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Duty-Honor-Country
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Duty-Honor-Country
12x20"
Lithograph Artist Proof
$375.00
  Duty-Honor-Country
Digital Poster
11x14"
$45.00

"DUTY – HONOR – COUNTRY"
by artist Paul Steucke


TO ORDER A POSTER OR ARTIST PROOF

 

Four thousand prints were made with the official endorsement and seal of the MacArthur Foundation located in Norfolk, Virginia. An additional one thousand prints were made without the seal. Sixty-three Publisher Proofs and 50 Artist Proofs with the seal were made.

An “Artist Proof” is a separate edition and is marked with the individual number of the print and the edition, as in 00/50 AP. They are signed and numbered by the artist.

Purchasing an artist proof directly from the artist allows you to have the print personalized. For example it could say, “With best wishes to Maj. John Doe, (USMA Class of ’00), Paul”.

The current price for the Artist Proof print, including shipping in a tube, is $400.00. The unsigned open edition 11x14” poster of the painting is available for $45.00.

Signed and numbered, 17x28", Giclee prints of Duty-Honor-Country can be purchased from the West Point Art Gallery, (1-845-446-4230).  Signed and numbered, 17x29" Artist Proof lithographic prints are available from the artist.

Paul Steucke, Sr.

                 VISA or MasterCard accepted. To order, call or fax at 360-705-4536
 



ARTIST NOTES
For the painting

“Duty, Honor, Country” © 1993
by artist Paul Steucke

 

Thank you for your interest in my painting, “Duty, Honor, Country”. I hope it conveys to you the emotion and significance of the moment that was shared by everyone when General MacArthur gave his farewell address to the Corps.

Creating a painting based on a historical moment presents two challenges to the artist. First, the painting must be as true to the event as possible, and second, it must be pleasing to the viewer. The first challenge requires a considerable amount of research, the second requires the ability to subtly modify certain aspects of the event so they will fit into the boundaries of a canvas.

Research for the painting required a trip to the Army Academy at West Point, the research library at West Point, the MacArthur Foundation in Norfolk, Virginia, the National Archives and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. There is very little visual documentation of the presentation of the Thayer Award itself and if it had not been for the personal recordings of Cadet James Ellis and a few others there would not have been a recording or complete text of the address.

A few professional photographs, some personal snapshots, now in the collection of the MacArthur foundation, and a dark blurry black and white 16mm film clip of the event exist, but not much else. Several good photographs were taken right after the event and on the parade field, but little documentation exists of the presentation itself.

The rostrum, large dual microphones, and MacArthur’s posture and suit were documented in a front view professional close up photograph of the General at the rostrum. The snapshots were used to identify the floral arrangements and some of the participants at the two head tables, particularly General William Westmoreland, Superintendent of the Academy at the time, and General (Retired) Leslie R. Groves, President of the Association of Graduates (seated with back toward the viewer).

The film clip revealed that General MacArthur spoke from a long raised dais that was placed on the main floor in front of the main entrance and below the Poop Deck in the Mess Hall. Mrs. MacArthur watched the General give his address from the second flood deck which was above and behind the dais. Another photograph documents that she and several other guests, along with some cadets ate lunch in a room that adjoins the second floor rostrum. Two tables for important guests were on either side of the rostrum.

The cadets were seated at tables in the room. Moving the cadets forward in the painting, closer to the rostrum, is an artistic liberty that I had to take, otherwise the cadets would have become insignificant dots in the background. Another photograph of General MacArthur was taken nearby and it includes a close up of the General along with Cadets Blumhardt (far left foreground in painting), James Ellis (center-chest forward view), Kirchenbauer (forward, far right), and Grebe (middle rear, fourth from left).

The ghosts represent a historical cross section of soldiers and are dedicated to the memory of all military who have served our country. I regret that I was unable to represent all the various types of personnel who fought in our honor. From left to right: …World War Two Officer, “D-day Normandy; Vietnam advisor; Captain, Korean War; General John “Blackjack” Pershing; General Robert E. Lee; General George Patton; World War One “doughboy”; and General Ulysses S. Grant. General Douglas MacArthur is at the rostrum, General William Westmoreland lower right corner, and General Groves is with his back to the viewer.

A few subtle things have been done to balance the color of the painting and arrange the various elements. For example the ceiling light chandeliers are accurate representations, however several were removed from the painting so they would not appear in awkward locations. Some pink color was added to the flowers, and cadet jacket gray was placed throughout the ghost shadows to distribute and balance the color of the overall painting. The microphones on the rostrum are accurate in design but have been reduced in size so they will not dominate that part of the painting. The ceiling, walls, and windows were based on research sketches and photographs that I took at West Point.


Paul Steucke
 

 


 

 

 

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