Otto 'Walter Beck' and the Mosby Triptych

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Source and other paintings
Old Civil War Soldiers at Weschler's

by Robert Kyle (from deleted page on website)

The first part of Weschler's May 22 fine art sale was a fascinating consignment and an unusual buyer opportunity: 20 life-size portraits of Civil War soldiers portrayed from life about 50 years after the war ended.

The grouping was deaccessioned from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C., only a few blocks from Weschler's.

The artist, Walter Beck, was born near the war's end, in 1864, near Dayton, Ohio, when the subjects he eventually depicted were still young men fighting the war. When Beck was a boy he often visited a nearby soldier's home where Civil War veterans were convalescing.

Beck illustrated one of their stories and submitted it to a newspaper in Cincinnati, which published it and inspired him to a become an artist.

Years passed, and on the eve of the 50th anniversary of two decisive battles at Appomattox, Virginia, Beck sought out old soldiers to draw their life-size portraits as a memorial to the war. (The Appomattox Station battle was April 8, 1865. The next day and about three miles away, the battle of Appomattox Courthouse occurred. General Robert E. Lee surrendered there later that day.)

Summoning the old veterans, Beck asked if they would don their uniforms. The finished works depict dignified elderly gentlemen attired in their finest military dress attire.

In Weschler's gallery these immense pastel portraits covered most of the wall space, their subjects seemingly part of the auction audience. In place of bidder numbers, though, they held rifles or flags. Their presence gave us the opportunity to look them in the eye. What we saw was nary a smile among the 65 men portrayed.

The expressions evoke the solemnity in which they apparently took this posing assignment. Or did these reunions on canvas trigger flashbacks of the terror and hardships they shared as young soldiers? The eyes are weary but wise, exuding the kindness of gentle grandfathers. Most of the men have big, bushy white mustaches, some beards. Many appear distinguished; others, just plain tired.

Curiously clean-shaven and not in uniform is Colonel John S. Mosby.
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He and some of his men were the only Confederates portrayed. Mosby is seated in a high-back chair and dressed in a suit over which is a large black coat. He holds a top hat in his right hand; a cane leans against his coat. A red scarf encircles his neck. A red handkerchief protrudes from his coat breast pocket.

His image is the most compelling of all. His riveting, determined expression reveals pride, defiance, and strength. Mosby never surrendered to General Grant and appears to resist giving in to old age as well. Still appearing ready for a fight, Mosby was 79 years old when he posed for Beck. It is said he traveled three times to New York for this sitting. He died three years later.

Mosby's is remembered for his successful guerrilla warfare tactics. With several hundred of his Partisan Rangers he conducted hit-and-run surprise raids in Virginia against Union troops, earning the nickname "The Gray Ghost.".......

The artist posed Mosby between two of the rangers important to him throughout most of the campaign: First Lieutenant Charles Grogan and Dr. W.L. Dunn, a surgeon. Walter Beck's high regard for Mosby is reflected in Beck's creation of The Mosby Triptych. The pastel with Mosby is the largest of the three, while two additional works hang on either side of it. The left panel shows Lieutenants Fountain Beatty (or Beattie) and Frank H. Rahm, and scout John Russell. The right panel shows Lieutenant James G. Wiltshire, who later became a physician, and Major A.E. Richards.

The high bidder who paid $14,950 (including buyer's premium) for the large portrait showing Mosby said he is a Civil War collector, not a dealer, and that the portrait will hang in his home. When the next lot came up, the right panel in the triptych, the same bidder obtained it for $1380, about a third of its high estimate.

The buyer who now owns two thirds of The Mosby Triptych lamented not buying the left panel, which was offered first, but he said he expected the large center panel with Mosby to sell for more than it did, even though the estimate was $4000/6000. The buyer said he was considering having Weschler's contact the phone bidder who paid $7475 for the first panel to see if he would consider selling it.

(partial article courtesy Maine Antique Digest 1999)
 
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