Preserving Military History
Artist: Rick Reeves
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 15 1/2 × 12inches
Style: Contemporary
Period: 21st Century
Condition: Excellent
Description: Rick Reeves’ Soldier is a striking historical portrait that reflects the artist’s mastery of military realism and dedication to historical accuracy. Painted in alkyd oils, the work captures a Union sailor stationed along the Florida Gulf Coast during the final years of the Civil War. The figure, dressed in his heavy winter blues, stands against the subdued tones of a coastal backdrop—his stance resolute, his gaze steady, evoking both endurance and solitude. Commissioned by Alex de Quesada of Tampa, Florida, the painting embodies Reeves’ signature approach of combining meticulous research with painterly sensitivity. Through careful attention to uniform detail, light, and atmosphere, Reeves not only reconstructs a moment from history but honors the quiet strength and dignity of those who served at sea during one of America’s most defining conflicts.
Art has a way of holding history still. Capturing moments, uniforms, faces, and stories that might otherwise fade. 🎨✨
This striking portrait by Rick Reeves depicts a Union sailor in his winter blues on the Gulf Coast of Florida, c. 1864, painted in rich alkyd oils and originally commissioned by Alex de Quesada of Tampa, FL.
It’s incredible to carry a work so connected to Civil War history. Especially here in Fredericksburg, where that history sits right outside our door!
See this remarkable piece in our Season for Collecting exhibition through December 31st. 🖼️