Mort Künstler: A Discussion with the Artist

As we continue our series of gallery exhibitions by great military artists at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, we've reached one of the true giants of the field: Mort Künstler.

Künstler began his career in the 1950s as a freelance artist, illustrating paperback book covers and men's adventure magazines. Later, he took on assignments for major film studios, creating posters for movies such as The Poseidon Adventure and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. Long before his celebrated depictions of Grant and Lincoln, Künstler had already tackled an American icon: Alfred E. Neuman, on covers of Mad magazine, which he painted under the alias "Mutz".

But while many of his early illustrations were pure entertainment, Künstler also created some extraordinary military art. In 1977, his first major gallery exhibition brought new attention to his talents as a historical illustrator. It was not until the 1980s, though, that he was acclaimed as one of America's foremost Civil War artists. Collections of Künstler's work were published with text by historians such as 2007 Pritzker Military Museum & Library Literature Award recipient James McPherson.

"Of all the artists working in the Civil War field," he remarked, "none captures the human element, the aura of leadership, the sense of being there and sharing in the drama, quite like Mort Künstler."

This exhibition covers the breadth of Künstler's career as a military artist, from the aerial combat of Rick Nails a Drachen (1964) and the human element of The Korean Winter (1958) to recent work such as The Final Mission (2003), a twilight scene at the doomed Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley, and a vivid look at The Mud March (2005) of the Union Army through Virginia. It also includes his dramatic interpretations of historical figures such as President Lincoln, Col. Robert Shaw and the 54th Mass., and Theodore Roosevelt - both as a Rough Rider and President.

"Mort Künstler has been one of my favorite military artists for some time," says Ryan Yantis, Executive Director of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library. "While I was still serving on active duty, we acquired his print While the Enemy Rests. This print was, and remains, one of my favorites."