governmental law
During the end the 18th century, American art not only helped fuel the fire for independence, it preserved those days of struggle as an empirical foundation for future generations of Americans. Examples of paintings of the revolution abound. Etchings by American Hero Paul Revere stirred America's will to fight, while paintings by John Trumbell helped preserve the events and people that lead America to its independence. Although using different genres, each artist painted from a similar perspective, that of staunch Patriotism. Yet, there are two sides to any conflict, and one must take both sides perspectives into account. It is important to remember that history is often subjectively portrayed with many inherent biases. Propoganda and war go hand and hand. The object is to make a cause seem "just" or "righteous" while making the opposing side seem as if they are spawned from the root of all evil. Propagandized material often results in exaggerations or blatant mistruths. This is the case prior to the onset of the Revolutionary War. Paul Revere's etching of the Boston Massacre is a perfect example of how art can be used to sway public opinion. The etching's iconography describes British redcoats firing on well-dressed
Examples of art works showing the British perspective of the conflict are practically non-existent. It is possible the war was of little significance to the British, or if it was, after losing they were not going to admit it. Another theory is that few people commissioned artwork from a lost conflict. It was something to be forgotten not glorified. One example of British propaganda from before the revolution is the etching titled, The Bostonians Paying the Excise Man(1774) by an unknown artist. The etching's iconography entails "unruly colonists forcing a tax collector they had tarred and feathered to drink scalding tea."(World Book: 277) This is taking place directly in front of a tree labeled "liberty tree" with a poster of the stamp act turned upside down. From a branch of the tree hangs a rope used for hanging and in the background to the far left colonists are depicted dumping British overboard. The two paintings both follow the traditional form of history painting. They The sentiment following the war forced artists such as John Trumbell to document the nation's young history and prevent it from ever being forgotten. Trumbell wrote to Jefferson in 1879: The etching, The Bostonian Paying the Excise Man, is an obvious tool of British propaganda in reaction to The Boston Tea Party. The etching portrays the colonists as a group of rogue unreasonable anarchists. The Stamp Act poster on the tree labeled "liberty tree" represents how the British were reasonable with the colonists when they repealed the Stamp Act. While the rope hanging from the tree is meant to condemn the colonists actions and questions whether the dumping of tea was an act of liberty or a prevention of other's liberty. The theme focuses on the reasonable British versus the unreasonable Americans. "The greatest motives I had...for continuing my pursuit of painting has been the wish of commemorating the great events of our country's revolution. I am fully aware that the profession practiced is frivolous, little useful to society, and unworthy of man who has talents for more serious pursuits. But, to preserve and diffuse the memory of the noblest series of actions which ever presented themselves to the history of man;...[and to preserve] the perso
Some common words found in the essay are:
John Trumbell, Boston Massacre, Bunker Hill, Trumbell Baroque, Excise Man1774, Revolutionary War, Stamp Act, Paul Rubens, Williams Examples, George Washington, revolutionary war, future generations, stamp act, john trumbell, tree labeled liberty, bunker hill, british hill, generations americans, example art, labeled liberty tree, paul revere, future generations americans, liberty tree, breen fredrickson williams, battle bunker hill,
Approximate Word count = 1512
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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