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THE ARTIST - JOHN PAUL STRAIN

Artist John Paul Strain captures the color, drama and heroism of the Civil War with a vivid realism that is unique among the nation's top-ranking historical artists. A native Southerner born in Nashville, Tennessee, John Paul Strain has studied American History and the War Between the States in particular practically all of his life. He received his formal training at BYU, polished his professional techniques as an illustrator for the U.S. Department of Energy, and soon afterwards entered the field of historical fine art, prints and posters.

His work met immediate success and was showcased at a premiere gallery in the Rocky Mountains. Acclaimed for his paintings of the Old West, he eventually moved to Texas to work full time in the field of historical art. His early art, prints and posters depicting Civil War subjects produced the same enthusiastic response as his Western Art, and in the 1980s John Paul Strain began to concentrate on the Civil War. Few artists in the field have gained such widespread popularity so quickly.

His art, prints and posters are now acclaimed among collectors, who prize his studies of Lee, Jackson, Forrest and other Civil War leaders, as well as his scenes of conflict and pageantry. His distinctive artistic style, which combines bright colors and contrasting shadows, and his devotion to historic authenticity have dramatically increased his popularity. Today, his original art is displayed throughout America and among collectors of fine art limited-edition Civil War prints. Artist John Paul Strain has become an American favorite.

"Snow Moon" John Paul Strain S/N Limited Edition Executive Canvas Giclee 

Forrest Escapes Fort Donelson

February 17, 1862

First print in the "Moon Series"

It was one of history's great escapes. Facing a superior Northern army, the commanding Confederate officers at Fort Donelson had decided to surrender their pivotal post-opening the Southern heartland to Northern invasion. One Confederate commander, however, refused to give up. "I did not come here for the purpose of surrendering my command," vowed Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest, "and I will not do it if they follow me out." They did. 

Slipping through the winter darkness, Forrest and his troops made their way through the snowy Tennessee Countryside. By the evening of February 17th, Forrest and his command were safely away from Fort Donelson and the Federal forces that had captured it. His determination to resist capture and continue fighting was characteristic of Nathan Bedford Forest. The poorly educated son of a Tennessee blacksmith, Forrest had no formal military training when the war began. He was a natural leader, however, and displayed a single minded understanding of the fundamentals of warfare. "War means fightin'," he would say, "and fightin' means killin'." 

He had nothing but contempt for fighting by the book and cared little for West Pointers. "Whenever I met one of them fellers that fit by note," he once said, "I generally whipped him before he got his tune pitched." After his escape from Fort Donelson, he distinguished himself at the battle of Shiloh; whipped a superior force of Federal cavalry into a panicky retreat at Brice's Crossroads; inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Federal navy near Johnsonville, Tennessee; and conducted a series of spectacular cavalry raids. 

General William T. Sherman urged that he be "hunted down and killed if it costs ten thousand lives and bankrupts the federal treasury." Repeatedly, however, Forrest survived battle, wounds and controversy to become famous as the Confederate "Wizard of the Saddle." By war's end, he had risen in rank from private to lieutenant general. Years later, viewing the war in retrospect, even General Sherman had praise for "that devil Forrest." The "most remarkable man our Civil War produced, "Sherman declared, was Nathan Bedford Forrest. 

29-1/2" by 40" Signed and Numbered Executive Canvas Giclee, limited to 25 - $1,200

Also available in these formats:

29-1/2" by 40" Signed and Numbered Executive Canvas Giclee Artist Proofs, limited to 5 - $1,400

All Limited Edition prints are signed and numbered (S/N) by the artist and include a Certificate of Authenticity. Limited Edition prints are restricted to a certain number. For example, if 400 prints are made from an original painting, once they’re gone, that’s it. There is no limit to the number of open edition prints of a particular painting. That’s why Limited Edition prints are more expensive — and more valuable to collectors — than "open" edition. Rare objects are more valuable.


An Artist’s Proof (AP), generally, is the first 10% of the Limited Edition prints that come off the press. If the Limited Edition is 400 s/n, there would be 40 APs. This status is noted on the print. Collectors prefer APs because their value increases even more than a Limited Edition as time goes by.

A remarque is a pencil drawing done in the white border area of an art print. The subject of the remarque is usually determined by the artist. Each remarque is a piece of original art which adds to the value of the print by making that particular print unique and exclusive from the rest of the prints in the edition.

All Limited Edition artwork is subject to availability at time of order. Although seller strives to remain current 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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