Washington Rallying the Troops at Monmouth

What it is

This painting by Emanuel Leutze, made in 1851, shows George Washington on a rearing horse rallying his troops amid smoke and gunfire at the Battle of Monmouth in 1778. Leutze later painted a smaller copy of the scene in 1857.

Why it matters

Monmouth was the first major battle after the harsh winter at Valley Forge, where Steuben had drilled the Continental Army into a more disciplined fighting force. The painting, made decades after the war by a 19th-century artist who never witnessed the event, shows how later generations imagined and celebrated the Revolution.

Look closer

• What does Washington's pose and position in the painting suggest about his role as a leader?
• Since Leutze painted this over 70 years after the battle, what choices might he have made to create drama rather than record exact fact?
• What is missing from this heroic scene that an eyewitness account might include?