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Mort Kunstler
The Grandest Charge Ever Seen, 1990
One of the most prolific Civil War artists working today, Mort Kuntsler's paintings capture grand moments, small vignettes, and the human element of the conflict. Kunstler studied art at Brooklyn College, UCLA, and Pratt Institute. He began his career as an illustrator, creating cover and illustration art for books, magazines, and movie posters, including the original The Poseidon Adventure and the original The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. Turning to American historical art in the 1980s, Kunstler solidified his reputation through significant commissions for organizations, government agencies (including Postal Service stamp illustration art), and museums, as well as through the wide-scale distribution of "Signed and Numbered" prints of his paintings. These paintings have covered the Civil War, American Revolution, and World War II.
Painted in 1990, The Grandest Charge Ever Seen depicts General William Barksdale leading men of his Mississippi Brigade into the fields east of the Emmitsburg Road on the evening of July 2, 1863. It places Barksdale at the center-point, captivating the viewer with the symmetrical positioning of Barksdale on horseback and the Confederate battle flag at the canvas's most prominent and illuminated point.
Kunstler continues to work today from his studio on Long Island in New York. |