The Civil War comes alive as never before in this extraordinary collection of colorized photographs from the era. Not only does it feature portraits of famous leaders and ordinary soldiers but also vignettes of American life during the conflict: scenes from urban and plantation life; destroyed cities; contested battlefields.
Here, TIME commissioned Sanna Dullaway, a photo editor based in Sweden, to colorize some of the most iconic images of the Civil War. The end result, which can take up to three hours to achieve per picture, offers a novel and contemporary perspective to history.
1. Allan Pinkerton, President Lincoln, and Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand; at the main eastern theater of the war, Battle of Antietam, Sept.-Oct., 1862.
2. Surgeons of the 3rd Division before hospital tent in Petersburg, Va., Aug. 1864.
3. John L. Burns, the "old hero of Gettysburg," with gun and crutches in Gettysburg, Penn., July, 1863.
4. Washington, District of Columbia. Tent life of the 31st Penn. Inf. at Queen's farm, vicinity of Fort Slocum in Washington, DC, 1861.
5. Allan Pinkerton ("E. J. Allen") of the Secret Service on horseback in Antietam, Md., Oct. 1862.
6. Cock fighting at Gen. Orlando B. Willcox's headquarters in Petersburg, Va., 1864.
7. Camp of Captain [John J.] Hoff., in Gettysburg, Penn., July, 1865.
8. African American legislator Robert Smalls of South Carolina.
9. Portrait of Rear Adm. David D. Porter, officer of the Federal Navy, 1860.
10. Portrait of Maj. Gen. George A. Custer, officer of the Federal Army, 1865.
11. Portrait of President Abraham Lincoln, 1863.
12. President Lincoln on the battlefield.
13. President Lincoln and Gen. George B. McClellan in the general's tent, Antietam, Md., Sept. - Oct. 1862.
14. Capt. Custer of the 5th Cavalry is seen with Lt. Washington, a prisoner and former classmate.
15. Officer's mess, Company E, 93rd New York Volunteers, in Bealeton, Va., Aug., 1863.
16. Three Confederate prisoners in Gettysburg, Penn., June-July, 1863.
17. Remembering the dead at Sudley Church near Bull Run, Va. March 1862.
18. Powder boy by gun of U.S.S. New Hampshire off the coast of Charleston, S.C., 1860.
19. Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform with wife and two daughters, 1863-1865.
20. Lewis Payne, a conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln, in the Washington Navy Yard, April-July 1865.
21. David E. Herold, a conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln, in the Washington Navy Yard, April-July 1865.
22. Frederick Douglass
23. Portrait of Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, officer of the Federal Army, 1860-1865.
24. The staff of Gen. Fitz-John Porter, Lieutenant William G. Jones and George A. Custer reclining at Falmouth, Va., 1863.
25. Abraham Lincoln in a reflective pose, in Washington, DC, May 16, 1861.
26. Mary Todd Lincoln
27. Soldiers bathing near the ruins of a railroad bridge, North Anna River, Va, May, 1864.
28. Alfred R. Waud, artist of Harper's Weekly, sketching on battlefield in Gettysburg, Penn., July 1863.
Here, TIME commissioned Sanna Dullaway, a photo editor based in Sweden, to colorize some of the most iconic images of the Civil War. The end result, which can take up to three hours to achieve per picture, offers a novel and contemporary perspective to history.
1. Allan Pinkerton, President Lincoln, and Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand; at the main eastern theater of the war, Battle of Antietam, Sept.-Oct., 1862.
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Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress
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Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress
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2. Surgeons of the 3rd Division before hospital tent in Petersburg, Va., Aug. 1864.
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
3. John L. Burns, the "old hero of Gettysburg," with gun and crutches in Gettysburg, Penn., July, 1863.
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| Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
4. Washington, District of Columbia. Tent life of the 31st Penn. Inf. at Queen's farm, vicinity of Fort Slocum in Washington, DC, 1861.
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
5. Allan Pinkerton ("E. J. Allen") of the Secret Service on horseback in Antietam, Md., Oct. 1862.
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| Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
6. Cock fighting at Gen. Orlando B. Willcox's headquarters in Petersburg, Va., 1864.
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| David Knox—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: David Knox—Library of Congress |
7. Camp of Captain [John J.] Hoff., in Gettysburg, Penn., July, 1865.
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| William Morris Smith—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: William Morris Smith—Library of Congress |
8. African American legislator Robert Smalls of South Carolina.
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
9. Portrait of Rear Adm. David D. Porter, officer of the Federal Navy, 1860.
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| Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
10. Portrait of Maj. Gen. George A. Custer, officer of the Federal Army, 1865.
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| Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
11. Portrait of President Abraham Lincoln, 1863.
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| Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
12. President Lincoln on the battlefield.
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
13. President Lincoln and Gen. George B. McClellan in the general's tent, Antietam, Md., Sept. - Oct. 1862.
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| Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
14. Capt. Custer of the 5th Cavalry is seen with Lt. Washington, a prisoner and former classmate.
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
15. Officer's mess, Company E, 93rd New York Volunteers, in Bealeton, Va., Aug., 1863.
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| Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress |
16. Three Confederate prisoners in Gettysburg, Penn., June-July, 1863.
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
17. Remembering the dead at Sudley Church near Bull Run, Va. March 1862.
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| George N. Barnard—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: George N. Barnard—Library of Congress |
18. Powder boy by gun of U.S.S. New Hampshire off the coast of Charleston, S.C., 1860.
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
19. Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform with wife and two daughters, 1863-1865.
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
20. Lewis Payne, a conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln, in the Washington Navy Yard, April-July 1865.
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| Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
21. David E. Herold, a conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln, in the Washington Navy Yard, April-July 1865.
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| Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress |
22. Frederick Douglass
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
23. Portrait of Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, officer of the Federal Army, 1860-1865.
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| Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
24. The staff of Gen. Fitz-John Porter, Lieutenant William G. Jones and George A. Custer reclining at Falmouth, Va., 1863.
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| Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress |
25. Abraham Lincoln in a reflective pose, in Washington, DC, May 16, 1861.
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| Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
26. Mary Todd Lincoln
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| Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress |
27. Soldiers bathing near the ruins of a railroad bridge, North Anna River, Va, May, 1864.
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| Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress |
28. Alfred R. Waud, artist of Harper's Weekly, sketching on battlefield in Gettysburg, Penn., July 1863.
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| Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress |
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| Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress |
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