In December 1814 and January 1815, General Andrew Jackson won critical encounters against a larger British force to secure New Orleans (and the entire Louisiana Purchase, comprising most of the American West) from falling into enemy hands. Although the battles largely took place after the Treaty of Ghent ended the war, the American victories persuaded the British to comply with the treaty without the need for additional hostilities.
Jackson became an immediate hero; the country began celebrating January 8th as the anniversary of the battle, and nine years later Jackson ascended to the presidency of the United States. It was during his campaign for a second term in 1832 that a Connecticut printmaker named Daniel Wright Kellogg issued a lithograph that showed Jackson, “The Hero of New Orleans,” (above) astride a rearing horse reminiscent of the famous image of Napoleon crossing the Alps painted by Jacques Louis David in 1805 (below). Kellogg’s prints found their way into homes across the United States, and helped to solidify Jackson’s military legacy as well as his political future.
Somehow, one such print found its way into the hands of a young woman named Betsy Wellman, and she was inspired enough by the subject and composition that she decided to make her own version (see the image at the top of this post). And what she created is amazing. Jackson’s horse is drawn in intricate calligraphic flourishes and tight stippling, while his saddle blanket and bags are recast in bright, bold patterns of color and line. The result is a perfect blend of watercolor highlights on a confidently rendered ink drawing. A homegrown hero brought to life with artistic techniques known to every schoolchild.
We actually own another version of the same subject by an unidentified artist (above), probably done at about the same time as Betsy Wellman’s (ca. 1840). This drawing really emphasizes the calligraphy, which gives it a more lively appearance but without the bold composition.
Taken together, the two folk art pieces show how ordinary people, borrowing from other artists and using their distinctive skills, greatly embellished the visual legacy of the arts in America. At the same time, they may have had an important role in shaping the country’s political future. It’s hard to trump a folk hero.
