Snapshots of the Past

Westward the course of the Empire takes its way" painting in Capitol – Antique Print

Westward the course of the Empire takes its way" painting in Capitol — historic photograph
Westward the course of the Empire takes its way" painting in Capitol. Historic photograph from the Washington DC collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

Step back in time with Westward the course of the Empire takes its way" painting in Capitol, a historic photograph rich in period detail. An authentic image from the Library of Congress, it carries the weight of the real historical record.

Order it framed and ready to hang, or unframed to match a frame you already love. A fine choice for anyone who loves history, and a gift that gets noticed. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past, founded in 2001, has served tens of thousands of customers worldwide.

Westward the course of the Empire takes its way" painting in Capitol

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The title comes from the line "Westward the course of empire takes its way," taken from George Berkeley's 1726 poem on the prospect of planting arts and learning in America, and it names the subject of this painting in the Capitol. Emanuel Leutze, the German-born American painter known for *Washington Crossing the Delaware*, painted the mural-scale work in the early 1860s. It shows pioneers moving across a wide frontier, a picture of national expansion painted while the country was divided by the Civil War. Its placement in the Capitol made it a public statement about the nation's westward growth.

Medium1 negative : glass ; 8 x 10 in. or smaller
GenreTitle from unverified data provided by the National Photo Company on the negative or negative sleeve. Date from negatives in same range. Gift; Herbert A. French; 1947. This glass negative might show streaks and other blemishes resulting from a natural deterioration in the original coatings. Temp. note: Batch seven.
SubjectsUnited States--District of Columbia--Washington (D.C.)
SourceLibrary of Congress, National Photo Company Collection
Original scan6,377 × 5,122 px · prints to 21 × 17 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-NPC-261763

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