“January 8, 2015 is the bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans. Fought between an American force of around 5,000 men under Andrew Jackson and 7,500 British troops commanded by Sir Edward Pakenham, the outcome forced the British to leave Louisiana, thus ending the War of 1812. Five months later, the British and their Prussian allies defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.
As with any battle, much information has been lost and eyewitness accounts provide only a snapshot of the fighting. Consequently, myths and legends emerge and these often influence the iconography of the battle. In the ten images featured in this exhibit, the American artists propagandize the battle by depicting the Americans as mighty victors over a weaker British force. The hero of the day, Jackson, is given prominence throughout; however, the death of his counterpart, Pakenham, has not been overlooked, as is the case in the engraving featured here. Of particular note is the fact that few if any of the artists were present at the battle. Though not based on first person observation, these images exerted great influence over perception of the events in 1815″.
Bopp Seminar Room, Second Floor, John Hay Library, Brown University, 20 Prospect Street, Providence
Link to the website of the Brown University Library here.
Langue(s) : English