Crossing the Delaware in Art

They were en route from Pennsylvania to a successful surprise attack that routed the British and Hessian troops encamped at Trenton, New Jersey. This victory reignited the American revolutionary cause, and the bold action almost immediately became the stuff of legend.

The crossing has become an iconic moment in American history and has inspired numerous artists to envision the event, with images gracing everything from grand canvases to political cartoons to food packaging. We will never know exactly what Washington’s crossing looked like, but each depiction offers a new interpretation of the moment’s challenges, heroism, and leadership.

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A Starting Point 

In 1819, portrait painter Thomas Sully completed The Passage of the Delaware, the earliest known representation of the crossing. Unlike many later artists, Sully depicted the moment before George Washington began his passage: the general sits astride his white horse on the Pennsylvania side of the river, looking over his shoulder to observe his troops as they begin to cross.

Calm and resolute, the central figure of Washington dwarfs the men under his command. In Sully’s composition, Washington remains isolated from the action, leading from above.