Copyrighted in 1899 by Kurz & Allison, this is an excellent example of a period depiction of the Battle of San Juan Hill during the Spanish American War. The Chicago firm Kurz & Allison became well-known in the 1880s for their artistic representations of battles from the Civil War, not so much depicting historical accuracy, but rather images that invoked feeling of patriotism and emotion. They were also quite groundbreaking and controversial at the time, for not shying away from depicting African American soldiers in the prominent roles they played in some of the battles, with this fantastic lithograph being a prime example of that. Though it was colonel Theodore Roosevelt and his "Rough Riders" who gained the lion's share of the fame from the Battle of San Juan Hill, they were certainly not the only American heroes that forced the Spanish from the heights. This piece shows Teddy Roosevelt leading his troops in the attack up the hill in the background, while the 24th and 25th Colored Infantry Regiments are depicted charging up the same hill in the foreground. This is a depiction of the battle that seems very accurate given what 1st lieutenant (at the time) John J. "Black Jack" Pershing would later say about the battle, "White regiments, black regiments, regulars and Rough Riders, representing the young manhood of the North and the South, fought shoulder to shoulder, unmindful of race or color, unmindful of whether commanded by ex-Confederate or not, and mindful of only their common duty as Americans." There is a small description of the image written in the lower left and the 1899 Kurz & Allison copyright marking is likely covered by the frame in the lower right. The elaborate original period frame has a gilt finish and floral motifs throughout. It measures 37 3/4 x 31 1/2 inches including the frame.

Fine overall, showing minimal age-related fading overall, some minor staining mostly around the edges, and a couple minor holes near the top center. The elaborate period original frame is also fine with a few patches of moderate handling/storage wear around the edges and retaining most of the gilt finish. A rare piece depicting one of America's most famous battles during our rise to be a global power!