"Whitworth Sharpshooter"
a Bronze Civil War Sculpture Allegory
by James Muir Bronze Allegorical Sculptor-Artist

8″H

edition 30

The unerring accuracy sharpshooters (snipers) have always been capable of, even with arrows, always inspired me in my own rifle-team career and, likewise, in my art. While it has been often said that “life imitates art” to which Abbey adds “but badly,” this piece does, in fact, present the challenge of aiming with pinpoint accuracy our powers of “Discernment” in all the target choices which the battle of life offers. To make the right decisions we, like the sharpshooter must exercise total focus and concentration on the objective. As we will see later, even then, if not based on the highest motives, even the best shot may strike the wrong target.