Before George Washington fought the Battle of Trenton he fought the elements, melodramatically depicted in Emanuel Leutze’s “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” This painting, one of a series of paintings of American historical scenes for which he is famous, is actually a rendering of the Rhine River since Leutze (1816 – 1868) was born and raised in Germany. Originally 12 feet high and 21 feet long, this painting was destroyed during World War II, and was replaced by a second, smaller version which symbolizes patriotism and freedom.