The artwork, “Lighter Relieving a Steamboat Aground,” created by George Caleb Bingham in 1847, is an oil painting on canvas belonging to the Romanticism art movement. This genre painting, with dimensions of 91.9 x 77 cm, is housed in the White House in Washington, DC, US.
The artwork depicts a tranquil river scene where a group of individuals work cooperatively to assist a steamboat that has run aground. The figures are on a flat-bottomed boat, with one individual standing and using a pole to guide the boat, while others seem engaged in various activities and gestures suggesting effort and teamwork. The steamboat in need of relief is visible in the background, set against a serene landscape with distant hills and a clear sky. The composition is rich in detail, and the use of light and shadow captures the atmosphere of the setting sun, rendering a calm yet purposeful scene emblematic of the Romanticism era’s focus on human interaction with nature.
