Description: The Prayer at Valley Forge by Arnold Friberg Background Information Topic Statistics Artist Arnold Friberg Title The Prayer at Valley Forge Year 1992 Series N/A Medium Canvas Printing Method Giclée Image Size 20" x 32" Edition Size Open Signed No Numbered No Issue Price $400.00 Our Price $348.00 Please add $19.50 for shipping, handling, & insurance. This unframed open edition canvas giclée print is brand new and ships rolled and fully insured in a sturdy tube. It comes with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) and a nameplate with the artist's name and print title and another brass nameplate with the George Washington quote. Print Description The Prayer at Valley Forge color_lens Originally painted in 1976 to honor our country's bi-centennial year, The Prayer at Valley Forge in the last 20 years has become increasingly cherished and recognized as a supreme 20th century masterpiece of patriotic American art. In it we feel the cold, the suffering, and the weight of the burden falling on that tall and lonely man, driven to his knees there in the bitter snows of Valley Forge. This picture, marking a bold rejection of fleeting artistic and political "fashions," now expresses a powerful affirmation of faith, patriotic duty, and the deep spiritual depths in the founding of our country. "Since I was a boy, I have revered General Washington. At age 12, I drew what I thought was a fine picture of him astride his white horse. Along with learning the American legend of his praying at Valley Forge, this deep inspiration of boyhood was never to leave me. "And so it was that I waited many years to picture him again, in prayer now, in the snow, dismounted from his strong horse — only this time in the full power and richness of oil colors. "To prepare for this painting, to insure accuracy in trees and landscape, I made a pilgrimage to Valley Forge, in the dead of winter. In the summer, the place is filled with visitors. But now, in the snows of February, it was deserted, the wind moaning through the great trees — silent, lonely, and cold. It was a cold that chilled to the bone, a cold that froze my fingers until I could no longer sketch nor even snap my camera. "To insure accuracy in man-made things, I sought out whatever museums, collections, libraries, or informed individuals could offer on horse gear or uniform. At the Smithsonian Military History Museum, I made minutely accurate sketches from the very uniform actually worn by Washington. "As for facial likeness, I studied every portrait ever sketched, carved, or painted from life, but always keeping in mind how cold and rawboned he must have looked during that winter encampment. "But such research, vital as it is, provides only physical facts. What I really tried for was, through the medium of paint, to recall the pain, the cold of that cruel winter of 1777-78. I sought to pay tribute to the tall and heavy-burdened man who alone held our struggling nation together. "For, while the British grew fat and warm and well-fed in Philadelphia, it was the man Washington who stayed with his starving and freezing army through that dreadful winter at Valley Forge. It was in desperation that he wrote to the governor of New Jersey, 'Our sick naked, our well naked, our unfortunate men in captivity naked?' With his own countrymen indifferent to their condition, where else could he turn but to God? "It should be plain to anyone that this is a symbolic picture, yet the event is not without historical documentation through eye-witness accounts of Valley Forge residents. But from Washington's own words there can be no doubt of his deep and humbled dependence upon whom he chose to call that all-wise and powerful Being on whom alone our success depends. "It is my hope that coming through this picture will once again whisper the spirit of Valley Forge, of suffering and devotion and pain, of liberty, and of the hand of God in the affairs of men."-- Arnold Friberg Artist Biography About the Artist color_lens Artist Arnold Friberg graduated from the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in 1935. In 1953, Cecil B. DeMille, after searching worldwide for a powerful Biblical artist, was shown Friberg's religious series then in progress. In 1957-58, Friberg's monumental 15 paintings series for "The Ten Commandments" toured the world, and in 197 was part of DeMille's exhibit honoring the 100th year of Hollywood, an exhibit seen by more than one million viewers. In 1958, Arnold Friberg was made a lifetime member by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), London, in recognition of his contribution to mankind through his work. Over a period of 42 years (1937-79), Friberg painted close to 300 representative "Mountie" images for the Northwest Paper Company. In 1978, the Friends of the Force, an affiliation of the R.C.M.P., commissioned Arnold Friberg to paint a life-size portrait of HRH Prince Charles with the splendid royal mount Centennial. The Friends of the Force were so pleased, they commissioned Mr. Friberg to paint a large royal equestrian portrait of HRM Queen Elizabeth II mounted on Centennial, in the palace garden at Buckingham. Other works of Arnold Friberg include: A series of 12 religious paintings commissioned by Mrs. Adele Cannon Howells; a 1969 series for General Motors depicting 100 years of American intercollegiate football; and a great number of highly prized historical paintings of the old American west. One favorite Friberg painting is the large, superb, "The Prayer at Valley Forge", commissioned for the 1976 Bicentennial celebration. Arnold Friberg has been honored by his fellow artists and has been given tribute in western heritage art shows, most recently in 1991. Arnold Friberg has rightly earned his place as one of the enduring masters of our time. Friberg died on July 1, 2010 while recovering from hip replacement surgery in a Salt Lake City care center. Payment Information Methods of Payment color_lens We accept PayPal as our main form of payment. Alternative methods such as credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express) are available through the PayPal interface. Please send us an e-mail if you need to use an alternative form of payment, and we will be happy to work with you. Payment is expected within 2 days after the auction/sale is completed unless the buyer contacts us. Residents of North Carolina will be subject to a 7.25% NC state sales tax. Shipping Information Shipping Times, Packaging, and Carriers color_lens We ship promptly (usually within one business day) after payment is received. This artwork will come fully insured with FedEx Ground tracking and will be carefully and expertly packed in a sturdy tube for safe shipment and storage. We have additional artwork available and love multiple store purchases. We will gladly combine shipping; but first, please wait for us to send you an updated invoice before paying; or we will not be able to combine shipping charges for you. The shipping costs for all of our items are clearly stated in our store listings. Most listings have free shipping. We gladly welcome international buyers. However, you will need to use eBay's Global Shipping program or have a U.S. shipping address in order to buy artwork from our eBay store. Questions Any Questions? color_lens Please e-mail us any questions you have so you are sure that you are getting what you think you are. We aim to show the highest quality photos with up-close details since pictures speak a thousand words. Company Information About Us color_lens ArtCatalog.com has been a Top-Rated eBay Seller since 2002. We are authorized dealers of fine artwork painted by some of the world's most gifted and talented artists. We aim to offer the best variety of artwork on the World Wide Web. We're always adding new artists. Please contact us if you are looking for a piece of art by a particular artist even if we don't have the artist in our Artist Directory.
Price: 348 USD
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
End Time: 2023-09-14T20:04:56.000Z
Shipping Cost: 19.5 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Artist: Arnold Friberg
Size: Medium (up to 36in.)
Date of Creation: 1990-1999
Listed By: Authorized Dealer
Year of Production: 1992
Width (Inches): 32"
Item Height: 20 in
Style: Realism
Item Width: 32 in
Print Type: Giclee
Image Orientation: Landscape
Signed: No
Color: Brown, Copper, Gold, Navy, Red, and White
Title: The Prayer at Valley Forge
Material: Canvas
Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes
Original/Licensed Reprint: Licensed Reprint
Subject: George Washington
Print Surface: Canvas
Type: Print
Edition Type: Open Edition
Height (Inches): 20"
Original/Reproduction: Artwork Reproduction
Theme: Patriotic
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Production Technique: Giclée Print