Künstler rises to the challenge, capturing Civil War art and the passion that was evoked in events during the war. True to form, Künstler researches, walks, and talks the Civil War to get a better sense of the ideas, images, and first-hand accounts he is portraying.
Cognizant of painting an aestetically pleasing representation, Künstler’s pieces create a connection between the present day audience and the past faces of the war. “About half of Mort’s collectors are women which is surprising,” Jane comments.
Künstler’s artwork is sought after in the art collectors’ world. At a recent museum exhibit at Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia visitors not only attended the event but inquired on purchasing the original works. “Three paintings were sold right away and it was the women who were just as, or more so, involved in the decision-making and choosing and interest and enthusiasm of the sale as the husband,” Jane explains.
Künstler’s objective is to paint paintings that allow the audience to feel as though they were there, in the moment. His accuracy is noteworthy as is his choice in events to capture. Künstler also looks for events that are less known but still send a strong message to those viewing the work.
Galleries/Museums: The American Spirit – The Paintings of Mort Kunstler, text written by, Henry Steele Commager, Gettysburg National Military Park Museum on July 2, 1988 (125th anniversary of the Civil War), painting, The High Water Mark, Images of the Civil War – The Paintings of Mort Kunstler, text written by James McPherson, Gettysburg – The Paintings of Mort Kunstler, text written by James McPherson, television show, Images of the Civil War – The Paintings of Mort Kunstler aired on A&E, Nassau County Museum of Art exhibit, The Civil War – The Paintings of Mort Kunstler, “Mort Kunstler Day” by Governor James Gilmore in 1999 and 200, Virginia, Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond exhibit, The Confederate Spirit: The Paintings of Mort Kunstler, Official Artist of the Ohio State Bicentennial, named official artists for the cinematic creation Gods and Generals, published book Gods and Generals: The Paintings of Mort Künstler, exhibit at the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, given the Henry Timrod Southern Culture Award by the M.O.S.B., Jefferson Davis Southern Heritage Award from the Military Order of the Stars recipient.
Process: Künstler works alongside historians and researches historic events that took place during the Civil War. His passion for painting historically accurate events of the Civil War really ignited in 1998 after he was commissioned to create a Civil War cover illustration for the CBS-TV program, The Blue and the Gray. He could paint anything but enjoys the challenge of accuracy and presenting a historical representation of an event. Künstler relies on historians like Dr. James I. Robertson Jr., alumni and recently retired Professor at Virginia Tech in creating historically representative narrative paintings.
Civil War Times magazine has delivered factual Civil War articles to enthusiasts since 1962. In the December 2010 publication, Civil War Times (CWT) delved into the truth behind Civil War photographs in an article that shows and explains the inaccuracy of pictorial references by one CW photographer.
Thomas C. Roche photographed the aftermath of Fort Mahone April 3, 1865 when Union assaults took Confederate lines down in battle. “He was eager to document for the first time the Confederate fortifications that had withstood Union attackers for all of 10 months” (Substitute for a Corpse).
The article goes on to note that Roche and his assistant went above and beyond the placing weaponry around deceased bodies but actually added a man into the scene.
Roche wanted a sensational image and told his assistant to ‘play dead’ laying still, faced turned from the lens, next to a Confederate, dead, soldier. The answer lies in an image captured later that same day or the next, after Roche had continued on into Petersburg. In this photo, captioned by the Library of Congress “Petersburg, Virginia; view in rear of Dunlop’s house, Boiling Brook Street,” we see that our black “corpse” is still very much alive, and wearing the same vest, plaid pants and slouchy boots we saw before (Substitute for a Corpse).
Examine the below photographs all taken by Thomas C. Roche on April 3, 1863 – can you spot the inaccuracies?
Photograph 2: Here we view the same Rebel soldier but in a closer frame. We see there has been an addition to the photograph. His dress informs the photographer that he was an artillery man based on the ‘gunner’s haversack.’ It was his duty to run ammunition from the magazine to the cannons in the front line. To capture his position, Roche peppered the photograph with a sponge used to tamp down the powder and shell inside the cannon. This was an addition to inform the viewing audience.
Photograph 3: Taken from prospective of pictures 1 and 2, this photograph shows another body next to the artilleryman. The photograph also shows a horse and carriage (what could have been Roche’s). The photograph still is focused on the foreground body but hints at action in the background. Note: the man in the backgrounds face is turned away from the camera and appears to be a black man wearing civilian clothing.
Taken one-two days after April 3, 1865 Fort Mahone photo shoot of death toll and destruction. The same man who is lying dead in the background is now viewed in an unrelated shot wearing the same clothing.