The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-25
Miscellany
Washington Crossed Rhine?

Every student of American history
knows that General Washington and his
army crossed the Delaware river Christ
mas night in the year 1875. But if we
are 10 believe the correspondence OF
Eastman Johnson. famous artist, and
pupil Of Leutze, who painted Wash
ington Crossing the Delaware, then
Washington crossed the river Rhine.
Mrs. johnson, widow Of the distin-
guished painter, possesses some remark
able letters, which disclose strange
items IN the great paintings of both her
husband and his talented teacher
Leutze. She has not decided to pub
lish these telltaIe letters, yet few
interesting points on the picture Of
Washington Crossing the Delaware >
have been cleaned from Immediate
friends.
on % the banks Of the Rhine, and Ger
man soldiers posed for the leading ig-
ures in this much priced American pic
ture. Further, these q Fatherland, or
German, soldiers wore the continental
uniforms actually worn by the Amerl-
can patriots Of 1776.
While this colossal painting, measur-
ing 20 by J2 feet, may we'll be pro
uoupced the second greatest or most
admired American paIpting-the por-
trait Of Washington. rescued from tho
White house fire in 1914 by Dolly Madl-
son, holding first place-yet the former
is classed by foreigners as our great
est national canvas.
The Leutze painting has many inter
esting points. but it has also an error
which should be corrected, as it will
assist old and young better 10 get the
dates and events properly registered.
To obtain accuracy in the costumes
Mr. johnson wrote home to bis father,
asking him to have made careful re-
production of the uniform worn by
Washington. which was done. and tho
garments forwarded to Leutze. East
man johnson, in letter home, records
that at the reception held in the lat
ter's Geutze's) studio. May II, 1851,
TO celebrate the completion of this
great work, the prince and The princess
Of Prussia were among the distinguished
guests. and that the prince was fine,
soldierly looking fellow who wished to
buy Johnson s copy of the Leutzc pic
ture. but. because OF the terms Of the
contract Lcutzc made for disposal Of
the original, it could not be sold.
The American flag evidently was
shipped to Lcutzc, but in this case the
painter. as well rs his young pupil,
overlooked the fact that at the time
Washington crossed the Delaware,
Christmas, 1776. the colouied did not
possess flag Of "Stars and Stripes,
and that in portraying a flag with stars
the canvass failed to record the truth,
for at this date the continental Tag was
of thirteen stripes. alternate red and
white. and as a union the British union
Of the crosses Of SIS. George and An
drew was still kept as symbolic Of con
stitutional sympathy between the colo
nies and tho mother country,
The American flag did not receive its
stars until June IA, 1777, when the
continental congress so decreed the
standard of the united colonies This
great American picture decoratcs more
! homes. schools and colleges than any
group historical picture we possess, and
! II is to be regretted that it contains the
! flag error, since it mars the historic
! evolution Of the symbol Of the country
The Chicago Inter Ocean.