Rare hand-tinted steel engraving entitled “Masquerade Ball of Harmony Circle,” held in the New Assembly Rooms, Baltimore, on March 1, 1866, by artist Henry Schroeder, 16 x 12, published by E. Bross. Affixed to a slightly larger mount. In very good condition, with damage to borders and a few surface scuffs. Accompanied by a custom-cut mat for attractive display.
The Harmony Circle was a social club formed in 1860 as a dancing club for wealthy Jewish families in Baltimore. The balls served to raise money for various charities and in later years as debutante balls for young society members. This print is very much related to the times and shows how participants dressed and the sets that were constructed for this event. Political and social satire was encouraged. Seen in this print are references to the Freedmen's Bureau which was controversial at the time, especially in Maryland where many of the elites were Confederate supporters even though the state remained in the Union. The Freedmen's Bureau, officially known as the US Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was created on March 3, 1865, to aid refugees of the Civil War as part of the federal government’s effort to aid and assist its meager population. Its main job was to assist newly freed slaves. These newly freed slaves used the Bureau to obtain education, jobs, and other life resources that they did not and would not have if not for the Bureau. It was one of the only government organizations that actually sought to improve the life and opportunities for blacks. The Bureau was the least liked tool of Reconstruction and by an Act of Congress was shut down on June 28, 1872. Another example of this print is currently held in the collection of the Maryland Historical Society.
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