Brooklyn College Post 50th Lifetime Achievement Award

In late September Mort attended the Brooklyn College Alumni Luncheon and Awards Ceremony where he was honored with the Post 50th Lifetime Achivement Award. Below are a few photos from the event.

This was Mort's second award from Brooklyn College. In 1986 he was honored with the Alumni Association's Distinguished Achievement Award, pictured below. 

Thanksgiving Weekend Specials

The Making of "...How Real Soldiers Live" - Final

“…How Real Soldiers Live”
Jackson and Lee, Moss Neck, December 25, 1862

This painting can be considered a prequel to the painting “Merry Christmas, General Lee” in which General Robert E. Lee is riding away from the famous Corbin family estate of Moss Neck. On Christmas night, as guests arrived for a party at the mansion, Lee was leaving the small office building of the grand estate where he had attended a Christmas dinner at the invitation of Stonewall Jackson.

“I always wanted to do a painting of that dinner, but could not bear to do a totally indoor scene for my annual winter snow print. After years of trying to come up with a composition that would say ‘snow’ and ‘Christmas dinner,’ I finally composed this painting. It was inspired by the single paragraph in Douglas Southall Freeman’s monumental biography of Robert E. Lee.

My idea was to capture the viewer in an emotional moment. I decided to contrast the cold loneliness of the sentry peering in the window, to the warm convivial atmosphere of the party going on inside. I also used a cool color palette for the outside of the building and, quite naturally, the warm colors at the opposite end of the spectrum for the interior scene. Making the sentry large emphasized the story of the different circumstances of the officers and the sentry. I tried to depict the private as perhaps envious, but in awe of getting this close private view of the two great Confederate generals. It also gave me an opportunity to show them as smiling and very human. In my quest for a new and different look, I also decided on a vertical composition.”

-Mort Kunstler

The Making of "...How Real Soldiers Live" Phase 4

"...How Real Soldiers Live"
Jackson and Lee, Moss Neck, December 25, 1862

Now you can see the rest of the story – a soldier on duty outside in the bitter cold on Christmas night, standing guard for the officers inside.

The Making of "...How Real Soldiers Live" - Phase 3

“…How Real Soldiers Live”
Jackson and Lee, Moss Neck, December 25, 1862

Since the building and snow-covered trees have been painted, there is an additional color added to the painting. The purple undercoating is barely visible but is strong enough to give a beautiful dimension to the snow. Can you make out what is yet to be painted?

The Making of "...How Real Soldiers Live" - Phase 2

“…How Real Soldiers Live”

Jackson and Lee, Moss Neck

December 25, 1862

The inside of the building has been completed. If you look carefully you can see walnuts and oysters on the table.  Notice the Christmas tree and the candles which give the warm glow to the scene.

The Making of "...How Real Soldiers Live" - Phase 1

This painting can be considered a prequel to the painting “Merry Christmas, General Lee” in which General Robert E. Lee is riding away from the famous Corbin family estate of Moss Neck. On Christmas night, as guests arrived for a party at the mansion, Lee was leaving the small office building of the grand estate where he had attended a Christmas dinner at the invitation of Stonewall Jackson.

“I always wanted to do a painting of that dinner, but could not bear to do a totally indoor scene for my annual winter snow print. After years of trying to come up with a composition that would say ‘snow’ and ‘Christmas dinner,’ I finally composed this painting. It was inspired by the single paragraph in Douglas Southall Freeman’s monumental biography of Robert E. Lee.”

- Mort Künstler

Here you can see Mort has already painted much of what can be seen of the dinner through the outside window of Jackson’s headquarters. “Jackson had received many presents of food from admirers and was able to spread a sumptuous table, not forgetting to have his waiters in white aprons.”  Are you wondering why Mort painted so much of the canvas purple or how it will look when completed?

Official 2011 Snow Print Release and Signing

Schedule for the Official Release and Artist Signing of ...How Real Soldiers Live:

Saturday, November 12, 2011

10 am till 3 pm

Civil War Life Museum Store (Hosted by King James Galleries of Winchester)

829 Caroline Street

Fredericksburg, VA

Sunday, November 13, 2011

11 am till 3 pm

King James Galleries of Winchester

161 Prosperity Drive - Suite 104

Winchester, VA

For more information please call (540) 869-9025 or toll free (888) 217-1865

We hope to see you there!

November Newsletter