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In the days following his passing, newspapers printed tributes to the man that many considered a national treasure. The Richmond Times Dispatch published an especially warm homage that summed up the grief of the Confederate faithful. It stated, “Words have no power to express the emotion, which the death of Jackson has aroused in the public mind.”

Mort Künstler’s skillful use of light and shade, color and shadow, give this particular painting a sense of depth. He has also simultaneously captured the somberness of the occasion with the colorful pageantry of the ceremony.

This painting is the only one in existence featuring the transfer of Jackson’s casket from the Virginia Military Institute, en route to the funeral service at the Lexington Presbyterian Church.

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Jackson’s personal staff, including Major A.S. Pendleton, Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire and Captains Morrison and Smith accompanied his grieving widow, Mary Anna. Virginia governor John Letcher and a delegation of citizens from Lynchburg were also in attendance.

The group on the left is a cross section of the civilians who came to Lexington for the ceremonies that day: women, children, and old men.

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Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson remains one of the most intriguing characters of the entire American Civil War. To this day he is still considered one of the most brilliant commanders in the history of warfare.

The flags … tell a story by themselves. We see the Virginia flag and the first National Flag on the left. The coffin is covered with the second National Flag, reported to be the very first one to be put into use. The VMI flag with its color guard is on the right, as well as Confederate Battle Flags in the background. - Mort Künstler

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The stately funeral procession was a testament to the service and sacrifice of the man they called “Stonewall.” In accordance with military tradition, his casket was draped with a Confederate flag, placed on a caisson adorned by six mourning plumes, and drawn by four horses. An honor guard comprised of VMI cadets acted as escorts.

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The center of interest in the painting is the casket. To achieve the pageantry of the scene, I felt it necessary to pull back my viewpoint, thus making the coffin smaller. By using age old artistic devices, (darkest dark against lightest light), I made the eye go where I wanted it to go. – Mort Künstler

Col. Keith Gibson of the VMI provided the description of the cadet’s accouterment and attire.