Sharjah: Osman Hassan
American painter John Trumbull (1756-1843) is one of the artists who became famous during the War of Independence period. He was known for his historical paintings about this war. In addition to being a painter, he was a veteran of this war. That is why he was called “The Painter of Independence”.
John Trumbull has four famous paintings that hang in the United States Capitol. He was born in Connecticut, and his father is Jonathan Trumbull, Governor of Connecticut from 1769 to 1784; Jonathan is descended from his father’s and mother’s side of his family from the first Puritan settlers in the state.
John Trumbull portrayed in Boston the most prominent war skirmishes between the British and Americans during the War of Independence. As a soldier, in June 1776 he was appointed deputy aide to General Horatio Jitsu, and his greatest artistic achievements during that period were the painting “The Battle of Bunker” or “Bunker Hill.”
John Trumbull finished the Battle of Bunker Hill in oil colors, in 1786, depicting the climax of the battle, when the British overran the American stronghold. / June 1741 He died on June 17, 1775, and was described as the leader of the national resistance against British tyranny in Boston. He fought fiercely in the Battle of Bunker Hill as an ordinary soldier, despite being appointed commander-in-chief of the Massachusetts forces a few days before the start of the battle.
The death of Dr. Joseph at the hands of the British, to be considered a symbol and a hero, as is the case with the heroes of the decisive battles in human history, and his height to such a halo, represents the central event in the painting, which shows his fellow soldiers embracing him, and they appeared to have emotional and poignant scenes, as he died as a sacrifice For the ideals of the Revolutionary War.
details
The themes of the current or the romantic school in art appear in the painting, and it is the school that cared about drawing details, not to mention highlighting the decisive or influential moments, because he died a hero in the battle, and it was clear that the painter was interested in highlighting the military uniform that was known in the American Revolutionary War, as he excelled Trumbull shows the features of this uniform, as it is in the details of the soldiers’ jackets and coats, which appear in red and gray colors, and as it is in the details of shoes, trousers, rifles, soldiers’ hats, and all war belongings.
The War of Independence in America was strongly reflected in romantic art by many pioneers, including John Trumbull, which confirms the strength of human emotions that highlight feelings of fear, terror, panic and pain. It was that this painting was met with overwhelming popularity among the art public, including its wild and original imagination that deepens and supports the aesthetic experience.
The Battle of Bunker Hill, also known as the Battle of Breed’s Hill, took place on June 17, 1775, in Charlestown, Boston, and is described as one of the bloodiest days of the Revolutionary War. British cannonballs rained down on American soldiers who were defending two hills or hills overlooking Boston. Connecticut captain Samuel McClellan fired at the British forces, followed by American soldiers in their red jackets attacking the British forces who were wearing belts indicating the regimental emblem.
The 23rd, who were carrying swords as they moved forward, caused heavy losses among them, some historians indicate that the battle losses caused the loss of about 100 American soldiers, and 305 were wounded, while the British suffered more cruelty, after they suffered more than 1000 casualties, In a war that was described as traumatic for both sides.
In 1784, after Britain recognized the independence of the United States, Trumbull returned to London to study painting. He painted several paintings that paved the way for approval to be shown by the Royal Academy of Arts that year. Working in his studio, Trumbull painted “The Battle of Bunker Hill” and “The Death of General Montgomery” in the Attack on Quebec, both works which are preserved in the Yale University Art Gallery.
While in Paris, he became a recognized art icon. Trumbull also painted the Declaration of Independence commissioned by the US Congress, along with three portraits of the Revolutionary War starring General Burgoyne, Lord Cornwallis, and George Washington, all of which now hang in the rotunda of the United States Capitol. .
Arts
During and immediately after the war, artists in America and Europe painted scenes of some of its pivotal events, some to show national or individual pride, others to profit and still others to reveal the war’s brutality. The artists created paintings with accurate details in addition to emotional scenes, and the pace of the paintings that appeared in American and European collections continued, tracing the course of the war through dramatic and convincing scenes depicting the revolutionary struggle as well as the solemnity of victory from an immortal period in the history of the American Wars of Independence.