Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is an outstanding and incredibly scarce offering. This is an original oil painting by Ed Valigursky, “Watch Over the Rhine”. The painting’s description online reads:

“As the Russians tightened their grip on West Berlin, and events appeared to be escalating toward a nuclear showdown in the world, President John F. Kennedy dramatized America's determination by mobilizing 65,460 officers and men of the Army and Air National Guard. Less than 30 days after the mobilization, citizen-airmen of the Air National Guard flew 216 fighter and reconnaissance jet aircraft swiftly and smoothly across the Atlantic in the largest mass deployment of jets in the nation's history. The prompt reaction represented the greatest display of National Guard readiness ever. In a modern version of the "Watch on the Rhine," the Air Guardsmen continued patrolling the skies over Europe until their demobilization a year later. Protecting the NATO nations from surprise attack, the Guardsmen wrote into the record a clear-cut example of the deterrent power of our 20th Century Minutemen, the combat-ready forces of the Air National Guard.”

The painting measures 15 x 20” and retains a brass plaque on the back reading:

WATCH OVER THE RHINE
Air Guard in the Berlin Crisis: 1961-62
A NATIONAL GUARD HERITAGE PAINTING
BY ED VALIGURSKY

These paintings scarcely show up for sale on the open market, and this one has held up tremendously well with some cracking and areas of weakness as shown. It retains a hanging wire and will fit well into any military collection! The painting itself is not signed, but Ed was known to occasionally not sign his work. The plaque and the evidence online confirms this as having been painted by him, however. 

Ready to frame or hang and display as is!

Edward Ignatius Valigursky (October 16, 1926 in Arnold, Pennsylvania – September 7, 2009 in Cape Coral, Florida) was an American illustrator known for his portrayals of technology, and for his work in science fiction. In 1989, Popular Mechanics stated that he was "one of [America's] best-known illustrators of aircraft, ships, spacecraft, and other machines", and that his works were "on permanent display [at] the Pentagon [and] numerous naval and air force installations."