Custer's Last Cavalry Charge Painting

This is another painting about the events at Little Big Horn in 1876. There will be one more painting in this series that I have finished and will post later today. This will complete the set at four paintings. This painting is titled "The last Charge of the Seventh Cavalry". Image size is roughly 22"x 38" and was purposely painted with a darker sky and images than the other paintings of the series. I wanted this painting to convey a feeling of static energy being poured into an abyss of history. Whew that is statement that needs to be looked at again. At any rate watch for the last painting of the series. Giclees of this print on canvas will be offered at $250.00 each with artists remarked touches.

George Custers Decision a Painting by Steve Berger

I admit as a historian I find the the 1876 battle of Little Big Horn fascinating for a number of reasons.

Maybe it's Custer's arrogance or the Sioux nations last gasp of independence that makes this moment in time so intriguing to me but it was most definitely a defining moment in the American West.

This painting called "The Decision" represents Custer's order to split his forces at the divide of the Rosebud River and the valley of the Little Big Horn.

Why he did this is for historians to argue over but it lead to the elimination of his command and the beginning of the end for armed native American resistance.

This painting depicts the conversation at that moment. I wonder what his junior officers thought as he gave the order to proceed and attaack the large Indian village that they could see across the river. His troops were tire and dusty they had just finished an 18 mile ride and it was just a little before 12:oo on that fateful day in 1876. What were they thinking?

GI Mom Painting

This is a new painting that I had been thinking of for some time. I want to add some finishing touches but at least I am started and it is out of the sketch format. With memorial day just passing this one is for all the mom's in the military and there seems to be a lot of them.

I never seem to see any images that can convey all the loads women carry as mothers, wives, and soldiers. In this painting I wanted to capture that feeling. Maybe this painting represents the end of a long long day somewherere else but home.

This original painting called "GI Mom"has an image size of 12"x20" and is for sale as a Giclee for $125.00.

Voyager Painting

This is the latest of the Fort Snelling works I have produced. This scene depicts a Voyager in his element. I may have a couple of changes to this painting. The original measures 36" x 27" and is an acrylic on canvas. If you would be interested in prints email me at steve@bergerfinearts.com

This is a finished view of an original painting I did some time ago. I wanted to do something with the clouds in the sky and I thought adding an eagle would be interesting. I wanted to paint it so it would be immediately noticeable. Can you find it? This painting is part of the Fort Snelling series and is now finally finished. Prints are available just email me at steve@bergerfinearts if interested.

Pawnee Near Fort Snelling

This painting is part of the Fort Snelling series I have been doing. I wanted to capture what it would be feeling like in the woods near the fort. Since it is near the Mississippi River there are steep bluffs, many ridges and trails and lots of color. This painting reflects a typical day for a Native American who is checking out his collection of flint arrowheads to maybe be re-purposed as flint for his newly acquired gun. It is just another walk in the woods near the fort.

Confederate States Flag

One of the the first national flags of the confederacy is depicted here. I wanted to add something more to this piece rather than just show the flag by itself. After doing some research I discovered that the flag design as well as the design styles of the uniforms of the newly formed southern army had a design link. This is what made the painting shown here an
interesting combination of visual history.

This initial Confederate States flag was designed by a Prussian artist named Nicola Marschall. Mr. Marschall also designed the confederate uniforms we all have become familiar with that use the grey, yellow and blue color combinations used by the armies of the south during the Civil War. Mr Marschall lived in Marion Alabama at the time of this design and must have been active in other design endeavors during his lifetime which I would like to research to find out more.

Mr. Marschall's assignment to come up with a new flag also included a design requirement set by the provisional Confederate Congress that the new flag was to be similar to the"Stars and Stripes" flag used by the north.

Nicloa's design challenge was then can he make the C.S.A. flag different enough using the same combinations of colors, stars and stripes that the U. S. flag incorporated to stand on its own visual merit. Mr Marschall's design did indeed succeed in winning the newly formed governments approval. His unique combination of the elements required by the Congress made a beautiful visual statement that went on to represent the Southern government and was soon referred to as the "Stars and Bars"of the south.

Nicola's flag design was rapidly approved on March 4th 1861 and was shown first publicly at the Ben Johnson house in Bardstown Kentucky. It eventually made its appearance over the confederate capital dome later in the year.

A special note that the initial flag design had only had 7 stars not the eleven star flag depicted here in this painting. As the war progressed and more states fell into the confederacy more stars were added. The eleven star was added July 2nd 1861 and stayed until two more final stars were added November 28, 1861.

Prints of this are now available. A 2'x2' signed canvas Giclee print goes for $1,500.00