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Combat Gallery Sunday : And we have more Mort!

Posted on May 10, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland 2 comments

Much as once a week I like to take time off to cover warships (Wednesdays), on Sunday, I like to cover military art and the painters, illustrators, sculptors, and the like that produced them.

Combat Gallery Sunday : And we have yet more Mort!

As you are probably aware, I am a huge pulp art and military art fan. One of the best there ever was in the business is the famous Mort Kunstler (official site) — America’s Artist.

In the past I’ve posted several of the Master’s works in the pulp art category from the 1950-60s and have found enough (new to me) ones to make a fifth extensive post. As always with this blog, “click to big up” and feel free to save for posterity.

Without further “adoo”…bring on the Mort!

Mort Kunstler. Not sure the cover, but this looks like the best possible outcome for this lost British paratrooper

Mort Kunstler, Strange Suicide Crate, Male cover, September, 1961, Via Heritage Auctions http://fineart.ha.com/itm/illustration-art/mort-kunstler-american-b-1931-strange-suicide-crate-male-cover-september-1961-gouache-on-board/a/7001-87018.s

Mort Kunstler, Strange Suicide Crate, Male cover, September, 1961, Via Heritage Auctions The image is one excellent depiction of a German Ju-88 “mistle” (mistletoe) bomber slaved to a Me-109 fighter, likely seen attacking the Oder bridges in 1945

Mort Kunstler

Mort Kunstler, Saigon Sally’s Sin Barracks, For Men Only magazine cover, May 1965. Via Heritage Auctions. Mort did very little Vietnam work, so this one is rare– and you have to love the AKMS by the bed, although the use of the Tommy gun is largely an anachronism.

Mort Kunstler, another Vietnam installment

Mort Kunstler, The Stubborn Leatherneck Who Took China Wall, Men cover, March, 1960. Via Heritage Auctions http://fineart.ha.com/itm/illustration-art/mort-kunstler-american-b-1931-the-stubborn-leatherneck-who-took-china-wall-men-cover-march-1960/a/7001-87015.s

Mort Kunstler, The Stubborn Leatherneck Who Took China Wall, Men cover, March, 1960. Via Heritage Auctions. A great depiction of the Boxer Rebellion relief expedition in 1900 that saw unlikely allies of the U.S., Japan, France, Germany, Imperial Russia (note the Tsarist dragoon being helped out by the Marine) and Austria unite for a common purpose– screwing China.

Mort Kunstler

Mort Kunstler. Art for the movie poster of “The Bedford Incident,” later used for Male cover, September, 1964. The funny thing was that a British destroyer, HMS Troubridge, actually filled in for the fictional USS Bedford in the movie

Mort Kunstler

Mort Kunstler, The G. I. s Who Took Over Germany’s Castle, Stag cover, January, 1968. Via Heritage Auction

Mort Kunstler showing U.S. Army Air Force B-25 Mitchell gunships coming in low and slow over a Japanese port in WWII. The B-25H, with as many as 18 x .50 caliber machine guns as well as a 75mm cannon were the premier ship-busters of the Pacific.

Mort Kunstler, Only 17 Survived the Atrocity Sub, Stag cover, October, 1963. Via Heritage Auctions.

Mort Kunstler aka Emmett Kaye. Cold War art showing a SH-3 Sea King overhead of the Polaris ‘Boomer” USS Ethan Allen (SSBN-608) and an undisclosed Soviet sub

Mort Kunstler, America's Worst Naval Defeat, Stag cover, May, 1963. Via Heritage Auctions. http://fineart.ha.com/itm/illustration-art/mort-kunstler-american-b-1931-america-s-worst-naval-defeat-stag-cover-may-1962-gouache-on-boar/a/7001-87028.s

Mort Kunstler, America’s Worst Naval Defeat, Stag cover, May, 1963. Via Heritage Auctions. Depicting what is likely the 1942 Battle of Salvo Island– although the central ship, the Gearing-class destroyer USS William Rush (DD-714) wasn’t actually commissioned until 1946 and, with the exception of some brief naval gunfire support in Korea, led a charmed and peaceful life.

Mort Kunstler. Showing USAF HH-3 Jolly Greens fighting it out with persons unknown on the Empire State building

Mort Kunstler. Men in Combat cover. Via Heritage Auctions

Mort Kunstler. More Cold War art showing a RAF Avro Vulcan in 1960s scheme coming in low over Moscow, with the Kremlin just ahead.

Mort Kunstler, 1,000 to 1 Shot of Guy Gibson’s Dam Busters,, February 1962. Via Heritage Auctions

Mort Kunstler. Navy Skyraiders and a great flare gun.

Mort Kunstler. Hey be careful with that hand buddy…

Mort Kunstler

Mort Kunstler. Reckless Commando Raid, Male cover, c. 1958. This is a much more correct use of the Thompson submachine gun as the British Commandos loved the controllable but effective room broom for up-close work Winston’s ungentlemanly fighters relished. Via Heritage Auctions.

Mort Kunstler. Who really stops at Soviet border crossings anyway? Bunch of crybabys is who.

Mort Kunstler. Prisoner, Stag cover, June 1960-- note the great BAR although I don't think those hot-pants are official Imperial issue. Via Heritage Auctions http://fineart.ha.com/itm/illustration-art/mort-kunstler-american-b-1931-prisoner-stag-cover-june-1960-gouache-on-board-15-x-15-in/a/7015-87025.s

Mort Kunstler. Prisoner, Stag cover, June 1960– note the great BAR although I don’t think those hot-pants are official Imperial issue, also, how is the BAR gunner suspended in mid-air?. Via Heritage Auctions A

Mort Kunstler

Mort Kunstler. The Marine Who Hid the Pacific’s 12 Most Wanted Women, Men Only cover, April 1961. Via Heritage Auction. He really did like Tommy guns and titties didn’t he? I guess that’s the magic pulp formula.

Mort Kunstler. Wipe Out the 11th Panzer Division, Stag magazine, True Books Bonus story illustration. Via Heritage Auction http://fineart.ha.com/itm/illustration-art/mort-kunstler-american-b-1931-wipe-out-the-11th-panzer-division-stag-magazine-true-books-bonus-story-illu/a/5185-72172.s

Mort Kunstler. Wipe Out the 11th Panzer Division, Stag magazine, True Books Bonus story illustration. Via Heritage Auction The 11th, who saw heavy action on the Eastern Front, had been sent West around the D-Day period and, up until Ramagen Bridge, was perhaps the strongest Wehrmacht tank unit in Western Europe.

Thank you for your work, sir.

Combat Gallery Sunday : The (Secret) Martial art of Edward L. Cooper

Posted on May 3, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland 3 comments

Much as once a week I like to take time off to cover warships (Wednesdays), on Sunday, I like to cover military art and the painters, illustrators, sculptors, and the like that produced them.

Combat Gallery Sunday : The (Secret) Martial art of Edward L. Cooper

During the darkest days of the Cold War, from about the Cuban Missile Crisis until the Berlin Wall came down, the Defense Intelligence Agency was the go-to analytical group of the U.S. Intelligence Community that specialized in the nuts and bolts of a coming war. They came up with the specs and databases on foreign weapons and deployments. For instance, how many Backfire bombers the Soviet 22nd Air Regiment had and what was the range of the cruise missiles they likely carried.

The thing was, most available imagery of these systems was rather like pictures of bigfoot and UFOs as they were either captured by operatives with very small pocket cameras or at great distances from the deck of a moving ship or submarine. To really capture the imagination of the admirals, generals and privy lawmakers/cabinet members who needed to know, the DIA commissioned extremely well vetted in-house artists to take what was known about these weapons and turn them into a depiction of what (they believed at the time) looked like.

In these thirty years, highly skilled but shadowy artists such as Ronald C. Wittmann, Richard J. Terry and Brian W. McMullin, produced amazing art of things most westerners had very little if any idea of. Over 1,000 paintings all told. These would be used in both classified and unclassified (annual editions of Soviet Military Power and later the Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China) produced by the Pentagon and distributed to those in Congress and elsewhere.

One of the more prolific and multi-talented of these was Edward L. Cooper.

Soviet Mobile Laser in Afghanistan by Edward L Cooper. Click to big up

Soviet Kiev class aircraft carrier in a floating drydowck

Soviet Kiev class aircraft carrier in a floating drydock. Cick to big up

SOVIET BLACKJACK LOADING AS-16 MISSILES – Edward L. Cooper, 1987. Click to big up

Soviet Mike class attack submarine. Courtesy of Soviet Military Power, 1984. Photo 64, page 61. big up

SOVIET 203-MM 2S7 SELF-PROPELLED GUN – Edward L. Cooper, 1987 big up

SOVIET MI-24 HIND DELIVERING CHEMICAL SPRAY – Edward L. Cooper, 1986 big up

TYPHOON Replenishing in the Arctic cooper. big up

SOVIET 280-MM MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHER – Edward L. Cooper, 1988. big up

SOVIET GROUND-BASED LASER – Edward L. Cooper, 1986. big up

DELTA Class SSBN Firing ballistic missile from the safety of the Arctic bastion, Edward L Cooper DIA 1985 big up

SOVIET BM-27 MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHER – Edward L. Cooper, 1986. big up

Tu-22M_Backfire_loads_AS-16_Kickback

YANKEE Class SSGN firing SS-NX-24 Cruise Missiles while submerged, Edward L Cooper DIA 1986. Big up

ZSU anti-aircraft guns Edward L. Cooper, 1987. Big up

SOVIET RAIL-MOBILE SS-24 MOD 1 INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE – Edward L. Cooper, 1988. big up

DELTA-III Class SSBN firing SS-N-18 missiles while submerged, Edward L Cooper DIA 1987

In 1996 the agency released a bunch of the artwork publicly and even sold a number as prints, but since then has taken down the galleries. But hey, the art is still out there in a number of places including Global Security, Wiki the Federation of American Scientists and elsewhere.

According to FAS, “Edward Cooper is the only one of the original visual information specialists still employed at the Agency. He’s still working at the graphics office. He switched his drawing table with a computer. Cooper and some of his colleagues still keep on working in their free time even after retirement.”

Thank you for your work, sir.

Combat Gallery Sunday: The Martial Art of Frank Frazetta

Posted on April 26, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Much as once a week I like to take time off to cover warships (Wednesdays), on Sunday, I like to cover military art and the painters, illustrators, sculptors, and the like that produced them.

Combat Gallery Sunday: The Martial Art of Frank Frazetta

Born February 9, 1928, Frank Alfonso Frazzetta (he later dropped one of the Z‘s and worked professionally as Fritz and later Frank Frazetta) was perhaps the best sci-fi and fantasy artist of the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

He was always with a pencil in his hand as a kid and earned a spot at the Brooklyn Academy of Fine Arts at the age of 8. By age 15, he worked for professional graphic artist John Giunta at the Bernard Baily Publications Studio who did outsource work for a number of comic to include DC.

By 1947 at age 19, he was working for Standard Comics and did everything from Westerns to War stories then moved on to work for EC, National and others.

Frazetta’s Flash Gordon send up from Famous Funnies III while he was working at the Bailey Studio

By the 1960s he hit his own stride and his work began to gain increasing notice, branching out into a series of excellent oil on canvas paintings, movie posters, album covers, and other commercial work all in a style that was increasingly his own.

Madame Derringer by Frank Frazetta

Sea Monster, 1966, by Frank Frazetta

Frazetta art used on Eerie#81-1977 2

Eerie #82 cover by Frank Frazetta

The Brave by Frank Frazetta

The Executioner by Frank Frazetta

The Indian Brave by Frank Frazetta

Cover art by Frank Frazetta for Orca the Killer Whale novel

Circle of Terror by Frank Frazetta

Bucking Bronco by Frank Frazetta

Return of the Mucker, 1973 by Frank Frazetta

Movie poster for the Clint Eastwood flick, “The Gauntlet” by Frank Frazetta. In all Frank did over a dozen film sheets

Battlestar Gallactica 1976 artwork by Frank Frazetta

Oh yeah, and he became the pencil behind all of the iconic Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan and John Carter covers as well as of course the Robert E. Howard’ Conan book covers that changed sci-fi and fantasy art forever…

Conan covers by Frank Frazetta

Conan the Buccaneer cover art by Frank Frazetta

His martial work really stands out,

Combat, 1969 by Frank Frazetta. The French MAT-49 is great.

The Lieutenant by Frank Frazetta. Great post-apoc stuff here. Love the Mini-14

Blazing Combat 4 cover by Frank Frazetta

Blazing Combat comic cover by Frank Frazetta

Frazetta did a series of covers for George MacDonald Fraser “Flashman” series that covers the swashbuckling adventures of Sir Harry Paget Flashman VC KCB KCIE, a fictional Victorian cavalryman who survives from the Charge of the Light Brigade to the Boer Wars, always coming out the better despite his attempts to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Flashman on the Charge novel cover art by Frank Frazetta

Flash for Freedom cover art by Frank Frazetta.

His Death Dealer painting, which was first used on Molly Hatchet’s first album cover in 1978, went on to take a life of its own and has been used far and wide since then.

The Death Dealer, 1973. Frazetta’s single most iconic work

Since 1985 it has been the official mascot symbol of the Fort Hood based III Armored Corps who has both an immense outdoor statue and two smaller indoor depictions of the Death Dealer (which they term the Phantom Warrior) at their headquarters.

One of the smaller examples deployed with III Corps units to Iraq.

Phantom Warrior being installed at Fort Hood

One of the smaller Phantom Warriors

The Knight Riders of HMMT-164 also use Death Dealer as their squadron logo

Sadly Frazetta passed away on May 10, 2010 at age 82.

He was a inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame, the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame, and others as well as earned the attention and admiration of legions of men and boys over the course of his amazing career.

Self portrait. All he is missing is a sword…

The artist, complete with his 1911

His family maintains the Frazaetta Art Museum while a number of unofficial galleries showcase his work in great detail and in a number of ways. He also has a pretty serious group of fans.

Thank you for your work, sir.

Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Victor Prezio

Posted on April 19, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Much as once a week I like to take time off to cover warships (Wednesdays), on Sunday, I like to cover military art and the painters, illustrators, sculptors, and the like that produced them.

Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Victor Prezio

Born 21 March 1924, Victor Prezio became one of the most prolific and underrated pulp magazine and dime novel cover illustrators of the post WWII era. Active throughout the 50s and 60s, his work for Dell, Gold Key, Warren Publishing and others ranged from sports to sci-fi to western covers.

Write his Name in Gunsmoke– what a great title!

The Stranger cover by VP

The Men in the Jungle by Norman Spinrad. Macfadden Books 1977. Cover artist Victor Prezio. Vic had passed by the time this cover was published

Creepy Magazine, Vol 1.29, 1969. Cover by VP

Cover art to Dorothy Quentin’s What News of Kitty. Published by Pyramid Books (1969)

Boy Catching Ground Ball By Victor Prezio

MIdnight Firefight

Impressive Whale you have there…

Then of course, for the men’s pulp mags such as True Adventures and Real Men, he followed in the footsteps of contemporaries like Norem and Mort K in his portrayal of tough men of action and the dastardly deeds of Nazis. It was these images that occupied the time of servicemen from Korea to Vietnam and West Germany in foxholes and barracks alike.

Women n War cover, Nov. 1959 by Prezio. This will teach you not to bring a Luger to a Tommy Gun fight

Smacking a Nazi around...the very embodiment of 1960s pulp covers

Smacking a Nazi around with a good old American right cross…the very embodiment of 1960s pulp covers

They seem to have a problem with their buttons but not their hair color or Spandau machinegun.

I’m not sure the Nazi’s flew Piper Grasshoppers, but hey…

Hiding from Cuban forces…who all seem to be related

True Adventures Feb. 1961 cover by VP. More button issues…

Real Men cover Nov 1958 by VP. You have to dig the signature on the very sharp following edge of the shark

Girl Bait for the Outlaws of Lubang Island by VP. Apparently by this point, why even bother with buttons?

Burden’s Mission cover, 1968

Pulp Covers has a great collection of his work from which many of the above are sourced from.

Victor died December 1976 at just age 52 and sadly, not much is known about him other than his illustrations. So with that in mind, raise a glass to Vic next time you salute.

Thank you for your work, sir.

Kiowas in paradise

Posted on April 16, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Wesley Pritchett was selected as the Army Aviation Photo of the Year, titled Wingman. Scouts out! It shows a group of OH-58D Kiowa Warriors of the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th CAB, from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam going hot and fast over the coastline.

Click to bigup

Sadly, the Army has chosen to “divest” themselves of the Kiowa without a realistic replacement.

Combat Gallery Sunday: The Martial Art of Howard Chandler Christy

Posted on March 22, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Much as once a week I like to take time off to cover warships (Wednesdays), on Sunday, I like to cover military art and the painters, illustrators, sculptors, and the like that produced them.

Combat Gallery Sunday: The Martial Art of Howard Chandler Christy

Born in Meigs Creek, Ohio in 1873, Howard Chandler Christy grew up on the farm but always had his hands on a pencil. Saving up some cash, he left out for New York City at age 17 and studied under noted artist William Merritt Chase. By 1893, he was supporting himself as a commercial artist penning and sketching for periodicals and newspapers in the big city.

When war came in 1898, the 25-year-old artist jumped on the opportunity for adventure in Cuba and shipped out with the U.S. Army as a war artist under contract to a number of NYC magazines to include Scribner’s. When he landed, he had to good fortune to be a tag along with the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, aka the Rough Riders and soon struck up a personal friendship with Col. Teddy Roosevelt who had resigned his post as Asst. Sec of the Navy to swashbuckle his way across Cuba.

The Rough Rider’s actions, and Christy’s depiction of them, became famous hand in hand.

Three watercolor pencil sketches depict military figures of the Spanish-American War by Christy, 1899

Charge of the First and Tenth Cavalry 2d Brigade, Cavalry Division Cuba, 1898 by Howard Chandler Christy from US Army Art Collecton

Charge of the First and Tenth Cavalry 2d Brigade, Cavalry Division Cuba, 1898 by Howard Chandler Christy from US Army Art Collection

Howard Chandler Christy – Wounded Rough Rider

Christy and the Rough Riders help make each other famous

The Capture of El Caney by Howard Chandler Christy

After the war, the young man’s career took off and he soon became in demand. For the next two decades, he busied himself in book and magazine work but commanded impressive fees and could afford to become selective as to what he pursued. He also began branching out into more mediums and larger canvases, taking to covering the female form as a matter of art. This led to his Christy Girl as an alternative to the then-popular Gibson Girl. This gave the artist tremendous commercial success with Christy bringing down as much as $50,000 per year by the start of World War One–, which is about $1.1 million in today’s cash.

Christy Girl

Christy was a big fan of beautiful women

The Woman in the Next Car 1909 by Howard Chandler Christy

Sir Walter Scott, The Lady Of The Lake (1910)

When the U.S. entered the War in 1917, Christy again served his country and created donated war art for recruiting posters, war bond drives, and Red Cross appeals.

The artist’s wife, Nancy Palmer Christy, modeling for the artist’s 1917 Navy recruitment poster. You will find that many of his images while he was married to Nancy Palmer look strikingly like her.

The Motor Corps. Christy was an advocate of strong, modern women

Clear The Way (1918) Christy,

Buy Bonds!

Red Cross Appeal

Christy donated recruiting poster

Fly with the Marines

After the war, an expert on beautiful women, he judged the first Miss American pageant and became the go-to portrait artist in the country, painting official portraits for Presidents Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover as well producing lasting murals and paintings for historical scenes such as the signing of the Constitution.

Christy’s We the People

Portrait of Amelia Earhart by Christy from the Smithsonian Collection.

Many of these are national treasures, and are on display at Independence Hall, the Capitol, the Smithsonian, and the White House.

World War II saw more posters for the country’s war bonds while Christy continued his commercial art.

Army Notre Dame football cover 1938

Lucky Strike (1932) Christy, HC

He died in 1952.

The artist

His official papers are at Lafayette College and there are a number of collections of his work online

Thank you for your work, sir.

Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Arthur Szyk

Posted on March 15, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Much as once a week I like to take time off to cover warships (Wednesdays), on Sunday, I like to cover military art and the painters, illustrators, sculptors, and the like that produced them.

Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Arthur Szyk

Born June 16, 1894 during the reign of Tsar Nicholas II in the Central Polish city of Łódź, then part of the Holy Russian Empire, Arthur Szyk (pronounced “Shick“) showed artistic promise as youth. His father, a textile factory manager, sent young Arthur abroad to the Académie Julian in Paris in 1909 for four years then traveled Europe and Asia, finding himself in Palestine when World War I erupted.

Drafted into the Tsar’s Army as a reserve ensign, he fought in many of the pivotal battles on the Eastern Front including the one for his vey own hometown. Artistically trained, he took to sketching what he saw.

Wounded Russian soldiers. Lodz itself lost some 40 percent of its population in the war while the Russian Army threw away one million soldiers in an effort to keep Poland in the Empire in 1915. Via the Arthur Szyk Society.

When Poland became independent once again at the end of WWI, he served as an officer in the newly formed Polish Army and fought against the Reds in the Russo-Polish War while also helping produce propaganda art for the cause.

1919 propaganda poster. Via the Arthur Szyk Society.

Once the war was over, he picked up his family and spent the next two decades in France, the UK and the states where he illustrated volumes of books, created postcards, created 38 watercolors in the Washington and his Times series, and produced the Haggadah.

Szyk’s inside cover illustration for Andersen’s fairy tales, 1944

Declaration of Independence. Note the Washington artwork– Library of Congress

When the Second World War of his generation came forth, he jumped into the effort with both feet. His old homeland overrun, with the support of the British government and the Polish government-in-exile, he began a war of the pencils against Hitler and his like.

“Liberty what the Nazis leave behind” Aug 1941. Szyk had no love for the Soviets and it should be remembered that Stalin agreed to split his homeland with Hitler, invading Poland from the East just 17 days after the Germans did.

1939 “For a total living space, comrades in arms”

Satan leads the Ball

1939, Two comrades were serving

1944, Warriors-of-the-Polish-1st-Division-Tadeusz-Kosciuszko-by-Arthur-Szyk

Wayside shrine

Tears of Rage, 1942

Two polish officers. Szyk knew firsthand the Polish army as he was one of its first officers in 1919.

The New Order

Poland Fights Nazi Dragon – Polish War Relief, 1943– Library of Congress

1939, German ‘Authority’ in Poland,

Colliers cover

His art of the time, propaganda pieces for the main part, likely did as much damage to the Axis as a battalion of Sherman tanks or a squadron of Lancaster bombers.

With the Soviets in Poland after the end of the War, Szyk made his stay in the West permanent and in 1948 became a U.S. citizen while championing Israeli independence.

He died in 1951

Arthur Szyk self portrait

“Art is not my aim, it is my means.” – Arthur Szyk

The U.S. Library of Congress as well as the United States Holocaust Museum and Memorial maintain extensive collections of his work as do at least two private associations to include the Arthur Szyk Society and Szyk.com.

Thank you for your work, sir.

Combat Gallery Sunday: The Martial Art of Watanabe Nobukazu

Posted on March 8, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland 2 comments

Much as once a week I like to take time off to cover warships (Wednesdays), on Sunday, I like to cover military art and the painters, illustrators, sculptors, and the like that produced them.

Combat Gallery Sunday: The Martial Art of Watanabe Nobukazu

Japanese woodblock printing (moku hanga) goes back to the 1700s and had evolved into high art by the 19th century. One of the more noted artists who operated in this media was Watanabe Nobukazu. Born in Tokyo in 1872 as Shimada Jiro, he studied duteously under master Yōshū Chikanobu in the Utagawa school before taking his new name.

His art ranged from traditional pre-Edo period Imperial Japanese Ukiyo-e imagery, to that of the more modern era the country was rapidly moving into. The process for this art form is among the most complex and demanding.

Woman with an Umbrella

The Battle of Go-San-Nen

Nasu no Yoichi, Samurai of Genji side, tries to shoot down the fan placed atop the mast of his enemy Taira’s ship at the battle of Yashima in 1185 via SCRC Virtual Museum at Southern Illinois University’s Morris Library

Picture of Noble’s Imperial Ceremony, 1900

He later evolved his form to encompass a series of exquisite triptychs prints centering on the Sino-Japanese war of 1894. His use of vivid colors, glazes, and multiple transparencies gave his work a very characteristic depth of field.

The Second Army Bombarding and Occupying Port Arthur” by Watanabe Nobukazu, November 1894

Sino-Japanese Pitched Battles Two Generals Fighting at Fenghuangcheng

Sergeant Miyake’s Courage at the Yalu River” by Watanabe Nobukazu, 1895

Our Forces Crossing the Yalu River In Honor of Lieutenant General Nozu

Illustration of the Attack on the Hōōjyo

Battle of Yellow Sea

And the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-05:

Torpedo boat attack on Port Arthur

torpedo boat attack on Port Arthur 1904

Russian soldiers

Picture of Our Valorous Military Repulsing the Russian Cossack Cavalry on the Bank of the Yalu River by Watanabe Nobukazu, March 1904

The Russian battleship Petropvavlask sinks as Adm. Makarov stands bravely on desk

The Russian battleship Petropavlask sinks as Adm. Makarov stands bravely on deck

Illustration of Russian and Japanese Army and Navy Officers Watanabe Nobukazu, February 1904

As with many woodblock artists of his day, his art fell out of favor in the 1920s, a victim of increasing modernization in Japan. He died in 1944, largely forgotten in his own country. However, his body of work is seen as among the best of its genre.

MIT has an amazing gallery of woodblock prints by the artist and others in the same period from the Sharf Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston available here while another inspiring gallery is maintained by the Lavenberg and at Ukiyo-e.org .

Thank you for your work, sir.

Hold Fast

Posted on March 3, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland One comment

U.S. Navy Seaman Marlena Peter paints a mural of Popeye the Sailor Man in the foc’sle windlass room aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Dec. 5, 2013, while underway in the Atlantic Ocean US Navy photo 131205-N-BD333-047 by MCSN Bounome Chanphouang

Note the traditional nautical ink including Hold Fast (‘Avast) motto across his knuckles and the sweetheart tat of Olive Oil.

He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theater on January 17, 1929, hence the ship out date on his forearm. Then of course the barn swallow on his shoulder is a traditional illustration for a mariner that has seen more than 5,000 nautical miles underway (and since its a land bird, always helps find shore). Also note the old school Figure Eight knot on his right hand denoting pre-1904 service in the old Apprentice programs (the same emblem is used as the seaman apprentice rate insignia these days)

Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Leslie Gilbert Illingworth

Posted on March 1, 2015 by laststandonzombieisland One comment

Much as once a week I like to take time off to cover warships (Wednesdays), on Sunday, I like to cover military art and the painters, illustrators, sculptors, and the like that produced them.

Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Leslie Gilbert Illingworth

Born 1902 in Wales, Leslie Gilbert Illingworth took a job as a teen in the lithographic department at the Western Mail while attending the Cardiff School or Art. While at the Mail he was an assistant to noted political cartoonist J. M. Staniforth who covered political and social unrest in the UK and Wales through the First World War. After the War, Illingworth attended the Royal College of Art then took Staniforth’s old job when the master retired. He later went to write for Punch and, in 1938 when the noted Percy Fearon retired as cartoonist of the Daily Mail, Illingworth joined the big leagues just in time for the Second World War where he really came into his own.

Although he wasn’t per se a “military artist,” he covered (with dry British satire) the military events of his day.

Freedom 1940

Japan’s army arrives at New Guinea, 1942. Note the cricket bat dropped at the ‘Roo’s feet

Spirit of the Ark Royal, sunk in 1941

Free French

Stalingrad

Neutrality Patrol March 1941

Japan enters the war 1941

After the war he continued his work, but still revisited military issues as they pertained to the overall political climate

German rearmament 1950

Berlin 5 April 1948. Note the Atom Bomb on Truman’s GI belt

Illingworth remained active through 1974 when he finally retired. He was the inaugural president of the British Cartoonists’ Association and his art was some of the most stinging of the 20th Century.

He died 20 December 1979 at age 77.

Thank you for your work, sir.

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Weapons, Wars, Preparation and Security from a recovering gun nut turned bad writer

Category Archives: Combat Gallery Sunday

Combat Gallery Sunday : And we have more Mort!

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Combat Gallery Sunday : The (Secret) Martial art of Edward L. Cooper

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Combat Gallery Sunday: The Martial Art of Frank Frazetta

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Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Victor Prezio

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Kiowas in paradise

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Combat Gallery Sunday: The Martial Art of Howard Chandler Christy

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Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Arthur Szyk

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Combat Gallery Sunday: The Martial Art of Watanabe Nobukazu

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Hold Fast

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Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Leslie Gilbert Illingworth

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Category Archives: Combat Gallery Sunday

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