By Abigail Young

This past week, I revisited the Gibbes Museum of Art. I have been to this museum several times before, but I like to go back every so often to check out new exhibitions that have been installed (their latest is a collection of works by William H. Johnson, whose work focused on African American history and activism in the 1940s–definitely worth checking out!)

While I was there, searching for an interesting piece of art from Early America, I stumbled upon this diptych that depicts the Battle of Sullivan’s Island in 1776 by Henry Gray. According to the signage about this work, Lieutenant Henry Gray “was an eyewitness to the battle… Gray soon after recorded his experience in these two paintings…”

 What I particularly enjoyed about this works was how easily the artist tells a story with just these two frames. In the first, you see the British ships facing off against the fort at the tip of the island. In the second, you see the same British ships retreating, the one in the foreground enveloped in thick, gray smoke.

Admittedly, I did not know much about this battle before researching this piece. From what I have gathered about this particular event, it was the British’s intention to take over Sullivan’s Island, and then use the Island as their home base as they went on to the neighboring towns of Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and beyond. However, the American forces were led by Colonel Moultrie (who the fort was later named after) in a battle that spanned an entire day, and into the night. At some point during the night, the British forces gave up and retreated to a safe distance–this fact shows that there must have been some artistic license taken by Lt. Henry Gray, though I think that the painting warrants the inclusion.

This piece details an important event in the very long history of the low country, which is why it has rightfully been preserved and put on display at the local art museum. Though depictions of battle or historic events are not revolutionary for the kinds of art being produced during this time, I think that this piece is special for a few different reasons. Most of the other works in this wing of the museum (placed there for their proximity in date of production), are the typical portraits of rich, white, notable people around town that have been seen over and over again. This piece stands apart from the others, in that it is a scene depicting our local history, and also a diptych–in essence, showing the height of the battle, and the triumphant result. I also enjoy that the materials used to make the piece are much simpler; Henry Gray sketched out the scene with simple watercolors on paper, more so trying to capture a historic event than create the next great work of art. I think it makes the piece seem more honest and representative of the time than the other lofty portraits of various important people ever could.