Washington Crossing the Delaware

Washington Crossing the Delaware captures a pivotal night in the American Revolution, when Washington led his troops across an icy river to launch a surprise attack that changed the momentum of the war. Leutze paints the scene with theatrical intensity. The men crowd into a fragile boat, pushing through shards of ice while a snowstorm cuts across their faces. You can see exhaustion everywhere, from the hunched soldiers at the oars to the wounded figure slumped in the stern.

Washington stands at the prow not because that is how it happened, but because Leutze wants the moment to feel symbolic. His upright posture becomes a visual statement about determination in the face of near hopeless odds. The boat holds a mix of farmers, fishermen, immigrants, and freedmen, representing the unlikely coalition that made the army possible. The painting blends history and myth to show how courage, even when surrounded by cold and fear, can turn a desperate gamble into a defining moment.