Howe, Julia Ward — Charles M. Jenckes [artist]

THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC, ILLUMINATED BY CHARLES M. JENCKES IN WATERCOLOR AND GOUACHE. [NEW YORK: 1865-1869]

Howe, Julia Ward — Charles M. Jenckes [artist]

2pp., two folio sheets, Bristol paper (16 1/2 x 12 1/4 in.; 419 x 311 mm), TEXT OF THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC ENTIRELY IN HOWE'S HAND AND SIGNED IN FULL, comprising 20-lines in five 4-line stanzas, head of the first page with illuminated title by Jenckes with historiated initials, bottom of first page with elaborate watercolor and gouache border by Jenckes surrounding a small mounted painting on canvas (presumably by Jenkins) depicting a winged angel Gabriel wielding a sword and blowing his horn, head of the second page illuminated by Jenckes in watercolor and gouache depicting a cross surrounded by a garland of white lilies, right side of the second page illustrated with a pen-and-ink and wash image of a speared serpent of slavery, the bottom of second page illustrated with an image of a dead Union soldier draped in an American flag with broken slave chains at his feet (this image signed by Jenckes with his initials), the second page with the further manuscript addition of William Steffe's vocal and piano score, neatly written in ink.

Matted and framed.

Provenance:
Hall, The Story of the Battle Hymn of the Republic; Howe, Reminiscences