Douglas Island news., 1918-04-05
WASHINGTON
 IN HISTORY
First Great American Pictured as Crossing Delaware River Makes
 Interesting Story

turc i'm school readers and gcogra- phics of Washington Crossing che Delaware" and Co learn that the picture was "faked" will bc rcv- elation. But according to Dr. Ser nard J. Cigrand in tho New York Times. thc picture is fake, o1 Che following proves:
 Every student of American his tory knows that General Washing ton and his army crossed Che pelo. ware But ir we are Co bcIicf" tn' correspondence or Che late Eastman Johnson. famous American artist and a pupil of Emanuel Lcutzc, who painted "Washmgton Crossing the Delaware" then Washington is por- trayed not as crossing thc Delaware. but as crossing tho Rhine.
 Mrs. Johnson possesses some re- markablc letters about the painting which now hangs In the Mctropoli- tan Museum. New York City In reproductions it is probably better known to American history than any other picture.
 Lcutze actually painted Che pie ture on tho banks of tho Rhine. and German soldiers posed for Che lead ing figures.
 Some years ago. while visiting Germany. | journcycd Co thc old homestead of the artist, who gave us the picture of one of the telling victories of the American revolution. The keeper of Che old place told me that Leutzo camc to Dusseldorf m lS4l, and not long atterward he be- gan the picture of "Washington Crossing the Delaware" | was told that thc artist sat on the banks of the Rhine and for many days made a careful study of Che flow Of Che stream and outlined its banks He also made close studies of the 6g- ures for his painting, and particu- larly of Washiugton's face.
 Then. when the springtimc came. and while the Rhine was chokcd with ice, he sketched the rivers bank and the cakes of ice as they were tossed about by wind and tor rent. Hence our famous picture portrays an ice jam on the Rhine and not on che Delaware River and the entire atmosphere is of German character German types of faces arc Co be seen. The man who is holding Che flag In the picture looks much like Frederick the Great
 These German soldier models were attired in American Continental army uniforms. 10 was young East man Johnson's task to sec that they were true in detail Co history John son wrote our congress for assist- ance. and committee was appoint ed with instructions Co aGord Leu'zc and Johnson every service possible.
 Whom returned to America was anxious Co learn more about thc painting and wrote several letters to Mrs. Johnson and succeeded n securing details Of her husbands service to Lcutzc as we'll os about his own contribution Co historic American paintings. It was John son who gave us the picture of Liu- coln's Boyhood. He also painted Daniel Webster. Mrs. JohusonF story slightly corrected what the keeper told me. though n the main it corroboratcd what ho said.
 To secure accuracy in the cos- tunes Mir. Johnson wrote to hia fa- ther. asking him to have made a careful reproduction of che uniform worn by Washington, which was done. and the garments were for warded Co Leutzc Johnson in a letter home records that at tho re- ception held in Lcutze's studio in May. 1851. tho Prince and Princess Of Prussia were among the distn- guishod guests.
 The American flag was evidently shipped Co Leutzc also, but in this case the painter, as we'll as his young pupils, overlooked Che fact that at the time Washington crossed the Delaware. Christians night 1776. tho Colonies did not possess flag of stars and Stripes and that in portraying a flag with stars the canvas failed to record thc truth, for at this date the Continental flag was made of thirteen stripes, al- ternate red and white, with the crosses of St. George and st. An drew.
 The picture decoratos more homes. schools and colleges than any group of historical pictures we possess and it is to be regretted it contains the flag error.
 Another popular error with re- gard to this picture is that many of our American books of history and art speak of Lcutzc as a native Am erican. when the truth is he was born in Wurttcmbcrg. Germany, on May 24, 1916. He was brought to America when am infant Later he became SO thoroughly interested in American affairs that he chose to