Updated: April 17, 2015 8:40 AM [ET] | Originally published: April 9, 2015 3:59 AM EDT ;
O n April 9, 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House in northern Virginia, marking the end of more than four years of hostilities that split the U.S. in two.
Now, 150 years later, TIME looks back at the American Civil War… in color. We commissioned Swedish artist Sanna Dullaway to restore and colorize some of the most iconic images shot, in black and white, during the Civil War.
The end result, which can take up to three hours to achieve per picture, offers a novel and contemporary perspective to history.
Sanna Dullaway is a photo editor based in Sweden. See more of her work here .
Allan Pinkerton, President Lincoln, and Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand; at the main eastern theater of the war, Battle of Antietam, Sept.-Oct., 1862. Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress Allan Pinkerton, President Lincoln, and Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand; at the main eastern theater of the war, Battle of Antietam, Sept.-Oct., 1862. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress Surgeons of the 3rd Division before hospital tent in Petersburg, Va., Aug. 1864. Library of Congress Surgeons of the 3rd Division before hospital tent in Petersburg, Va., Aug. 1864. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress John L. Burns, the "old hero of Gettysburg," with gun and crutches in Gettysburg, Penn., July, 1863. Mathew Brady—Library of Congress John L. Burns, the "old hero of Gettysburg," with gun and crutches in Gettysburg, Penn., July, 1863. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Washington, District of Columbia. Tent life of the 31st Penn. Inf. at Queen's farm, vicinity of Fort Slocum in Washington, DC, 1861. Library of Congress Washington, District of Columbia. Tent life of the 31st Penn. Inf. at Queen's farm, vicinity of Fort Slocum in Washington, DC, 1861. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Allan Pinkerton ("E. J. Allen") of the Secret Service on horseback in Antietam, Md., Oct. 1862. Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress Allan Pinkerton ("E. J. Allen") of the Secret Service on horseback in Antietam, Md., Oct. 1862. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress Cock fighting at Gen. Orlando B. Willcox's headquarters in Petersburg, Va., 1864. David Knox—Library of Congress Cock fighting at Gen. Orlando B. Willcox's headquarters in Petersburg, Va., 1864. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: David Knox—Library of Congress Camp of Captain [John J.] Hoff., in Gettysburg, Penn., July, 1865 William Morris Smith—Library of Congress Camp of Captain [John J.] Hoff., in Gettysburg, Penn., July, 1865 Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: William Morris Smith—Library of Congress African American legislator Robert Smalls of South Carolina. Library of Congress African American legislator Robert Smalls of South Carolina. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Portrait of Rear Adm. David D. Porter, officer of the Federal Navy, 1860. Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Portrait of Rear Adm. David D. Porter, officer of the Federal Navy, 1860. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Portrait of Maj. Gen. George A. Custer, officer of the Federal Army, 1865. Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Portrait of Maj. Gen. George A. Custer, officer of the Federal Army, 1865. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Portrait of President Abraham Lincoln, 1863. Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress Portrait of President Abraham Lincoln, 1863. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress President Lincoln on the battlefield Library of Congress President Lincoln on the battlefield Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress President Lincoln and Gen. George B. McClellan in the general's tent, Antietam, Md., Sept. - Oct. 1862. Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress President Lincoln and Gen. George B. McClellan in the general's tent, Antietam, Md., Sept. - Oct. 1862. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress Capt. Custer of the 5th Cavalry is seen with Lt. Washington, a prisoner and former classmate. Library of Congress Capt. Custer of the 5th Cavalry is seen with Lt. Washington, a prisoner and former classmate. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Officer's mess, Company E, 93rd New York Volunteers, in Bealeton, Va., Aug., 1863 Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress Officer's mess, Company E, 93rd New York Volunteers, in Bealeton, Va., Aug., 1863 Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress Three Confederate prisoners in Gettysburg, Penn., June-July, 1863. Library of Congress Three Confederate prisoners in Gettysburg, Penn., June-July, 1863. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Dead on battlefield at 1st Bull Run, 1862-1865 Library of Congress Dead on battlefield at 1st Bull Run, 1862-1865 Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Dead Confederate sharpshooter at foot of Little Round Top on the battlefield at Gettysburg, July, 1863 Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress Dead Confederate sharpshooter at foot of Little Round Top on the battlefield at Gettysburg, July, 1863 Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress Remembering the dead at Sudley Church near Bull Run, Va. March 1862. George N. Barnard—Library of Congress Remembering the dead at Sudley Church near Bull Run, Va. March 1862. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: George N. Barnard—Library of Congress A surgical photo from the Surgeon General's War Department shows an injured soldier with both arms amputated. Library of Congress A surgical photo from the Surgeon General's War Department shows an injured soldier with both arms amputated. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Powder boy by gun of U.S.S. New Hampshire off the coast of Charleston, S.C., 1860. Library of Congress Powder boy by gun of U.S.S. New Hampshire off the coast of Charleston, S.C., 1860. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform with wife and two daughters, 1863-1865. Library of Congress Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform with wife and two daughters, 1863-1865. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Mary Todd Lincoln Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Mary Todd Lincoln Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Abraham Lincoln in a reflective pose, in Washington, DC, May 16, 1861. Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Abraham Lincoln in a reflective pose, in Washington, DC, May 16, 1861. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Lewis Payne, a conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln, in the Washington Navy Yard, April-July 1865. Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress Lewis Payne, a conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln, in the Washington Navy Yard, April-July 1865. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress David E. Herold, a conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln, in the Washington Navy Yard, April-July 1865. Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress David E. Herold, a conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln, in the Washington Navy Yard, April-July 1865. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Alexander Gardner—Library of Congress Frederick Douglass Library of Congress Frederick Douglass Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Portrait of Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, officer of the Federal Army, 1860-1865. Mathew Brady—Library of Congress Portrait of Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, officer of the Federal Army, 1860-1865. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Mathew Brady—Library of Congress The staff of Gen. Fitz-John Porter, Lieutenant William G. Jones and George A. Custer reclining at Falmouth, Va., 1863 Library of Congress The staff of Gen. Fitz-John Porter, Lieutenant William G. Jones and George A. Custer reclining at Falmouth, Va., 1863 Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Library of Congress Soldiers bathing near the ruins of a railroad bridge, North Anna River, Va, May, 1864. Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress Soldiers bathing near the ruins of a railroad bridge, North Anna River, Va, May, 1864. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress Alfred R. Waud, artist of Harper's Weekly, sketching on battlefield in Gettysburg, Penn., July 1863. Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress Alfred R. Waud, artist of Harper's Weekly, sketching on battlefield in Gettysburg, Penn., July 1863. Photo colorization by Sanna Dullaway for TIME; Original image: Timothy H. O'Sullivan—Library of Congress More Must-Reads from TIME