Image Size: 17 1/4" x 28 5/8" Edition size: 950 S/N Price: SOLD OUT (Only available on our secondary market--call for price and availability---800-237-6077) Mort Künstler's Comments: One of the greatest military victories in the history of the Western Hemisphere took place with the surrender of Vicksburg, on July 4, 1863, one day after the conclusion of the Battle of Gettysburg, over 30,000 troops surrendered, along with more than 60,000 guns and almost 200 cannons. This painting was conceived as a Union version of my previous painting of "General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson," which shows the triumphant entry of Jackson and his troops into Winchester, Virginia on May 25, 1862. I try to paint subjects that have never been done before. When I became familiar with the Vicksburg siege, I felt this episode was excellent material for a painting. The scene shows Grant riding down the Old Landing to meet and congratulate Admiral David Porter, commander of the river fleet, aboard the flagship, the U.S.S. Benton. There were an estimated 8,00 Union troops on hand, cheering, waving flags and celebrating this great victory, as well as the Fourth of July. The surrender took place about 10:00 A.M. Grant and his party then rode South down Yazoo City Road and turned west down the steep incline to the Old Landing and his historic meeting with Porter. The key to a picture this complex is to capture the excitement and celebration, and still have the eye travel to the center of interest, Grant. He must also be immediately recognizable.I think the painting succeeds on these counts. Extensive research involved consultants with historians, studying of maps, books, and photographs, and records of battle, as well as a trip to the U.S. Navy Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. I think following points would be of interest to the viewer. Grant, in his typically informal dress, without swordbelt, and riding his favorite mount, Cincinatti, waves to the crowd. In his party and immediately behind him is General John D. Stevenson, followed by General James McPherson, and General John C. Logan. The likenesses were a difficult problem because I could find no photographs that existed of any of them in the positions I wanted them in. Research revealed the units that were present and I have shown some of them by the lettering on the battle flags. Regiments from Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota are represented. There was a debate between the 45th Illinois and the 4th Minnesota as to who was the first unit into Vicksburg. Both of these unit flags show prominently. The flag in the foreground is a headquarters flag. The arrow symbol on the top of the forage cap of the soldier on the extreme left, behind the cart, and on the hat of the soldier on the far right, standing in the wagon, reveal that they are from the 17th Corps. Many of the soldiers are in shirtsleeves, although orders called for full uniform and no drinking. There is one saying that I have always remembered about the Civil War soldier. "He obeyed a reasonable order, not because it was an order, but because it was reasonable." I have been to Mississippi in July! In the extreme foreground, left center and in the cart, are empty buckets and barrels, symbolic of the lack of food and supplies that forced the Confederates to surrender after a hard siege of twelve weeks. A few sailors can be seen in the crowd, two immediately behind "Cincinatti." The few civilians present are old men like the farmer on the wagon, women and children. A small group can be seen in the extreme left background, sullenly observing the festivities. Behind them in the the upper left corner of the picture, is the Warren County Courthouse, flying a newly hung Union flag. The courthouse, the only building in the painting that is still standing, is now a museum. As we look to the background of the painting, along the river, we are facing southwest. The flagship of the river fleet, the U.S.S. Benton, is the one one closest to us on the far right. The topmost flag on the mainmast with the star is a headquarters flag. The red, green, and blue pennant immediately below is the official identification pennant of the Benton. The colorful signal flags spell out congratulations and greetings are based on a book, History of the Flag of the United States of America by Geo. Henry Preble Rear-Admiral U.S.N, published by A. Williams and Company, Boston, 1880. Admiral Porter is seen on the top deck, extreme left, on the steps up to the pilothouse. All ships in the background, rams, monitors, converted riverboats, etc. are based on actual boats that were at the battle. Directly behind the Benton is a typical river gunboat that was incorporated into a fighting vessel when the war began. The other four major ships seen in the background, traveling from right to left are the U.S.S. Choctaw, a double turreted monitor class gunboat "Number 54", the "Nymph". Many of the ships are firing blank shots as a salute to Grant as he makes his way through the crowd. "The Glorious Fourth" is by far the most time consuming and difficult painting I have ever done. I hope one enjoys looking at it half as much as I enjoyed finally finishing it. An interesting footnote is that I finished this painting on July 4, 1989 exactly 126 years to the day of the event I am portraying. It was truly a Glorious Fourth for me! |
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