Return of Columbus in Chains to Cadiz by Emanuel Leutze

Emanuel Leutze
1816-1868 | American

Return of Columbus in Chains to Cadiz

Signed E. Leutze / Philadelphia (lower right)
Oil on canvas

Painted by the artist in 1842, this masterpiece titled Return of Columbus in Chains to Cadiz portrays Columbus in chains, surrounded by a compelling ensemble of natives, settlers and other witnesses. Leutze, renowned for his evocative and action-filled scenes from American history, imbues this masterpiece with a narrative prowess that echoes his iconic works such as Washington Crossing the Delaware. Before that work was rendered, however, there was this canvas—the very first painting he completed in America. As the composition that launched his monumental career, this painting is as historically exceptional as it is captivating.

The scene unfolds in San Domingo, present-day Dominican Republic, where Columbus awaits his return to Cadiz, Spain to endure a six-week imprisonment before being granted freedom by King Ferdinand. The arresting portrayal captures the exhaustion and tribulations faced by the renowned explorer in the aftermath of his ambitious voyages.

This masterwork stands as one of Leutze's earliest major works and once held a prominent position at the entrance to the United States Secretary of State's office. The painting's enduring significance is underscored by its selection as the image for the 1892 United States Postal Service stamp commemorating the 400th anniversary of Columbus's first visit to the Americas. A testament to its historical weight, the $2 stamp from the American Bank Note Company became a collector's item itself.

Born in Württemberg, Germany, Leutze's family emigrated to the United States in 1825 to escape religious persecution, settling in Philadelphia. His father, a staunch anti-monarchist, instilled in him a deep appreciation for democratic ideals—an ideology that would serve as the cornerstone of Leutze's celebrated career. Leutze demonstrated an early talent for art and returned to Germany to attend the prestigious Art Academy of Düsseldorf. There he was exposed to the Düsseldorf style, characterized by polished and detailed surfaces and heroic themes—a style he mastered in his depictions of America's foundation, from early explorers to later preeminent statesmen. By design his art celebrated democracy, reaching audiences worldwide.

Perhaps no other American artist can rival Emanuel Leutze's acclaim and influence. Washington Crossing the Delaware is prominently displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Wadsworth Atheneum showcases another of his epics, The Storming of the Teocalli by Cortez and His Troops. In 1860, Leutze painted a monumental mural for the U.S. Capitol, Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way, a work so impactful that it is studied in-depth at Washington, DC's Smithsonian.

Circa 1842

Canvas: 36 1/4" high x 53" wide (92.08 x 134.62 cm)
Framed: 47 5/8" high x 65" wide (120.97 x 165.10 cm)

Literature:
Bedini, Silvio A., The Christopher Columbus Encyclopedia, New York: Macmillan Publishers, 2016. Page 322.
Fitz, Karsten. The Düsseldorf Academy of Art, Emanuel Leutze, and German-American Exchange in the Mid-Nineteenth Century. In Amerikastudien / American Studies 52, no. 1 (2007). Pages 21, 23, 24. Ill.
Hutton, Anne Hawkes. Portrait of Patriotism. Philadelphia and New York: Chilton Book Co., 1959. Pages 34-35.
Groseclose, Barbara S., National Collection of Fine Arts (US), 1816-1868: Freedom is the Only King, Washington, DC 1975. Page 19.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, NY) American Paintings: A Catalogue of the Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1965. Page XXVI.
Miles, Ellen Gross, Portrait Painting in America: The Nineteenth Century, Main Street: University of California Press, 1977. Page 84.
Taylor, Joshua C. The Fine Arts in America, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981. Page 258.

Provenance:
American Art-Union, New York
Richard J. Arnold, Providence, RI
By descent to his daughter and her husband William R. Talbot, Jr., Philadelphia, PA
Richard Manoogian, Masco Corporation, Detroit, MI
U. S. Department of State, Secretary of State Office
Gary Hendershott, Little Rock, Arkansas
Dr. Robert Pamplin, Jr., Pamplin Collection
M.S. Rau, New Orleans