2014 Coeur d’Alene Art Auction / Lot 87152 / 302  •  View Catalog  •   • 

87
Frank McCarthy (1924 – 2002)
Saber Charge (1987)
oil on canvas
20 × 22 inches
signed and dated lower left

Verso:
Signed with title, date and “#818”

Saber Charge was reproduced as a print by The Greenwich Workshop, Seymour, Connecticut

According to the Greenwich Workshop, “The South had a history of fine horsemanship long before the Civil War; many cavalrymen rode to war on horses they had bred, raised and trained themselves. Once in the war, both men and horses faced the cannon fire, privation and discouragement with remarkable valor.

“During the first years of the Civil War, the Confederate Cavalry was so dangerous and terrifying that Union troops called them the ‘Black Horse.’ The duties of cavalry units - to cover the army’s flanks and prevent the enemy turning them, to scatter enemy lines and to demoralize enemy ground troops - were carried out with a dashing but deadly efficiency by the gray-clad Confederate Cavalry.

“In the middle of battle, cavalrymen had to trust their horses a great deal. The riders would be busy, first with firing carbines and revolvers and as they entered close combat, with wielding their sabers. Saber Charge captures the grim bravery of the Confederate Cavalry, men and horses alike.”

87

Frank McCarthy

1924 – 2002

Saber Charge (1987)
oil on canvas
20 × 22 inches
signed and dated lower left
Sold at Auction: $76,050
Condition ReportPainting in excellent condition. No signs of restoration.

Important Notice: Statements of condition are provided as a service to potential bidders; such statements are educated opinions and should not be regarded as facts. The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction has no responsibility for any errors or omissions.