Cyclorama Compared to Tipton Photograph

[Gettysburg Greg]

Before beginning work on the great Gettysburg Cyclorama, French artist Paul Philippoteaux visited the battlefield and met with many participants to insure as much accuracy as possible. Additionally, he contracted photographer William Tipton to record a 360 degree panorama from the same perspective as the painting so he could use as a model. Tipton's 1882 photographs give us the first post battle images that focus on the Angle where the battle culminated. The top image below is from Tipton's panorama that includes the area within the Angle. The Angle is located where the two fences intersect at right center and the Codori farm can be seen at top left. On the bottom is the corrosponding view within the Cyclorama which I have converted to black and white to emphasize how closely the painting matches the photograph.

 

[klongstreet]

Many thanks Greg
I couldn't agree more, it is an amazing work and despite the errors ( having them needlessly pointed out) I could gaze at it for hours before visiting the field. Keep up the good work

 

[samuel orris]

Greg, I always look for your avatar on the home page. Immensely enjoy your posts.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Here is a detail you might find interesting. Notice the man on the horse in Tipton's photo, placed there for the artist to use for perspective. If you look at the matching location in the painting, you will see a riderless horse running to the rear.

 

[klongstreet]

Got it straight away Greg. Being off topic now but is the long lane in present day Gettysburg following the sunken rd, I'm interested as I want to walk it come March
Many thanks in advance...Keith

 

[bankerpapaw]

View attachment 120016

Before beginning work on the great Gettysburg Cyclorama, French artist Paul Philippoteaux visited the battlefield and met with many participants to insure as much accuracy as possible. Additionally, he contracted photographer William Tipton to record a 360 degree panorama from the same perspective as the painting so he could use as a model. Tipton's 1882 photographs give us the first post battle images that focus on the Angle where the battle culminated. The top image below is from Tipton's panorama that includes the area within the Angle. The Angle is located where the two fences intersect at right center and the Codori farm can be seen at top left. On the bottom is the corrosponding view within the Cyclorama which I have converted to black and white to emphasize how closely the painting matches the photograph.

That is amazing!! Comparing the two adds the realism needed.

 

[Yankeedave]

Got it straight away Greg. Being off topic now but is the long lane in present day Gettysburg following the sunken rd, I'm interested as I want to walk it come March
Many thanks in advance...Keith

It would be the dark scare on the right. Any pics of it from the orher way?

 

[Yankeedave]

edit.

 

[E_just_E]

There is one major piece of artistic license in the Cyclorama painting, to comply with the contemporary Bachelder mythology: The Copse of Trees. Check out the picture. No such a thing as a copse, just a continuous line of trees pretty much around the property line right behind the small stone wall. In the painting there is a clear Copse of Trees.

Pretty shameful, if you ask me.

 

[Yankeedave]

Tipton 1882 looking south.

 

[James N.]

Notice in Tipton's photo two figures included to give an idea of scale for Philippoteaux's convenience: The mounted horseman in the field at left center; and harder to see a stand-in for "Armistead" posed arms and legs akimbo atop the stone wall just below the Codori buildings!

 

[Yankeedave]

With his arm up?

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

There is one major piece of artistic license in the Cyclorama painting, to comply with the contemporary Bachelder mythology: The Copse of Trees. Check out the picture. No such a thing as a copse, just a continuous line of trees pretty much around the property line right behind the small stone wall. In the painting there is a clear Copse of Trees.

Pretty shameful, if you ask me.

This particular view does not extend to the south far enough to see the COT. The Copse is just out of frame to the left. Here is the section of the painting that shows the Copse. As you can see, he modeled the Copse in the painting from the Tipton photo posted above by Yankeedave.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Tipton 1882 looking south.
View attachment 120065

Thanks for posting @Yankeedave Since you posted this Tipton 1882 photo of the Copse, which is one of the first taken after the battle, Here is a then and now I put together using this shot. Tipton was on an elevated platform, thus the different perspectives.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Here is a look at the Tipton image from the OP above along with a similar now view.