietam Bridge, Maryland, and Manassas Junction. Their documentation extended to specific military preparations, as seen in Fortifications at Manassas and Fortifications on Heights of Centreville, Virginia, alongside specific topographical views such as Mathew's House, Battle-field of Bull Run.

The clarity and historical significance of these photographs establish them as essential primary source documents. While institutions preserve the originals as museum-quality artifacts, many of these nineteenth-century images are now in the public domain, allowing access to high-quality prints and downloadable artwork for researchers and the public.