"ACW Pictures from Life Magazine" Topic

Back in 1960,with the centennial of the Civil War approaching, Life Magazine ran a series of articles on the war. They commissioned a number of paintings which were published in the magazine. I was enormously impressed by some of these, and still remember the painting of Jackson's attack on XI Corps at Chancellorsville and the Army of the Cumberland storming Missionary Ridge. I went back and looked at them several years ago, and I realize they are not great art in the sense that the Louvre or the Met will never showcase them, but I would like to have a copy of a couple. Anybody know how I could get copies for framing or how I could go about copying one myself?

Grelber

I have a full set of the originals. They came matted on cardboard and were distributed with the magazine. I think that there are 6 installments, at least that's what I have.

One interesting mote for thosse of use who remember the Marx Giant Blue and Gray playset. The artwork on the box was copied directly from the Life magazine paintings.

You can look it up.

auction

Wow. That brings back some memories! I loved that when I was a kid! Thanks for sharing that!

OK, I had no idea they had printed them up not bound in the magazine. I remembered several of them sprawling across two pages. This would be a problem, whether I managed to find a back issue of Life at a library with a color scanner, or purchased a back issue. That split is just a problem if you want to frame and hang the picture.

So, this gives me something to look for.

Grelber

Wasn't the artist a Mad Magazine artist? George Woodbridge? I remember the Clinch Rifles in blue.

$7 USD plus postage on eBay ?!?

Yup, George Woodbridge was the senior artist for Mad magazine. he was also a member of the Company of Military Historians, and did almost all, if not all, of the line drawings in their publication of "Todd's American Military Equipage", a book that anyone gaming the ACW with miniatures ought to consider buying.

I met him several times down to Monroe, New York and own several of his illustrations, signed by him.

He passed away a few years back.

I'll check for you tomorrow. Gotta drag them out of the archives. I'll let you know.

Take heart, Grelber, I found them. Man, they are chock full of artwork, all in glorious color.

I'll take some pix and put them up in a new thread for you later on this week, so keep an eye out.

I also have the John Wayne ALAMO insert.