1968 Custer Battlefield Little Bighorn Montana National Park Leonard Baskin

Date: 1968
Artist: Baskin, Leonard 
Size (in): 42" x 28"
Size (cm): 106.5 x 71
Condition: B/B-
Linen backed: Yes

This vintage original poster for Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana was created by the celebrated sculpture and printmaking artist Leonard Baskin for the National Park Service and issued in 1968.  For this poster Baskin renders a stylized image of the “Boy General” based on the famous photo of Custer taken by Matthew Brady at his Washington D.C. studio on May 23, 1965.  A similar Baskin image of Custer was used for a battlefield guide published by the National Park Service that same year.  In the canon of Custeriana, photographs are among the most desirable artifacts and this seated view of Custer used by Baskin is referred to as “K-78” from the authoritative reference book Custer in Photographs by D. Mark Katz.  

We believe this is the first piece of published artwork Baskin created related to the Battle of Little Bighorn but several lithographs of the Native Americans involved would follow along with at least one other poster in the 1970s.  

This vintage original poster has been professionally mounted to linen with some expert touch up and restoration as needed.   The poster has had some replaced loss on the lower right corner tip.  A few tears and small chips on the lower left edge have also been repaired and the poster shows some toning from age.  In spite of some touchup the poster still displays nicely.