U.S.S. "Constitution" Leaving New York Harbor
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Thomas Birch
ca. 1813
Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as Woodrow Wilson's assistant secretary of the Navy during World War I. His library at Hyde Park, NY was filled with artwork depicting naval battles. The U.S.S. Constitution, also known as "Old Ironsides," played a prominent role in several naval battles during the War of 1812. While artist Thomas Birch's early works depicted Philadelphia, he is best known for his naval images of the War of 1812. A Birch painting hung in the Oval Office during John F. Kennedy's presidency.
Oil on canvas. H 76, W 88 cm
Home Of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, HOFR 850