Washington Crossing the Delaware

This painting is enormous - nearly 4x4m - and depicts one of the most dramatic moments of the American Revolution - George Washington's surprise crossing of the Delaware River on the Christmas night of 1776.

By late 1776, Washington's Continental Army was in a desperate state - it had suffered a string of defeats, morale was plummeting, and enlistments were set to expire on New Year's Day. He needed a victory, fast.

The plan was to cross the Delaware by night and strike the Hessian garrison (German mercenary soldiers hired by the British) off-guard.

The subsequent battle, the Battle of Trenton, was a massive victory.

It lasted 45 minutes.

Around 900 Hessian soldiers were captured or killed, and American casualties were minimal.

It marked a turning point in the war, keeping the Revolution alive.

Washington is represented standing heroically in the prow, ice chunks float in the dark water, soldiers strain at the oars.

It is a patriotic masterpiece.

However fun fact : Leutze was actually German, painting in Düsseldorf, and using the Rhine as his model river!