Gods and Generals: The Paintings of Mort Kuenstler | 
 enlarge | Authors: Mort Kuenstler, Jr., James I. Robertson, Ron Maxwell
Publisher: The Greenwich Workshop Press
Category: Book
List Price: $27.50
Buy New: $2.97
You Save: $24.53 (89%)
New (31) Used (21) Collectible (2) from $2.97
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 842774
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 144
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 11 x 9.1 x 0.8
ISBN: 0867130849
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.7349
UPC: 766710890842
EAN: 9780867130843
ASIN: 0867130849
Publication Date: October 14, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New! ** Book will be mailed in bubble for a safe journey! Thousands of satisfied customers! Spend Less with our LOW PRICES!
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
America's premier Civil War artist, Mort Kuenstler, is joined by the nation's leading Civil War historian, Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr., in this extraordinary visual history of the Civil War's dramatic first two years. A companion history to the motion picture of the same name, Gods and Generals is based on the best-selling Jeff Shaara novel, and surveys a crucial period in the War Between the States through incomparable art-work and a matchless narrative.
Gods and Generals chronicles the momentous events of 1861 through early 1863 by following the lives of four principal figures from the Civil War, Robert E. Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson, Winfield S. Hancock and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. On fields of fire and glory, like First and Second Manassas, the Seven Days Battles, Antietam and Chancellorsville, the epic American struggle of brothers-against-brother unfolds in this exceptional work.
Among the Americans caught in the flame of battle, none were more remarkable than Lee, Jackson, Hancock and Chamberlain. Lee, known for the caliber of his character as much as the mettle of his military genius, saved the South from what appeared to be almost certain defeat in mid-1862, and molded his rag-tag troops into a fighting force that at times seemed invincible. "Stonewall" Jackson, meanwhile, rose from a mediocre professor at VMI to become Robert E. Lee's invaluable "right arm," but in mid-spring of 1863 his greatest success would be earned at a terrible price for the South. Facing Lee's army—and often failing—was the Army of the Potomac. Despite the discouragement of defeat, the army's common soldier remained determined to fight and was dedicated to victory—led by officers like Winfield S. Hancock, a gifted West Pointer, and Colenel Joshua L. Chamberlain, a college professor-turned-soldier.
The glory and the tragedy of the American Civil War—and the fascinating figures from its history—are depicted in Gods and Generals with unique depth and emotion. The classic art of Mort Kuenstler and the captivating narrative by James I. Robertson, Jr. capture this pivotal period in America's bloodiest war unlike any other work of art and history.
Book Description
The year prior to the battle of Gettysburg was the high-water mark for the Confederacy; single-minded, its superior officers were unified under the command of General Robert E. Lee. GODS AND GENERALS: THE PAINTINGS OF MORT KUNSTLER focuses on the strategic collaboration between Lee and Thomas Stonewall Jackson in the battles leading up to July 1863: Second Bull Run (or Manassas), Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. The roots of a tradition of undying valor and constancy were founded here, and they have been a vibrant heritage for subsequent generations. This story, based on the best-selling novel by Jeff Shaara (Gods and Generals), also involves Union officers Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and Winfield Scott Hancock, one a professor of religion from Bowdoin College, and the other a graduate of West Point. The dramatic text and pictures bring to life this crucial time as the Confederacy dominated the battlefields with their skillful speed and flexibility.
|
| Customer Reviews:
The Paintings of Mort Kunstler May 2, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Never have I seen half as much life breathed into the Civil War as in the paintings in this book. It is a visual feast, and I savor every page every time I look at it. The appearances of the soldiers and civilians alike portrayed in this book are accurate, and the colors and poses and emotional expressions are captivating and hauntingly beautiful. This would make a great coffee-table book or a guide for an artist, Civil War buff, or student.
Beautiful work of a master artist March 31, 2003
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Gods and Generals: The Paintings of Mort Kunstler rivals its previous companion book to Gettysburg. Kunstler tells the story leading up to the battle of Gettysburg using his masterful brush to translate history into color paintings. The text and the paintings weave the tale of how America eventually tore itself asunder in the Civil War. Its an excellent collector's piece and great introduction into the Civil War.
I also found Kunstler did not paint as many movie scenes in this book, instead capturing the actual historical looks of these "Gods and Generals" of the Civil War. Any lover of history or military art will appreciate his attention to detail and riviting scenes. Enjoy!
A Beautiful Book of Beautiful and Educational Paintings January 22, 2003
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
Mr. Kunstler has provided us with another book of his arrestingly beautiful paintings. Art, of course, is largely a matter of taste and proverbially in the eye of the beholder. Mr. Kunstler, however, even from as objective a standpoint as possible, has no peer as a chronicler of the Civil War. I have been interested in that period of history for about half a century, but it has been Mr. Kunstler's paintings over the past dozen or more years that have brought that war to life for me, and, I am sure, for many others. Although he is a prolific artist, he never compromises with quality, and the quality of his work is unsurpassed.
The subjects of Mr. Kunstler's paintings are invariably interesting, and he does not like to paint scenes or events that have been done previously by other artists. This book is the companion to, and illustrative of, the events and people of the novel "Gods and Generals" by Jeff Shaara, soon to be made into a motion picture of the same name. It follows four exceptional soldiers through the first two years of the war: Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, Winfield S. Hancock, and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.
In this book, there are many new paintings not yet published elsewhere, but whether you are an old Kunstler aficionado or newly introduced to his work, you will find this book unequaled. The reproductions of the paintings are eye-catching, displaying each painting in vibrant, striking colors, true to Mr. Kunstler's originals. I say above that his paintings are educational, and so they are. I urge you to look closely at every work of art. If you do, you will not only see an astonishing amount of detail, but also learn much about the people, the times, the objects people used, and the war. Again, we have Mr. Kunstler's constant striving for perfection to thank for paintings which are correct in every detail. He is the quintessential perfectionist, who painstakingly researches every detail, no matter how small, to provide his audience with true, as well as beautiful, depictions of people, places, and things. He consults with knowledgeable historians, such as Professor Robertson, who wrote the text for this book, on even such matters as the weather on the particular day that he wants to depict in a painting. All of the accouterments are true, as well as the animals, the uniforms, the weapons, the landscapes, the battlefield situations, the lighting -- everything. Rarely does one find, in one individual such as Mr. Kunstler, artistry to the point of genius coupled with an unceasing demand for perfection in all of the details of his art. I admit that I am no connoisseur of art and that I can claim no expertise or experience in art. Even someone such as I, however, can at least partially appreciate the artistic techniques used by Mr. Kunstler. His positioning of people, animals, buildings, and other objects to lead the observer's eye to the main subject of the painting, his extraordinary use of light to play on this or that subject in the picture in greater or lesser brilliance in order to accentuate or subordinate that subject, and his use of color, always precise, to delineate bright sunshine or dark shadow, or to emphasize or minimize, are all techniques that even such as I can note and admire. His paintings are so life-like as to defy the observer to differentiate them from photographs. But no photographs could depict such wonderful color and the precise instants in time which Mr. Kunstler so deftly chooses to picture. Mr. Kunstler has, with every book he has introduced, been able to obtain the very best in historians/commentators to draft the texts. He has obtained the services of, for example, Henry Steele Commager (for the book "The American Spirit: The Paintings of Mort Kunstler"), James I. Robertson, Jr. (for "Jackson and Lee: Legends in Gray," "The Confederate Spirit: Valor, Sacrifice and Honor," and the current work), James M. McPherson (for "Gettysburg"), and Dee Brown (for "Images of the Old West"). Dr. Robertson's text in "Gods and Generals: The Paintings of Mort Kunstler" is, as always, the perfect complement to the paintings. As with Mr. Kunstler's art, so also with Dr. Robertson's narrative, one can learn much, whether one is a novice or an experienced hand. Thus, whether you are a "Civil War buff" or simply interested in exceptional art and edifying prose, you will enjoy this book (and you would do well to consider obtaining Mr. Kunstler's previous books, named parenthetically above). You cannot go wrong with the team of Kunstler and Robertson.
For the beautiful art, alone... November 17, 2002
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book is worth 5 stars!! My 8 year old son is just beginning to discover what it means to be born in the south. I want him to have an accurate picture of what the civil war was all about. It is hard to find civil war books with enough pictures to keep him interested. This book has plenty of high quality art for him to see and includes text that we can read together! I highly reccomend it based on those gorgeous paintings.
|
|
|
