Emanuel Leutze - Mrs. Schuyler Burning Her Wheat Fields on the Approach of the British, 1852

      The painting portrays Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler, wife of General Philip Schuyler, in a dramatic act of patriotism during the American Revolutionary War. In the painting, Mrs. Schuyler is setting fire to vast wheat fields to prevent their seizure by advancing British troops. Leutze emphasizes her resolution and sacrifice, casting her in a heroic light, with dynamic brushwork and vivid contrasts between fire and landscape. The work reflects 19th-century ideals of feminine virtue and nationalist pride, aligning with Leutze’s broader themes of liberty and resistance.