Taking the Oath and Drawing Rations

John Rogers, Taking the Oath and Drawing Rations, modeled 1865, patented 1866, painted plaster, 23 x 14 x 10 in. (58.4 x 35.5 x 25.4 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Rogers and Son, 1882.1.1

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Artwork Details

Title: Taking the Oath and Drawing Rations
Artist: John Rogers
Date: modeled 1865, patented 1866
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 23 x 14 x 10 in. (58.4 x 35.5 x 25.4 cm.)
Credit Line: Gift of John Rogers and Son
Mediums: plaster
Mediums Description: painted plaster
Classifications: Sculpture
Subjects: African American
Occupation — military — soldier
History — United States — Civil War
Ceremony — military — oath
Figure group — family
Object Number: 1882.1.1
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1882.1.1

Artwork Description

Taking the Oath and Drawing Rations exemplifies the small genre sculptures for which John Rogers is best known. These statuettes, sculpted in plaster and painted a sandy color, portray individuals engaged in everyday activities. This particular sculpture is from Rogers's well-known Civil War series, in which a Southern woman and her young son must take the oath in order to receive food rations distributed by the Union Army. Taking the Oath and Drawing Rations illustrates the hardships endured by the masses throughout the Civil War.