Beschreibung:

Robert Griffing "The Lost Documents" oil on
S. Grant at Vicksburg: July 4th 1863)" oil on canvas, 1989. Signed and dated lower right, "© M Künstler / 7-4-89". Canvas: 34"H x 56.25"W; Frame: 43.75"H x 66"W. PROVENANCE: The Artist. Hammer Galleries, New York (acquired directly from the artist, 1989. Label on verso). Private Collection, California. From the Collection of Sam Wyly, Dallas, Texas EXHIBITED: New York, Hammer Galleries, Mort Künstler, "Epic Paintings of America," December 5, 1989-January 3, 1990. Roslyn, New York, Nassau County Museum of Art, "The Civil War-The Paintings of Mort Künstler," January 11-March 1, 1998 (label on verso). New York, Hammer Galleries, "The Civil War-The Paintings of Mort Künstler," March 31-April 25, 1998. LITERATURE: Catalogue, "Mort Künstler: Epic Paintings of America," Hammer Galleries, New York, 1989, illustrated in color, cover and p. 2. Catalogue, "The Civil War-The Paintings of Mort Künstler," Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn, New York, 1998, illustrated in color, p. 51. Catalogue, The Civil War-The Paintings of Mort Künstler," Hammer Galleries, New York, 1998, illustrated in color, p. 51. Please contact the gallery for an extended list of publication. NOTE: Of this work, Mort Künstler says, "The greatest military victory 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 Confederate troops surrendered, along with more than 60,000 guns and almost 200 cannon. The scene shows General Ulysses S. Grant riding down to the Old Landing to meet and congratulate Admiral David Porter commander of the river fleet, aboard his flagship, U.S.S. Benton. There were more than 8,000 Union troops on hand, cheering, waving flags and celebrating this great victory, as well as the Fourth of July. The surrender took place at about 10:00 am. Grant and his party rode south down the Yazoo City Road and then turned west down the steep incline to the Old Landing and his historic meeting with Porter. Grant, in his typically informal dress, without sword belt, and riding his favorite mount, Cincinnati, waves to the crowd. In his party and immediately behind him, is General John D. Stevenson, followed by General James McPherson and General John Logan. Regiments from Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota are represented. In the extreme foreground, left center 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. 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 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. The colorful signal flags of the fleet spell out congratulations and greetings and are based on a book, 'History of the Flag of the United States of America' by George Henry Preble, Rear-Admiral U.S.N., published in Boston by A. Williams and Company, 1880. 'The Glorious Fourth' is by far the most difficult and time consuming painting I have ever done. An interesting footnote is that I finished this painting on July 4, 1989, exactly 126 years to the day after the event I am portraying. It was truly a Glorious Fourth for me!" Our sincerest thanks to Ms. Jane Künstler of Künstler Enterprises for her assistance in cataloguing this lot. Mort Künstler (American/New York, b. 1931).