Art

The Art of Mort Künstler

Mort Künstler is recognized as one of America’s greatest historical artists, illustrating everything from the Civil War to movie posters. Our image gallery shows just some of the genres of illustration in which Künstler has left his mark.

Gallery
Civil War battle scene

Weekly Newsletter

The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox!

SUPPORT THE POST

Born in Brooklyn in 1927, Mort Künstler’s artistic talent was recognized at an early age. After graduating from the Pratt Institute in 1950, he got his start professionally by illustrating men’s adventure magazines and pulp fiction covers. Those paintings — sometimes lurid, sometimes exciting, sometimes shocking — showed a knack for engaging the viewer with a visual story. That storytelling ability and his skill with a brush soon landed him more ambitious projects.

Today, Künstler is recognized as one of America’s greatest historical artists. His devotion to research and historical accuracy, especially in his well-known Civil War paintings, has set his work apart. Many of Künstler’s paintings that were, like Norman Rockwell’s, once considered “just illustrations” are now finding homes in fine art museums around the country.

The images below show just some of the genres of illustration in which Mort Künstler has left his mark. You can find out more about Künstler—and see more of his work—in the January/February 2017 issue of The Saturday Evening Post.

American History

Lafayette with Washington at Morristown

Lafayette and Washington at Morristown
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, Lafayette with Washington at Morristown ©1981 Mort Künstler, Inc.

Suffragettes

Women sufferagettes marching
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, Suffragettes ©1987 Mort Künstler, Inc.

The Civil War

The Bloody Angle

Civil War battle scene
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, The Bloody Angle ©1991 Mort Künstler, Inc.

“Angel of Marye’s Heights”

Battlefield medic attending to a fallen Union soldier
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, The Bloody Angle ©1991 Mort Künstler, Inc.

Movie Posters

The Poseidon Adventure

Poseidon Adventure poster
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, The Poseidon Adventure ©1972 Mort Künstler, Inc.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Poster for the film "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three"
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three ©1974 Mort Künstler, Inc.
Poster for the film "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three"
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three ©1974 Mort Künstler, Inc.

 

Advertisements

Solarcaine

Ad for Solarcaine
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, Solarcaine ©1975 Mort Künstler, Inc.

Old Crow

Ad for Old Crow wiskey
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, Old Crow ©1980 Mort Künstler, Inc.

 

Men’s Adventure Stories

“Kill 3, on Elephants”

Illustration featjuring elephants running in a field
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, “Kill 3, on Elephants” ©1972 Mort Künstler, Inc.

Trapped by Santo Domingo’s Kill-and-Loot Rebels

Man shooting people in an office
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, Trapped by Santo Domingo’s Kill-and-Loot Rebels ©1965 Mort Künstler, Inc.

 

Political Figures

The Great White Fleet Sails

Teddy Roosevelt in front of a giant boat
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, The Great White Fleet Sails ©1977 Mort Künstler, Inc.

President John F. Kennedy

Portrait of John F. Kennedy in profile
From the Original Painting by Mort Künstler, President John F. Kennedy ©1986 Mort Künstler, Inc.

Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Subscribe now

Recommended

Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *