The National Gallery of Art has announced a major expansion of its collection, including a significant group of early American photographs from the Civil War. Among the National Gallery of Art’s acquisitions are approximately 35 19th-century images of the Civil War that greatly enhance the Gallery’s holdings of early photography. Notable Civil War photographers in the set include George N. Barnard, Alexander Gardner, Matthew Brady, and Andrew Joseph Russell. Highlighted in the group is Gardner’s photograph of Abraham Lincoln’s second inauguration on March 4, 1865, at the U.S. Capitol, capturing the event in the midst of rain and a war-weary atmosphere. After emigrating from Scotland, Gardner settled in Washington, D.C., where he managed the gallery of American photographer Mathew Brady. Gardner began photographing in the 1850s and became best known for his Civil War images, ranging from soldiers’ daily lives to battlefields and ruins.…