Today is the birthday of Emanuel Leutze. Born on May 24, 1816, he painted “Washington Crossing the Delaware” in 1850-51.
Leutze grew up in America and then returned to his homeland. He had learned to draw while sitting at the bedside of this dying father. He set up a studio in Dusseldorf, Germany. He painted “Washington Crossing the Delaware” after the failed Revolution of 1848 in the hope that it would inspire liberal reforms. It was first displayed in New York City and then in the Capitol Rotunda. It was bought for the huge sum of $10,000, changed hands several times, and ended up being donated to the New York Museum of Art.
There are two future Presidents in the painting – Washington and Monroe (holding the flag).
Mistakes in the painting:
– the flag was not adopted until a year later
– the boats were much bigger at 40-60 feet long
– the men would not have had their guns in the air because the barrels would have gotten wet
– most experts argue no one would have been standing, but some point out that the actual boats were large and standing would have been a better option that sitting with water in the bottom
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