Long Lost Couple

Since we are approaching Valentine's Day rather quickly, I gave in and decided to post a picture of a young couple from the Civil War era that has survived more than a century and somehowended up in my collection. Sadly, there is not even a photographer's backmark on the reverse of the image, so we will never know even where it was taken, possibly somewhere in the North. The chances that this man fought in the Civil War are high, since he must be in his mid to late twenties and his young wife clearly loved him, there is a tenderness in her hand on his shoulder which you do not see in many images from this violent period of American history. The hand-woven blanket which covers the table on which he has leaned his arm is quite beautiful. Alas, this poignant photo is but a shadow of a love that was once strong, and now has passed as all things must.