“The chief object sought in such a work,” an early reviewer wrote, “is to present in the most powerful and intelligible form the ideas and circumstances that make up some momentous historical fact.” The painting is a visual metaphor for the American Revolution, and by extension, for the American national experience. The central figure in the boat is Washington, “in his features and attitude an expression of dauntless energy,” the same reviewer wrote. Seated to Washington’s left is Nathanael Greene, and behind Washington, young James Monroe holds the flag tight in the face of the cold wind. The other nine figures represent the diversity of the American people brought together in the Revolutionary cause. In the bow, a soldier wears a Scotsman’s cap, and behind him, a black soldier pushes away the floating ice. At the stern, a soldier with black hair, high cheekbones, and a beadwork bag on his hip appears to be an American Indian. None of the enlisted men are in uniform or even dressed alike. The men represent the diverse people of Revolutionary America, working together to reach a shared goal.
