Brief Encounter by Mort Kunstler ~ One of the most picturesque areas in the Piedmont is Middleburg, Virginia and that’s where I have set Brief Encounter – outside the Red Fox Inn, which was known as the Beveridge House during the war. It dates to the 1700s, and is an interesting looking building that I feel captures the spirit of the region. Understandably, it has undergone a number of changes over the centuries, but current evidence has allowed me to paint the building as it existed at the time of the Civil War. Local historian Audrey Bergner helped me with the details.

The cavalry squadron is depicted in a brief calm moment. The soldiers are checking their weapons and equipment before going out on patrol. One soldier is checking the harness on the team of horses. Others wait patiently to move out. The center of interest is an officer tipping his hat to a young woman. Is he saying goodbye to his wife or a sweetheart? Or is it a chance encounter that holds hope for the future? You can decide. Either way, it’s a “leave-taking” in the midst of war and there may be no return. - Mort Kunstler