The Making of a Masterpiece - Phase 5

Having lived in Gettysburg all of my life it gives me pause when I look at the dramatic images that Mort Künstler has painted of my hometown.

The first time I saw Rush to the Summit it was on the easel in Mort’s studio, close to completion, and all I could say at first was wow! As most of you know, Mort has painted Chamberlain before, but he has certainly captured an exceptional moment in Rush to the Summit! While there were two opposing sides to the Civil War, I always remind myself that the soldiers who fought were Americans, in a very new nation. The struggles they faced whether dressed in blue or gray were similar, and I have great respect for both sides.
Debra Starry
Dealer Development
American Spirit Publishing

Once the painting is finished, up close you will see the beads of sweat running down the faces of the 20th Maine as they rush to what they hope will be a victory

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain has always been one of my favorite characters from the Civil War. A citizen soldier who forged an extraordinary military career, he went on to a civilian life that was nothing short of spectacular: President of Bowdoin College, acclaimed classroom instructor, and four-time Governor of Maine. Like Lee, he was a man of exceptional character, and his appeal seems to be universal. Today, Chamberlain seems to have as many admirers in the South as he does in the North. - Mort Künstler