George Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River
George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, pictured above, is an 18th-century painting which was done by Emanuel Leutze. The 1851 painting is located at the Metropolitan Museum of art and has 378.5 cm × 647.7 cm (149 in × 255 in) dimensions. The picture is considered amongst the most monumental moments of the warfare in 1776 where George Washington led an offensive comprising of thousands of troops across icy waters to attack German mercenaries. The forces traveled at night so as not to be seen approaching and were very confident as they knew the surprise attack would get the mercenaries off-guard. The probabilities of beating them were therefore very high.
The Painting
The painting showcases George Washington at the front standing tall as he looks forward while the other soldiers row the boat (Tucker 1). The picture also illustrates several other boats with numerous soldiers on board also crossing the sea, with icebergs therein demonstrating how cold the river was. One of the soldiers is holding the American flag, perhaps to show solidarity as well as patriotism for his country. As can be seen, from the dark clouds, it is seemingly approaching dawn. Also, there is a black person in the painting as well as a lady. The diversity may be figurative of the unity of all the American persons regardless of their background.
History of the Painting
The idea to paint the portrait was obtained from a wave of rebellion which spread across Europe in 1776. The war was characterized by the increased intrusion of the American army as the war progressed and the increased tactics where each side wanted to have the upper hand in the war. The American military decided to craft entirely take all the watercrafts available in the waters to their side, according to the wisdom of George Washington, thereby preventing the German army from having access to something which they could cross with (Tucker 3). The Americans also had other boats which were solidly built to withstand the harsh climate and were capable of surviving hits from the icebergs in the waters. The men were very experienced sailors and could therefore skillfully sail the boats across the harsh seas with no problems. The painting illustrates confidence exuded by George Washington, standing gracefully like he seemingly doesn’t have trouble, despite the fact that he was going to war.
The American Revolutionary War
The American revolutionary war was a significant fight for independence as the British colonies declared independence (Tucker 1). Britain was responsible for the war since not only did it refuse to grant its’ colonies their independence but also closed the Boston harbor when the natives protested and destroyed a tea shipment. The state of Massachusetts, together with twelve other colonies united to be able to defeat the British. In the attempt to fight back and regain control over their colonies, Britain sent many troops to the cities, and a great war emerged (Washington 1). The British were very strong, and ultimately George Washington was appointed to be the leader of the army and was tasked with coming up with ways through which they could defeat the British. The attack through the water passage is one amongst the many wars which were ranged on the British and ultimately the fight for independence was successful (Washington 1). George knew that this was his only chance and had to be as diligent as possible (Tucker 1).
Actual Historical Affiliation
Many American people believe that the artwork was meant to show the solidarity of the American army during the war. However, the painter who is a German meant to inspire the German soldiers to be as united as the Americans at the time of the drawing (Levin n.p). Through the illustration of how brave the American troops were, his main idea was to motivate the German troops to have similar bravery so that they could counter the attacks and beat the Americans. The painting showcased how cold the sea was and undoubtedly meant that there were immense wind and a very uncomfortable environment for crossing. The severe weather conditions did not derail the American troops and stuck to the journey until they finally arrived at the other side. Further, amongst the many boats that set sail, not all were able to reach at the opposite side safely as the harsh waters and winds destroyed and disoriented some, leading to some fatalities (Tucker 4). Emanuel Leutze believed that if the Germans could be as aggressive, they would be successful in their battles (Levin n.p). The Americans seemingly never gave up irrespective of the fact that the British were relatively strong and were therefore bound to be successful. As he was in the course of painting, the war ended before the painting’s completion and thus couldn’t serve its purpose. The artwork was taken at a German museum where it was destroyed by a bomb and had to be repainted (Levin n.p). The second version was taken to the United States, and the people received it very well, associating it with patriotism and immense admiration. The painting is amongst the most recognized cultural and historical elements and significantly reminds the people of the contribution of George Washington as well as the battle for freedom.
Inaccuracies in the Painting
In as much as the portrait illustrates the actual journey that George Washington undertook, there are a number of errors that are prevalence. First, the flag that is showcased in the painting is misleading. At the time of the painting, the stars, as well as the stripes that are illustrated, were not in existence. The format of the flag that was illustrated in the painting came into effect in 1777, one year after the journey of George Washington (Harris 3). Therefore, the stripes and stars are misleading and should not be in the portrait.
Also, George Washington and his sailors traveled very late at night to avoid being seen, and therefore it was impossible for there to have been as much light as was illustrated in the portrait (Tucker 3). The painter shows excessive rays of sun that there was and thus gives the impression that the sailing took place early in the morning while in reality, it took place at night.
Lastly, in as much as George Washington was heroic, it would have been impossible for him to travel in the cold of the night amidst the strong winds standing. First, the boat is relatively small which means that any imbalance would have resulted in it capsizing. The painter was undoubtedly trying to show the bravery which Washington held, but the exaggeration represents a major inaccuracy.
Conclusion
George Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River’s painting is amongst the most monumental pieces of ancient arts that are present in the museums today. The painting is located at the Metropolitan Museum of art and has 378.5 cm × 647.7 cm (149 in × 255 in) dimensions. This portrait is the work of a renown German painter who is known as Emanuel Leutze and represents the sailing that took place when George Washington and his army launched an attack on the British. The army traveled at night to avoid being seen and withstood the strong winds and cold weather to launch the attack and come out victorious. The offense worked as they beat the British and significantly contributed to the independence of the country.
The painting is very precise and attempts to illustrate specific characteristics such as bravery and calmness, represented by George Washington standing in his boat while looking ahead. Many inaccuracies are however present, with the stars and stripes being one of them. George Washington led the army in 1776, and it wasn’t until 1777 that the American flag was modified to what is illustrated in the painting. The mistake is attributable to the fact that since the painter did the artwork in 1856, he may have overlooked the small details leading to the error. Also, it would be impossible that George Washington was standing amidst the strong winds and cold that was at night. Also, the army traveled very late at night, and so the natural light that is illustrated in the painting should not be there. Leutze’s painting is widely admired, and it has contributed majorly to the preservation of culture as well as reminding people the struggle that was experienced in the quest for independence as well as the contribution of people such as George Washington.
Works Cited
Harris, Nancy. The American Flag. Heinemann-Raintree Library, 2007.
Levin, Gail. "Anti-Heroic Images in Contemporary American Art." (2014).
Tucker, Phillip Thomas. George Washington's Surprise Attack: A New Look at the Battle That Decided the Fate of America. Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., 2016.
Washington, George, and Continental Army. The American Revolution: 1775-1783. Vol. II. Boston: Little, Brown, 2014.
