"Washington Crossing the Delaware River"

“Washington Crossing the Delaware River” is a painting done by Emanuel Leutze in 1851. The whole painting is consumed with a small boat carrying about 13 soldiers. The blankets, ice bergs, and grey clouds symbolize the hardships of the winter, and how cold the soldiers must have been at this time, but the way General Washington stands shows that he is the leader, a proud leader that will not surrender no matter what the hardships are. The flag and his face, being so clear, look very heroic as they slowly sail to their destination. The flag, held by Lieutenant James Monroe, also symbolizes the pride the soldiers had in their hoped to be country. The many different soldiers in the boats symbolize the diversity of the people who fought in the war. All of the light, details, and symbolism represent the patriotism and perseverance the colonists had.
Emanuel Leutze’s painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware River” depicts a time where the colonists of America were looking for their own independence. Tired of high taxes from the British monarchy so far away, the colonists began a revolt one that formed into The Revolutionary War. This painting is of the sneak attack General Washington led against the Hessian soldiers at the Battle of Trenton on the day after Christmas. During this time the colonists were not doing well. Britain had a well-organized and well-trained military, while the colonists did not. On the boat, the soldiers were tired, beat, and ill-prepared for war overall. Knowing this, General Washington kept encouraging his men to continue to push forward. The battle that followed the crossing, the Battle of Trenton, proved to be a very successful battle for the colonists and was a great turning point in the war for them (U.S. District Court).
This painting relates to my overall theme of the human struggle to be perfect similarly how Schnetz’s painting, “Battle Outside the Hotel de Ville” does. It too represents the fight for a perfect world, a world where everyone is not only equal, but independent. The patriots wanted to be free and felt the taxes put upon them were unequal and unfair. The patriots too went through literally blood, sweat, and tears to gain a perfect world that is free, equal, and fair.