Emanuel Leutze

Emanuel Leutze was a German-American painter famous for one of the most iconic images in American history. Born in Germany in 1816 and raised in the United States, he became known for grand history paintings. His enormous canvas Washington Crossing the Delaware, showing the general standing boldly in a boat pushing through icy water, has become a defining picture of American courage and resolve.

Painted while Leutze was working in Germany, the scene is more stirring than strictly accurate, but its dramatic power made it instantly famous. He also painted a large mural in the United States Capitol celebrating westward expansion. Leutze's heroic, patriotic images played a real part in shaping how Americans picture their own founding.