Response To The Church Analysis

Church’s painting serves as an artistic response to war due to the depiction of the American flag on the sky. The ingenious use of the brush strokes to mimic the stripes of the flag is breathtaking. The Artist brings out the stripes of the flag with the thin clouds in the middle of a light blue sky. The painting also shows the stripes waving similar to those of a flag when blown by the wind (Burke 39).
A further response to war can be recognized when Church includes a star in the large light-blue area near the stripes and next to the tree. These stars represent those found on the American flag. The stars may not be the exact number of the ones found on the flag, but their position is irrefutable from those on the flag. The stars represent the
The ‘flag pole’ is on one shore of the river and the flag above the sky extends to the other shore. During the civil war, America was more divided than ever. Church, who was a Northerner, openly supported the Union and their action. The river represents the division while each share represents either side that was involved in the war. The extension of the ‘flag’ from one river bank to the other clear reflects on Church’s feelings and emotions. It shows that just like others who shared the same idea, Church admired a more united America rather than a divided one (Burke 39).
Finally, this painting is a response to war because of the displayed eagle right above the ‘pole.' The bald eagle is one of American national symbol that represents courage, strength, and will. Church used the figure of an eagle near the ‘flag’ to complete a reflection of the national flag.
“Our Banner in the Sky” has always been viewed as one of the iconic paintings in American History. The painting was simple but carried a huge message throughout generations. Fredric Edwin Church’s work is extraordinary. The painting clearly represents a proposal for unity in a time of great division in the history of (America Moss 2)
Work