Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, American, 1816-1868 George Washington Crossing the Delaware, 1851 Oil on Canvas; 12 2/5 x 21 1/4 in. (378.5 x 647.7 cm) Gift of John S. Kennedy, 1897 (97.34)
courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Summary/Background:
This painting has become an important image depicting both the heroism of the George Washington and victory in the Revolutionary War. Luetze depicts George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River by cover of night to attack Hessian camps. In retrospect, this would be one of the turning points of the Revolutionary war. Luetze's made several artistic choices that make the painting historically inaccurate. At the forefront, the crossing happened under the cover of night, and in the rain. Most likely George Washington and the flag holder would not have been standing, as this would have caused an imbalance in the boat. Some historians have suggested that they may all have been standing in a different type of boat with higher sides. The rowers in the boat are also all dressed in different garb, which seem to represent different origins (a Scotsmen, a frontiersmen, perhaps even a Native American, and a woman depending on your interpretation of the painting.) All of these aspects make the painting a tool for discussing choices artists make and messages conveyed about George Washington and the origins of the United States.
FIRST READ: READ FOR THE GIST
1. What does this painting depict? Give a summary of what you see going on and what historical event this image is related to.
SECOND READ: READ FOR SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS (IN THE TEXT)
1. Examine the environment the boat is in, what details in the painting tell us what this crossing might have been like. What does that tell us about the men crossing?
2. Examine the men in the boat, do they look like soldiers? What might their dress represent? What message might that convey to the viewer?
3. Examine the way the artist portrays George Washington, what do you notice about the way he is positioned? What does that tell the viewer about George Washington?
THIRD READ: READ TO INTERPRET IDEAS
1. What message about George Washington is the artist trying to convey? Cite specific evidence in the text to support this message.
FOURTH READ: READ TO ANALYZE THE AUTHOR’S METHODS/CRAFT
1. The crossing took place in the dead of night, so the lighting in this painting does not reflect how the scene would have actually looked. Examine the ways the artist uses light as way to convey meaning, or to draw our eyes to places in the painting. Where is the light coming from? Who does it illuminate? What mood does the lighting of the painting suggest? Why did the artist make these choices?