Oliver Cromwell by Emanuel Leutze

Emanuel Leutze
1816-1868 | German-American

Oliver Cromwell

Signed and dated "E. Leutze 1867" (lower left)
Oil on canvas

This monumental 1867 portrait of Oliver Cromwell by Emanuel Leutze represents a masterwork by America's most celebrated historical painter, whose iconic Washington Crossing the Delaware defines national imagery. Leutze's fascination with revolutionary leaders who embodied democratic ideals led him to immortalize Cromwell as a pivotal figure in the struggle against absolute monarchy. Standing alongside his acclaimed depictions of George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte, this life-size portrayal captures the English Lord Protector at the height of his power, symbolizing the enduring fight for constitutional governance and individual liberties.

The composition presents Cromwell in formal regalia within what appears to be England's state archives, holding the Magna Carta—the foundational document that established limits on royal authority and laid the groundwork for constitutional governance. Leutze employs his characteristic Düsseldorf style with polished surfaces and heroic monumentality, depicting Cromwell with the gravitas befitting a leader who challenged the divine right of kings. The artist's meticulous attention to historical detail and symbolic elements transforms this portrait into a powerful meditation on the principles of parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law that Cromwell championed during the English Civil War.

Emanuel Leutze stands as perhaps America's most influential historical painter, whose works transcend museum walls to embody national spirit and democratic ideals. Born in Württemberg, Germany, his family emigrated to Philadelphia in 1825 to escape religious persecution, instilling in young Leutze the anti-monarchist principles that would define his artistic vision. After studying at the prestigious Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Leutze mastered the detailed, heroic style that made his depictions of America's foundation legendary. His monumental works grace the nation's most prestigious institutions, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the U.S. Capitol, where his mural Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way remains a cornerstone of American artistic heritage.

This portrait exemplifies Leutze's unique ability to capture historical figures who shaped the trajectory of democratic governance, presenting Cromwell not merely as England's Lord Protector but as a universal symbol of resistance to tyranny. Leutze depicted Cromwell in just one other painting, which is now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art's permanent collection.

Dated 1867

Canvas: 55 1/2" high x 41" wide (140.97 x 104.14 cm)
Frame: 63 1/2" high x 48 1/2" wide (161.29 x 123.19 cm)

Provenance:
Private Collection, Connecticut
Private Collection, Oregon
M.S. Rau, New Orleans

Literature:
Barbara S. Groseclose, Emanuel Leutze, 1816–1868: Freedom Is the Only King (Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1975), 100, fig. 114