Keywords: Westward (Leutze).JPG Artwork Creator Emanuel Leutze Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way preliminary study for a mural in the U S Capitol Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze May 24 1816 “ July 18 1868 was a German-American history painter best known for his painting Washington Crossing the Delaware 1851 In 1860 he was commissioned by the U S Congress to decorate a stairway in the Capitol Building in Washington D C for which he painted this preliminary study for the large composition Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way also commonly known as Westward Ho It celebrates the idea of the Manifest Destiny at the time when the Civil War threatened the Republic 1861 oil on canvas in 33 25 43 375 Institution Smithsonian American Art Museum object history exhibition history credit line Smithsonian American Art Museum Bequest of Sara Carr Upton accession number 1931 6 1 photo by James Steakley 14569 <gallery> Emanuel Leutze - Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way - Capitol jpg Completed mural in Capitol</gallery> 38 53 51 61 N 77 1 20 4 W scale 391_region US PD-Art-100 Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way |