George Washington Crossing the Delaware | Explore & Learn

George Washington Crossing the Delaware

Do you think that a boat this size could keep twelve men afloat? Probably not. In fact, Washington used a Durham boat, which was much larger and could hold 30 to 40 people (although they were still crowded).

By decreasing the size of the boat relative to the figures inside, Leutze could concentrate our attention on the physical struggle the soldiers were enduring in order to complete their task. Leutze exaggerates proportion to build up our emotion toward the painting and the event it represents. Are the man and the boat in the painting below in realistic proportion to one another?

		Yes No

composition

Photograph Credits