In the spirit of presenting historical truth through art, Don Troiani has personally set uncompromising standards of excellence and authenticity in his field that few others can equal. Models are chosen with the greatest care to achieve the proper look of the men in Colonial and Victorian America. The garb and gear of each figure are painstakingly researched. Appropriate backgrounds are found and studied, sometimes sending the artist hundreds of miles from home to examine battlefields and structures firsthand. Because of the great amount of research that goes into one of his works, it is often years between a painting's conception and the actual moment the brush is put to canvas.
"If an historical painting is not reasonably accurate, then it's worthless both as art and as a historical document," Troiani declares. "If you are going to become involved in this field then there is little excuse for a pattern of inaccuracies."
Indeed, Troiani's lifelong focus on America's military heritage enables him to present that subject with a credibility that surpasses his contemporaries. For a quarter century he has methodically built one of the great private artifact collections of Civil War, 1812 and Revolutionary War, World War II uniforms, equipage, insignia and weapons which he calls on to add the unique dimension of realism he is so well known for. An expert researcher with a personal Military library of over 2,500 volumes, he is assisted in his search for the truth by a select network of advanced collectors, curators and historians whom he corresponds with regularly and who open their own collections to him.
Hollywood has enlisted him as consultant on "Civil War Uniforms and Equipage" for the acclaimed feature film "Cold Mountain" starring Nicole Kidman, Rene Zellweger and Jude Law for which he received screen credit. Also in "Cold Mountain, The Journey from book to film." Troiani has also been military advisor(and made appearances) on the A&E and History Channel's "Civil Journal" and the miniseries "The American Revolution". Televison appearances on "Missing Reward","Incurable Collector", and "Hunt for Amazing Treasures" are among his credits.
Don Troiani S/N Limited Edition Print "Sword of Virginia" 2nd MANASSAS - AUGUST 30, 1862
By the time the Civil War engulfed Virginia, Frederick Gustavus Skinner had seen much of the world and won renown for his exploits as a sportsman. He had been born in Annapolis in 1814, but spent some of his youth in Egypt and attended school in France as the ward of his father's friend and every American's favorite Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette. Frederick's father established sporting journalism in North America by founding American Turf Register and similar publications. The younger Skinner reveled in fox hunting and horse breeding. After the Civil War he wrote extensively for a wide audience on those topics.
When Virginia seceded, Skinner received a commission as major in the 1st Virginia Infantry, a regiment made up mostly of young Richmonders. He had passed his 47th birthday just a few weeks before, but still boasted a powerful physique and tremendous stamina. Skinner "attracted swift attention" wherever he went, a contemporary noted, because he was "immensely tall, great-boned and of tremendous strength."
The major's bellicose temperament matched his appearance. The wife of Jefferson Davis' private secretary called him "that picturesque old warrior and fire-eater."
Soldiers in the ranks of the 1st Virginia admired Skinner, "Old Fred" as they called him with youthful nonchalance, "our good-natured old colonel." Later in 1861 Skinner advanced to lieutenant colonel of the regiment. His men liked the colonel's eccentricities and colorful style. One wrote that he "chewed tobacco like a sailor."
Frederick Skinner's war ended in a dramatic moment at the climax of a great Southern victory. On the afternoon of August 30, 1862, as triumphant Confederates pushed Yankees off the Second Manassas battlefield, the 1st Virginia ran into a determined stand by Federals on Chinn Ridge. Guns of the 5th Maine Battery poured fire into the attackers' faces.
As he thundered toward the roaring cannons, Colonel Skinner brandished his tremendous sword, a French Cuirassier saber he had brought home from Europe as a youth. The massive straight blade measured 38 inches long and bore an engraved maker's imprint of August 1814. "In his cups," a Confederate staff officer wrote, "the fine old Colonel would swear he should die happy could he have one chance to use that steel on the enemy." That chance loomed large at Manassas.
Skinner's mount, "Old Fox," a sorrel famed for prowess as a hunter, galloped well ahead of the infantrymen racing to keep up with their leader—"40 or 50 yds." in advance, an eyewitness wrote.
The advance by cheering veterans of the 1st Virginia Infantry generated so much momentum that it surely would have surged over the Federal gun positions in any event, but circumstances also aided the attackers. The horses and limbers of the Maine battery had headed for safety in the rear soon after dropping the gun trails. That left the artillerists manning the pieces with relatively few rounds readily available.
After a final volley of canister into the faces of the rapidly approaching Virginians, most of the Northern gunners fled. Skinner rode into the midst of the handful of brave men striving to reload. As one of them endeavored to yank the lanyard, Skinner raised up in his stirrup and sabered the gunner with a mighty thrust. A Yankee pistol bullet tore the colonel's ear, and wounds to an arm and in his chest shattered three ribs and hurt him desperately. In falling, the stricken enemy soldier dragged Skinner off his horse: "the weight of his body," Skinner recalled, "drew my sword out & I fell off my horse almost upon him." The Maine battery reported 16 casualties at the hands of the 1st Virginia and its sword-wielding leader.
The dire wounds he suffered on the plains of Manassas prostrated Frederick Skinner for long months and kept him out of Confederate service for the rest of the war. Despite his maimed condition, Skinner received promotion to full colonel in July 1863. He eventually retired formally to the Invalid Corps early in 1865, and survived until the spring of 1894, nearly 32 years after his dramatic mounted charge at Manassas.
Robert K. Krick
Fredericksburg, Virginia
20" by 26-3/4" Image Size, 24-1/2" by 30-3/4" Overall, Limited Edition Print, limited to 350, signed by the artist - $250
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Also Available as:
20" by 26-3/4" Image Size, 24-1/2" by 30-3/4" Overall, Limited Edition Artist Proof, limited to 50, signed by the artist - $275
33" by 25" Limited Edition Giclee Print on Canvas, limited to 15, signed by the artist - $750
A giclée print is created with digital printers using tiny ink jets that spray microscopic ink droplets onto a sheet of canvas, creating a lush, vibrant and textured art print that has the look of an original painting. These canvas giclées come stretched, ready for framing and need no glass in front of the image to protect it. The giclée is typically larger in size than the limited edition print and slightly smaller than the original painting. All Limited Edition artwork is subject to availability at time of order. Although seller strives to remain currrent as to inventory, seller reserves the right to cancel a sale if item is no longer available at time of purchase.
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