Thomas Grimball at the Siege of Charleston, The Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon
When I received this commission, Thomas Grimball was a largely forgotten hero of the American Revolution. Family stories placed him as a prisoner in the Provost Dungeon, but little more was known. To compose a painting that told his story vividly and accurately, required extensive research into every detail, from uniforms and guns to likely features of the landscape at the time. Eventually, I was able to place Grimball in the Hornworks, from which he could have surveyed the five batteries under his command. The position of the batteries relative to the Hornworks can also be seen on the map Grimball consults. I chose to depict the fortifications as constructed from Palmetto logs, a reasonable possibility given their ready availability and famous success at Fort Moultrie. The Cooper River flows in the background.
Artist Charles DeAntonio: Portraits, Landscapes, & Narrative Oil Paintings
This work was inspired by the model, Bishop Gadsden resident, Charlie Luce. He was 93 and still teaching Sunday School when I met him. His kind face, bright eyes, and love for the Lord made him just right for Simeon, but all dressed up in aba and skullcap he grew self-conscious and stiff . . . until my wife asked him to pray. As he lifted his hand and his gaze heavenward, this dear, old saint relaxed naturally into the pose you see here.
This painting is set, and now hangs, in the narthex of St Philip’s Church in Charleston, and every aspect of the project was a joy to me. The leadership and vestry were enthusiastic partners from the beginning; the actual hanging itself was an adventure; and seeing the painting continue to do its work over the intervening years, situating the Gospel in the very spot where the viewer stands, has been an honor and an encouragement.