Classical Era Revolution Art Exhibition

 Classical Era Revolution Art Exhibition 

 

Introduction  

At a young age, my love of books and history collided together perfectly in the form of Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales graphic novels. His first book, One Dead Spy, focused on the Revolutionary War and I’ve been hooked on historical reading ever since. 

 I’m the perfect example of why art is so important and shouldn't be thought of as just a fancy frame hanging in a stuffy museum. Art can be used as a bridge to span history, a hammer to crack closed minds, or even a magnifying glass to amplify beauty or expose darkness. The avenues of art lead to myriad destinations, and today it lands us among our country’s heroes and forefathers during our fight for freedom, the U.S Revolutionary War.  

Declaration of Independance 

My great-grandfather was known as a “junk man.” Today they would call him an antique-dealer of the highest-kind. He passed his love of old things, but especially coins, to his son (my granddad) and then through my dad to me. I knew the Barber Dime, Flying Eagle Penny, Morgan Silver Dollar, and iconic Buffalo Nickle were more than just money. They were memories and stories. They were art.  

My Uncle Mike (God rest his soul), while serving in the navy shortly after the Vietnam war, was surprisingly paid all in two-dollar bills. He kept those bills as special, and one of them made its way to me. And so, I own a little piece of Trumbull’s Declaration of Independance.  

John Trumbull’s Declaration of Independance was painted in the year “1818, on an oil canvas, with dimensions of 12 by 18 feet” (Zygmont). Mr. Trumball painted this amazing piece, that would later go on to grace the American two-dollar bill, as a part of his eye-opening revolution series. All of the works in this series are of the upmost quality. So, only being able to choose one was a difficult task. However, the ability to both showcase and share my backstory with the Declaration of Independance felt like the perfect play.  

The first thing that comes to me when looking at this painting is the absolute gravity of the situation. This moment is quite literally one that defined the world as we know it, and John did an excellent job recreating it on the canvas. The arrangement and positioning of the piece's characters, along with the architecture, results in a smooth and balanced viewing experience. For me personally, the small details that make an appearance really take the piece to the next level. Things such as the broken chain lying on the ground representing the colonies breaking away from England, or the sun rays rushing across the canvas showing a new era on the horizon, although easy to miss, are profound when realized. All these elements combine in a work for the ages that grabs your eyes and drags you back through time making you feel as if you were there in the moment. Whenever an artist makes me experience the emotions and sensation of the scene they are depicting, they have succeeded on all levels of the artistic process.   

Washington Crossing the Delaware 

It is hard to think about revolution era art without thinking of Emanuel Leutze’s timeless masterpiece Washington Crossing the Delaware. This amazing work was created in “1851 and bought for the then enormous sum of $10,000 by Marshall O. Roberts” (Met Museum). The painting now resides at the Metropolitain Museum of Art (a place I would love to visit someday) for all to see. 

The thing that stands out to me the most about this amazing piece is how much it embodies the revolutionary spirit. When I think about the word revolution, the first thing that comes to mind is fighting back against seemingly impossible odds and equally daunting injustice. This painting, in my opinion, captures this sentiment perfectly. What aligns more flawlessly with these ideals than crossing a half-frozen river to fight an enemy force both larger and better equipped than your own?  

I’m always a sucker for the contrast between light and dark and Mr. Leutze puts this element on full display here. This contrast can be seen on different levels throughout the piece. The stark difference in the glowing horizon complementing the subdued and inky water builds depth and drama that otherwise wouldn't be found. The mix of light and dark shades in the soldier's garb draws the viewer's eyes in and makes them look closer. The usage of texture on the water is another element that makes the scene feel more vivid and alive. While the spacing of the far shore and horizon help contribute to extraordinary scale of the crossing. Emanuel’s expert combination of all this and more results in one of the most standout works from the time period.  

Green Mountain Boys Flag 

I feel as if our professor has given us wide latitude in what “art” is to each of us, and what kinds of fields we are allowed to highlight (something that I’m incredibly grateful for). I’m of the mind that art can be anywhere and everywhere. Some art is short lived and ethereal like a bouquet of flowers, or a sand drawing below the tide line. Other works of art are meant to last and have gone onto to became “masterpieces” and rightfully so. They are centerpieces of both museums and bucket lists and are destinations for people from all over the world. Certain craftings have been made out of the mother of invention “necessity.” They too have also grown and developed into something iconic, legendary, and priceless. So, without further ado, let us take a look at some of history’s most enduring standards, the battle flags of the American Revolution.  

With the festivities of the 4th of July about to start, I’d like to talk about the illustrious banners of the revolution. With Independence Day drawing near artist Betsy Ross’s creation will be flying on both porch and parade. Most know her story of the “stars and stripes,” but do you know about the “Green Mountain Boys” and their flag?    

The “Green Mountain Boys” were a band of militia freedom fighters established in the year 1770 in present day Vermont. The originator of the first flag is not documented well, but it is accepted that they carried it from day one of their inception. The flag become an official standard in 1776. Upon the start of the Revolution the company instantly joined the conflict and would go on to be crucial in the war effort. The group would pull of their most incredible victory on May 10th, 1775, “when fewer than a hundred of them, under the joint command of Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, captured Fort Ticonderoga” (Tikkanen). A remnant exists of the “Green Mountain Boys” standard, one of only a handful of flags that have survived from the Revolution. It is currently housed in the Bennington Museum. When looking at their personal standard, I can't help but feel pride in what they managed to achieve. In its simple tri-color design resides the memories of some of America’s finest heroes and patriots. Although I’m biased, this flag reminds me of the best state flag in the union, artist Benny Benson’s remarkable and perfect Alaska state flag.     

Conclusion  

Overall, this deep dive into revolution era art was up there with my favorite assignments so far in this class. With Nathan Hale in mind, my only regret is that I have but three works to give to this blog. There is so much more amazing revolution art out there, so I hope you enjoy the ones I chose to highlight and find unique ones that inspire you. Thanks for reading and I will see you next time!  

 

        Bibliography          

Met Muesum (1970) Emanuel Leutze: Washington Crossing the Delaware: American, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/11417 (Accessed: 02 July 2024)  

Tikkanen (no date) The Green Mountain Boys, Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Green-Mountain-Boys (Accessed: 02 July 2024). 

Zygmont, B. (no date) John Trumbull, The Declaration of Independence, Smarthistory. Available at: https://smarthistory.org/trumbull-declaration/ (Accessed: 02 July 2024)