General George Armstrong Custer Mathew famous 1865 photograph of General George Armstrong Custer as a Brady’s Civil War general provides the basis for Perhaps the most famous General Custer. Warhol’s western figure of all, Custer had received significant acclaim as a Union cavalryman during the Civil War. His death at in the Battle of the Little Big Horn (1876) brought him immortality. The source photograph captures and confident persona. Warhol did nothing to dull Custer’s aloof these qualities in his printmaking. Although the in at least two of the trial officer’s uniform proofs is close to its authentic blue color, in the edition print the General is clad in a white coat with gold buttons and insignia. His hat and bandana are bright red. Despite claims that his images contained no social commentary, one cannot Warhol’s view this image without considering historical reputation, which varies from fool to Custer’s martyred hero depending on the commentator. Warhol clearly sides with the hero worshippers by enrobing Custer in saintly white. The depth of devotion to the Custer mystique may Warhol’s be reflected in the diary entry for October 3, 1984. my name so much. I artist’s “I don’t love always wanted to Warhol I was little I was going to take change it,” noted. “When Andy Morningstar. I thought it was so beautiful. And I came so close to actually ‘Morningstar.’ using it for my career. This was before the book, I just liked the name, it Marjorie Morningstar. was my favorite.” Ironically, Warhol may have encountered the name in connection with George Armstrong Custer, whom several Indian tribes referred to as of the Kent “Son Morning Star.” Publisher Klineman, co-publisher of suite, recalled the artist being a Cowboys and Indians Warhol’s “huge Custer and lobbied to include the General in the series; even though, Klineman felt Custer fan”
General George Armstrong Custer Mathew Brady’s famous 1865 photograph of General George Armstrong Custer as a Civil War general provides the basis for Warhol’s General Custer. Perhaps the most famous western figure of all, Custer had received significant acclaim as a Union cavalryman during the Civil War. His death at in the Battle of the Little Big Horn (1876) brought him immortality. The source photograph captures Custer’s aloof and confident persona. Warhol did nothing to dull these qualities in his printmaking. Although the officer’s uniform in at least two of the trial proofs is close to its authentic blue color, in the edition print the General is clad in a white coat with gold buttons and insignia. His hat and bandana are bright red. Despite Warhol’s claims that his images contained no social commentary, one cannot view this image without considering Custer’s historical reputation, which varies from fool to martyred hero depending on the commentator. Warhol clearly sides with the hero worshippers by enrobing Custer in saintly white. The depth of Warhol’s devotion to the Custer mystique may be reflected in the artist’s diary entry for October 3, 1984. “I don’t love my name so much. I always wanted to change it,” Warhol noted. “When I was little I was going to take ‘Morningstar.’ Andy Morningstar. I thought it was so beautiful. And I came so close to actually using it for my career. This was before the book, Marjorie Morningstar. I just liked the name, it was my favorite.” Ironically, Warhol may have encountered the name in connection with George Armstrong Custer, whom several Indian tribes referred to as “Son of the Morning Star.” Publisher Kent Klineman, co-publisher of Warhol’s Cowboys and Indians suite, recalled the artist being a “huge Custer fan” and lobbied to include the General in the series; even though, Klineman felt Custer