Emanual Leutze Washington Crossing The Delaware Analysis

Emanual Leutze, a German-born American painter, is known for his popular work Washington Crossing the Delaware. The painting shows George Washington, along with 2,500 soldiers, crossing the Delaware River in order to surprise the British’s Hessians army with an attack. This historical event took place in Trenton, New Jersey during the Christmas of 1776. Leutze’s work displayed the heroic actions of Washington and his army braving the icy and cold weather. Washington is at the head of the boat, staring at his goal into the distance with a dramatic pose. Several soldiers, with dynamic movements, are rowing the small boat with great force through the freezing waters. In the center, two men is holding the American flag, emphasizing the patriotism of Americans.
Leutze had lived in America for several years as a boy and moved back to Germany later on. He made two versions of his artwork; the first one is destroyed in a bomb raid during World War II and the second one is the current painting in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Leutze painted this shortly after the Revolutions of 1848 in Europe. During the time, several European countries were revolting because citizens wanted representative and constitutional governments. Specifically in Germany, liberals wanted a unified state rather than small fragmented small. A National Assembly was established to create a national constitution and central government. However, when the crown of a constitutional Germany state was offered to the Prussian king, he declined this offer. This lead to the revolution to be unsuccessful. Leutze, who strong believed in democracy, painted this to inspire the German