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Washington Crossing the Delaware

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description Washington Crossing the Delaware Overview

Washington Crossing the Delaware is an 1851 oil painting by German-born American artist Emanuel Leutze, now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It depicts George Washington and Continental Army soldiers crossing the Delaware River before their surprise attack on Hessian forces at Trenton on 26 December 1776. The large history painting is an idealized commemoration rather than a literal record, and several visual details do not match the conditions of the actual crossing.

help Washington Crossing the Delaware FAQ

Who painted Washington Crossing the Delaware and when?

German-born American artist Emanuel Leutze completed the best-known version of Washington Crossing the Delaware in 1851. He had begun an earlier version in Germany in 1849, which was later destroyed in a World War II air raid.

Where is Washington Crossing the Delaware displayed?

The monumental 1851 oil on canvas is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it has long been one of the museum's most-visited American paintings. It measures more than 12 feet across.

Is the painting historically accurate?

No — Leutze took deliberate artistic liberties, including a flag with stars and stripes not adopted until 1777, an impractical shallow-draft boat, and dramatic ice that doesn't match Delaware River conditions. His aim was patriotic symbolism rather than documentary realism.

Who are the other figures in the boat with Washington?

The boat holds a diverse group of Continental soldiers intended to represent the colonies, including figures sometimes said to depict African American, Scottish, Native American, and immigrant recruits. Leutze used the mix to make a statement about the new American nation rather than to depict specific named individuals.

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