The Generals Were Brought to Tears
by Mort Kunstler
Mort Künstler's Comments: On an estate called "Belvoir," just south of Fredericksburg, Lee and Jackson attend a prayer meeting. They were said to have been sitting side by side, on a log, "moved to tears one Sunday by the affecting eloquence with which Reverend B.T. Lacy described the homes from which the army had been drawn. To show both of them in such a poignant moment was, I felt, an opportunity for a memorable painting. There were always children at the winter camps and I decided this was also an opportunity to paint my grandson, Tommy, alongside the two great ones.
Lee was wearing his uniform of that period, with a standup collar and his three stars with no wreath. Jackson was wearing a new uniform given to him by J.E.B. Stuart. It had a buff white collar and cuffs and sleeve gilt. He was wearing the butternut cap with 152271 trim that was given to him in December 1862.
It is well known that both men were religious. This portrayal of two of the Civil War's most notable heroes is in sharp contrast to the fighting men usually portrayed on canvas. I hope this will add to the overall breadth of the images of them that I have been painting for the last twenty years.
Image Size | 28" x 34" |
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