Rachel
After the Revolution, the demand for the glorification of battles and individuals skyrocketed. One such artist who took advantage of this opportunity was John Trumbull: he “began a series of Revolutionary War scenes … and intended that they would contribute to the creation of a pantheon of national heroes” (Pohl). One of his most famous paintings, The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, 17 June 1775, appeals magnificently to the fervor of national pride during this period.
The viewer’s eye immediately lands on the three figures bathed in a heavenly light, each at different heights; on the ground dying lays the General, surrounded by his “loyal comrades” (Pohl), of which protect and attempt to reason with the enemy. As the eye slides up these three figures, the loosely defined but still expressive faces convey a variety of ideas: determination, pain, exhaustion and, most importantly, the desire for freedom. Moving on from those figures, flags come into sight and pierce a mostly sunny sky, but these flags cause an abrupt diagonal shift right to focus instead on the ominous clouds of gun smoke and death. Directly underneath the clouds stands a terrified Revolutionary, and a black solider barely seen behind him; as an attempt to portray reality, “Trumbull includes two black figures among the Revolutionary forces … but places them at the edges of the composition … in an obviously subservient position” (Pohl).
The most remarkable aspect of this piece is the fluidity of motion, especially within the clothing and flags. The clothing of the soldiers almost seems to flap in the wind as they defend their country; one can almost hear how the wind drowns out battle orders and gunshots. The flags appear to whip with a ferocity met by both British and Revolutionary forces, symbols of hope from both nations.
Works Cited
Pohl, Frances K. Framing America: A Social History of American Art. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2002.
Images Cited
"The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill." Arty Fart. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. <http://www.artyfart.net/trumbull-The-Death-of-General-Warren-at-the-Battle-of-Bunker-Hill.html>.
After the Revolution, the demand for the glorification of battles and individuals skyrocketed. One such artist who took advantage of this opportunity was John Trumbull: he “began a series of Revolutionary War scenes … and intended that they would contribute to the creation of a pantheon of national heroes” (Pohl). One of his most famous paintings, The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, 17 June 1775, appeals magnificently to the fervor of national pride during this period.
The viewer’s eye immediately lands on the three figures bathed in a heavenly light, each at different heights; on the ground dying lays the General, surrounded by his “loyal comrades” (Pohl), of which protect and attempt to reason with the enemy. As the eye slides up these three figures, the loosely defined but still expressive faces convey a variety of ideas: determination, pain, exhaustion and, most importantly, the desire for freedom. Moving on from those figures, flags come into sight and pierce a mostly sunny sky, but these flags cause an abrupt diagonal shift right to focus instead on the ominous clouds of gun smoke and death. Directly underneath the clouds stands a terrified Revolutionary, and a black solider barely seen behind him; as an attempt to portray reality, “Trumbull includes two black figures among the Revolutionary forces … but places them at the edges of the composition … in an obviously subservient position” (Pohl).
The most remarkable aspect of this piece is the fluidity of motion, especially within the clothing and flags. The clothing of the soldiers almost seems to flap in the wind as they defend their country; one can almost hear how the wind drowns out battle orders and gunshots. The flags appear to whip with a ferocity met by both British and Revolutionary forces, symbols of hope from both nations.
Works Cited
Pohl, Frances K. Framing America: A Social History of American Art. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2002.
Images Cited
"The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill." Arty Fart. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. <http://www.artyfart.net/trumbull-The-Death-of-General-Warren-at-the-Battle-of-Bunker-Hill.html>.