In the quiet of the studio, Brian J. Magnuson continues a vigil rooted in the discipline of his past. Eight Dark Days is a haunting graphite meditation on the intersection of power and mortality—a veteran’s tribute to the eight American Presidents who gave their final measure of devotion while in office.
For Magnuson, an infantryman turned artist, the concept of service is a foundational reality. This series of large-scale portraits is born from a soldier’s deep-seated understanding of the weight of an oath and the silent burden of leadership. Each stroke of graphite is an act of disciplined remembrance, capturing the fragile humanity of the men who stood at the pinnacle of a nation only to fall within its service.
The symbolism within the series is as precise as a formal salute. Each President is framed by the specific American flag he served under at the moment of his passing—a historical shroud anchoring him to his era. In a somber nod to the gravity of their sacrifice, the stars grow darker for the four martyred presidents, a visual bruise on the fabric of the republic marking those whose lives were claimed by violence.
In these 24"x36" monuments in lead, the precision of the infantryman meets the soul of the artist. Magnuson offers a profound reflection on the cost of the American presidency, where the path of duty leads to a permanent, storied silence.
William Henry Harrison (1773-1841)
President Harrison died 31 days after being inaugurated as the ninth president of the United States. He died of illness.
Zachary Taylor (1784-1850)
President Taylor died 16 months into his term from a stomach disease.
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
President Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States and the first president to be assassinated. President Lincoln was born in Kentucky and was shot at Ford’s theatre in Washington D.C.
James A. Garfield (1831-1881)
James Garfield 20th President of the United States was born in Moreland Hills, Ohio and in Elberon, New Jersey he died after being shot. President Garfield had the second shortest term, of four months, in presidential history. Death didn’t come quick. President Garfield lay ill for 80 days before finally succumbing to his wounds and the infections he contracted from poor medical practice.
William McKinley (1843-1901)
President William McKinley was the 25th president of the United States of America. He was born in Niles, Ohio and shot in Buffalo, NY and died nine days later from gangrene.
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)
President Franklin Roosevelt known as FDR was the 32nd president of the United States. President Roosevelt was born in Hyde Park, newYork and died from a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia.
Warren G. Harding (1865-1923)
President Warren G. Harding was the 29th president of the United States of America.
Born in Blooming Grove, Ohio and rose to a dark horse candidate who became one of the most popular sitting presidents. President Harding became ill in Washington and was taken by train to San Francisco where he passed away.
President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
President Kennedy known as JFK was the youngest and first Catholic to become president of the United States of America. He was born in Brookline, Massachusetts and was Assassinated in Dallas, Texas. His death has been a subject of controversy since that fateful day in November.