Metropolitan Museum Artworks: Historical Analysis of Washington's Leadership Through Paintings by Kemmelmeyer and Leutze
Overview
This paper analyzes two paintings from the Metropolitan Museum depicting George Washington during critical moments in American history. The essay examines Kemmelmeyer's 'Washington Reviewing the Western Army at Fort Cumberland, Maryland' and Leutze's 'Washington Crossing the Delaware' to demonstrate how artists represented Washington's leadership, the federal government's authority, and nationalist ideologies during the American Revolution and post-Revolutionary conflicts.
What this essay covers
- Analysis of Kemmelmeyer's painting depicting Washington suppressing the Whiskey Rebellion in 1795, with historical context of the rebellion and federal taxation
- Examination of Leutze's 1851 painting of Washington Crossing the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton during the American Revolutionary War
- Discussion of how both artworks serve as secular representations of heroism, national pride, and the propagation of revolutionary ideals
Preview
Works from the Met
Name
Institution
Works From the Met
My first painting of choice is "Washington reviewing the western army at Fort Cumberland, Maryland," attributed to Frederick Kemmelmeyer. The artwork was produced post-1795, and the medium of the painting is oil on canvas. This work's goal was to present the achievement of George Washington, who summoned the militia at Fort Cumberland, Maryland, to suppress the rebellion in western Pennsylvania. This painting represents the artist's acknowledgment of Washington's significance as a leader. Furthermore, the painting entails historical details such as the federal government's power in enforcing the law and Washington's impact in propelling the federalist cause. The painting serves as a representation of George Washington's successes during his reign. Furthermore, the painting is essential in the reconciliation of people against the war. The artwork is based on the context of the whiskey rebellion during the American Revolution in 1790. During this, several states incurred huge debts forcing treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton to suggest transfer to the federal government's debt. Moreover, an excise tax on whiskey was imposed to mitigate financial problems (Hogeland, 2010). However, George Washington was against Hamilton's whiskey tax proposal. Washington further gathered opinions from citizens and local government officials, but the popular verdict was in support of the bill passed. Violence broke out in protest against the new tax law. A series of violent attacks by rebels led to unrest in the country.