Historic Paintings from old Troy Hotel Reunited at New York State Military Museum in Saratoga

Artwork by historic military artist George Gray tells story of New York Military Triumphs

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A detail from " Benedict Arnold, Triumphant at Saratoga". The painting, originally done for the Hendrick Hudson Hotel in Troy has been donated to the New York State Military Museum.,

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (03/01/2013)(readMedia)-- Two massive historical paintings which originally hung in the Hendrick Hudson Hotel in Troy are now back together at the New York State Military Museum here.

A 7 foot by 25 foot mural called Benedict Arnold, Triumphant at Saratoga, painted for the hotel in the 1930s by historical and military artist George Gray has been donated to the Military Museum by the H. Lee White Marine Museum in Oswego.

The Military Museum already holds another George Gray painting that also once hung in the Hendrick Hudson Hotel: Breaking The Hindenberg Line. That mural depicts soldiers of the New York National Guard's 27th Infantry Division in action during WWI and later hung in the New York State Armory in Schenectady before the National Guard left that building in 2008.

"Having both these beautiful historic works by George Gray at our museum, illustrating key moments in New York's military history, is great, "said Military Museum manager Michael Aikey.

"Gray was an important historical artist, who also contributed work to New York's National Guardsman magazine in the '30s as well as to the Army's Infantry Journal and Cavalry Journal," Aikey said.

At some point, believed to be in the 1970s, the mural was moved to The Hotel Pontiac in Oswego, N.Y., another one of the American Hotels Corporation properties, Aikey said. In 1985 the painting was again moved, this time to the H. Lee White Marine Museum also in Oswego.

The mural was one of several by Gray at the Marine Museum, which depict the history of Lake Ontario and Oswego, NY. Those other Gray paintings depict the history of Oswego, and the Benedict Arnold painting didn't fit in with the museum's mission, so the Marine Museum decided to give the Gray battlefield mural to the Military Museum at no cost, Aikey said.

The new mural is currently in storage until it can be restored, Aikey said. The New York State Military Museum will work with the Friends of the New York State Military Museum, a private non-profit which raises money to support the museum, to raise funds so the Battle of Saratoga painting can be displayed, Aikey said.

BACKGROUND:

The Hendrick Hudson Hotel, which shut its doors in 1966, although the building still stands in downtown Troy, was operated by the American Hotels Corporation. In the 1930s the company hired Gray, who was born in 1907 and died in 2004, to paint murals depicting local history in the hotels the company owned across the United States.

The painting just donated to the Military Museum depicts the moment on Oct. 7, 1777 when American Major General Benedict Arnold personally led an assault that captured a British fortification known as the Breymann's Redoubt.

The capture of this fortification, held by Hessian troops under General Henrich von Breymann, exposed the British position on Bemis Heights overlooking the Hudson River and forced the British to withdraw and retreat. This led to the British force being surrounded and surrendering on Oct. 17, 1777.

The American victory at Saratoga, resulting in the surrender of a complete British Army, brought France into the Revolutionary War on the American side. It is considered by many to be the turning point of the American Revolution.

In 1780, Benedict Arnold plotted to sell out the American fort at West Point and General George Washington to the British. He finished up the Revolutionary War fighting as a British General.

At some point believed to be in the 1970's, the mural was moved to The Hotel Pontiac in Oswego, N.Y., another one of the American Hotels Corporation properties, Aikey said. In 1985 the painting was again moved, this time to the H. Lee White Marine Museum also in Oswego.

The mural was one of several by Gray at the Marine Museum, which depict the history of Lake Ontario and Oswego, NY. Those other Gray paintings depict the history of Oswego, and the Benedict Arnold painting didn't fit in with the museum's mission, so the Marine Museum decided to give the Gray battlefield mural to the Military Museum at no cost, Aikey said.

Gray, who was born in Harrisburg, Penn., made a name for himself painting military and historic scenes. During World War II Gray joined the Coast Guard and served as a war artist. The Coast Guard currently presents an annual George Gray award honoring artwork of Coast Guard men and women in action.

One of the fascinating features of the mural is how it's representation of Benedict Arnold changed over time, Aikey said.

When Gray's mural was originally hung in Troy, the artist's conflicted view of the general, who would became a traitor to the American cause, was evident, he said.

While Arnold is depicted on horseback leading his men to victory, the legend under the painting read,

"A victory made possible by an American Major General who neither forgotten nor forgiven and nameless to loyal men, nevertheless with bravery and resourcefulness commanded our forces at Quebec, Valcour Island, Fort Stanwix, Ridgefield, and finally at this one of the decisive battles of the world."

The stigma of Arnold as a traitor was further played up by two panels Gray painted at the sides of the mural, Aikey pointed out.

The left panel features a map with Arnold's victories, and a silhouette of the general with the caption, "An American Major General." The right panel illustrates the memorial to Arnold at the Saratoga National Battle Field known as the Boot Monument.

The Boot Monument commemorates Arnold, who was injured in the leg while leading the attack on the Hessian troops, without naming him.

According to Aikey, the idea for changing the painting to commemorate Benedict Arnold's heroic feats for the American cause came from historical fiction novelist Kenneth Roberts ( 1885-1957). Roberts was a best-selling author and two of his books, Arundel and Rabble in Arms focused on the military campaigns Arnold led. In both books, Arnold is portrayed as heroic.

"Roberts, sometime after 1937, contacted either Gray or the American Hotels Corporation and lobbied to give Benedict Arnold his due for the flawed general's important contribution to the American cause," Aikey said.

"As a result of Roberts' efforts, the mural today credits Arnold in the legend, adds his name to the map panel, and replaces the Boot Monument panel with a panel representing Arnold's inspired leadership at the Battle of Valcour Island, he added.