Paintings have basically become our most valuable visual resource in remembering the Battle of Hampton Roads. Even though this one is dated 1886, a full generation after the 1862 battle; it's close to how I envision it, the darker greenish water, smoke pouring out from point-blank body blows..
A famous Kurz and Allison 1889 depiction of the battle. One of my favorites.. but in this version, the water looks so damn light it looks like they're fighting in the Caribbean. And maybe the water was less polluted back then, but..
Wonder if these two paintings shared the same primary source description, or earlier sketch, as their model. They look so fundamentally similar(?)
Mort Kunstler did a great painting of the battle in the '8os. It has a unique feeling, where both the Monitor and the Merrimac (turned CSS Virginia) kinda look more like organic sea monsters.
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