Description
A word from artist Daniel A. Moore:
“As I contemplated how I would depict Alabama’s historic win of the 2009 BCS Championship Game, I gave serious thought to utilizing my classic approach of conveying the story of the game through a single play. But because there were so many big plays made by the Tide on that historic night in Pasadena, I decided to paint the more inclusive composition that would become A Crimson Tradition. Had I chosen to portray a stand-alone play instead, it would have been Marcell Dareus’ interception and return for a touchdown… the big man’s “Pick Six.” As I watched the play unfold, I envisioned this tremendous touchdown rumble by Marcell as a great painting in the making, with Kareem Jackson and Eyrk Anders directing the crimson convoy.
“The relevance of this play’s importance certainly was not lost in A Crimson Tradition. This is why I used it as the “base” for the painting, from which all other images emerge. Because this scene fills the bottom portion of the painting, from left to the right and to the bottom edge, I found it necessary to carefully compose it as I would any stand-alone scene – so that it successfully moves and breathes in its own space. Included in this scene is the score of the game (37-21) and the number of Alabama’s National Championships (13), both depicted on the Texas jerseys.
“Now that I have finished The Heisman Spirit, the fifth painting in The Greatest Season Ever series, I have revisited my initial version and painted a separate top portion in oils on canvas depicting the Rose Bowl crowd (shown at left). As you can see, I have customized it to fit with the bottom scene of A Crimson Tradition so as to create the stand-alone scene of The Pick Six. I am happy now to be able to share with you the scene that I envisioned as I watched the play unfold in real time.”