Artist:Mort Kunstler
TitleThe Four Generals - Gods and Generals Leather Bound Book with Prints
Edition::Limited Edition S/N Book w/ matching numbered prints limited to 300 editions
Image size of 4 prints : 12 " x 8 "
About the Book: One of the most heart-rending events in the wartime career of General Stonewall Jackson came when the general received the news that little Janie Corbin had died. She was a child he had befriended while in winter camp in 1862-63. When news of the child’s death arrived at his newly relocated headquarters, Jackson, the stern disciplinarian, burst into tears. Then he knelt in prayer, as was his custom when dealing with difficult or important situations. One of his aides could not understand why the great warrior could cry over one life after all the deaths Jackson had seen in his army. The answer from another aide was: “I think he is weeping for them all.” This moving moment in Jackson’s life is authentically depicted in the motion picture Gods and Generals, in which Stonewall Jackson is played to perfection by actor Stephen Lang. As the official artist for the movie, I was privileged to read the original screenplay, observe filming on the set, and to see a “rough cut” advance version of the motion picture. My friend Ron Maxwell, who is the director of Gods and Generals, captures this emotional event with such expertise in the motion picture. I have long wanted to paint this scene, and my goal is to capture the moment in my medium with the same level of artistry that Mr. Maxwell has captured it in the film. Jackson received the news about his little friend early in the morning, so I concentrated on painting the long shadows of early daylight and put Jackson in shade. This enabled me to have the lightest part of the painting, the bright sunlight hitting the tent and flag, behind him to create a contrasting light and dark pattern. The viewer’s focus is immediately on Jackson and the flag, helping to tell the story. In all the dark times of his life - and there were so many in that terrible war - Jackson always resorted to his faith. Jackson has often been depicted in our day as a harsh and hard-hearted man, but in reality he was quite the opposite. Although he indeed could be stern at times, he was also a man of deep-felt emotions, genuine kindness and remarkable tenderness. This is the side of Jackson that I see as he wept and prayed, and it is that particular portrait of the Mighty Stonewall that I am seeking to convey in Divine Guidance