Painting a Civil War snow scene has almost become a tradition for me every year. In his biography of Robert E. Lee, Douglas Southall Freeman described an episode when "Stonewall" Jackson met with Lee at Lee's winter camp during the evening of November 29, 1862. The moment I read about this scene, I knew this would be my new painting.
However, commitments to paintings and drawings for the book Gettysburg, the companion to the now famous movie, forced me to delay painting the snow scene. I also had to complete the last of the Killer Angels portfolio paintings, Chamberlain's Charge, so I was very eager to get to work on this painting when time finally became available.
There are wonderful contemporary descriptions of winter camps, including the placement of General Lee's flags and the tents of aides, which I was able to draw upon to help create this painting. Strategy in the Snow is the second in the Legends in Gray series. It took me a long time to finalize the vision and I hope it was worth the wait.
By: Mort Kunstler
