Elena Rossi
John Gast's 1872 painting, American Progress, is a powerful and widely reproduced visual representation of Manifest Destiny, a 19th-century American belief in their divine right to expand westward across the continent. The painting depicts a female figure, Columbia, personifying the United States and leading pioneers into the West, bringing superior knowledge and technology, while the Native Americans and wildlife are pushed into the darkness, reflecting their tragic displacement. The painting's composition conveys a sense of movement from left to right, with groups of human figures arranged in sequential waves, representing the progression of history and technology.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1872 |
| Painter | John Gast |
| Medium | Chromolithographic prints |
| Current location | Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles, California |
| Dimensions | 11.50 by 15.75 inches (29.2 cm × 40.0 cm) |
| Subject | Manifest Destiny, Westward expansion |
| Figures | Columbia, Native Americans, farmers, settlers, buffalo |
| Composition | Sequential waves of people, from left to right |
| Lighting | Dark on the left, bright on the right |
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What You'll Learn
The painting's subject: Manifest Destiny and westward expansion
John Gast's 1872 painting "American Progress" is a powerful and widely recognised visualisation of Manifest Destiny, a 19th-century American belief that their westward expansion was sanctioned by God. The painting was commissioned by publisher George Crofutt for his western travel guidebooks. It depicts a female figure, Columbia, representing the United States, leading pioneers westward. Columbia embodies knowledge and progress, symbolised by her bright, angelic appearance and the book and telegraph wire she carries.
The painting conveys a sense of progress and inevitability, with Columbia bringing "superior" knowledge and technology to the ""unlearned"" Native Americans, who are pushed into the darkness at the edges of the painting, reflecting their tragic displacement. The painting's composition conveys a sense of movement from left to right, with groups of human figures arranged in sequential waves, representing the idea of progress coming from the East to the West.
The left half of the painting shows untouched land rich with nature and beautiful mountain ranges, while the right half shows settled land. The Native Americans, already displaced by European settlements, are now being pushed off this land too. As Columbia moves westward, indigenous people and a herd of buffalo flee from her and the settlers who follow. The prospect of moving into the unknown is represented by the shifting light in the painting, with the East being shown in the light and the West in darkness. The light moves with Columbia into the West, symbolising that America is bringing its technological advancements to inhabit and "civilise" the land.
The painting also serves as a historical encyclopedia of transportation technologies. It depicts the simple Indian travois, the covered wagon, the pony express, the overland stage, and the three railroad lines. This conveys a vivid sense of the passage of time and the inevitability of technological progress. The groups of human figures, read from left to right, convey the idea of progress coming from the East to the West, with Indians preceding Euro-American prospectors, who in turn come before the farmers and settlers.
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The figure of Columbia, representing the United States
Columbia's role as a symbol of progress is further emphasised by the objects she carries: in her right hand, she holds a book, representing education and knowledge, while in her left hand, she lays a telegraph wire, symbolising progress in communication and the westward expansion that would follow. The inclusion of the telegraph wire also represents the expansion of technology and infrastructure across the country. Columbia's dual role as a symbol of knowledge and progress is in line with the beliefs of the time, where Manifest Destiny was seen as a divine mandate, with Americans believing they were destined to spread their "superior" knowledge and civilisation westward.
The painting's composition conveys a sense of movement from left to right, with groups of human figures arranged in sequential waves, representing the idea of progress coming from the East to the West. This movement from left to right also reflects the historical progression of transportation technologies, with the simple Indian travois on the left preceding the covered wagon, the pony express, and eventually, the railroad lines on the right. Columbia leads this procession, embodying the belief that Americans were bringing their knowledge, technology, and civilisation to the West.
The bright, angelic figure of Columbia, leading the way westward, contrasts with the fleeing figures of the Native Americans and the darkness that surrounds them. This visual representation reflects the tragic reality of the displacement of Native Americans during the period of westward expansion. Columbia's forward gaze and the arrangement of the figures in the painting convey a sense of inevitability, suggesting that the progress and expansion represented by Columbia are unstoppable forces, shaping the American landscape and destiny.
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The displacement of Native Americans
John Gast's 1872 painting, "American Progress", is an allegory of manifest destiny, depicting the westward expansion of the United States and the displacement of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands. The painting, commissioned by publisher George Crofutt, is a significant example of American Western Art, conveying the idea of progress from the East to the West.
In the painting, the central figure, Columbia, personifies the United States and represents the concept of progress. She lays a telegraph wire with one hand and carries a schoolbook in the other, symbolising education and enlightenment. As Columbia moves westward, Native Americans and a herd of buffalo flee from her and the settlers following her. This scene captures the forced displacement of Native Americans, who were unable to adjust to the shifting tides of history, as settlers pushed westward driven by the belief in manifest destiny.
The roots of this policy can be traced back to conflicts between American settlers and Indigenous tribes since the 17th century, escalating in the early 19th century. While some policymakers initially approached each tribe as an independent nation, the expansion of the United States and events like the Mexican-American War in 1848 accelerated the encroachment on Native American lands. The government used treaties as a mechanism for displacement, and in cases where tribes resisted, the government violated these treaties and court rulings to facilitate westward expansion.
The painting "American Progress" captures the historical context of this era, alluding to the past, present, and future of the United States. It symbolises the displacement of Native Americans, the loss of their ancestral homelands, and the tragic consequences they endured during this period of westward expansion.
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The portrayal of technological progress
John Gast's 1872 painting, "American Progress", is a powerful portrayal of technological progress and Manifest Destiny. The painting depicts a female figure known as Columbia, personifying the United States and leading Americans westward. The painting conveys a sense of movement from left to right, with groups of human figures arranged in sequential waves, representing the idea of progress moving from the East to the West.
The left side of the painting shows untouched land rich in natural resources and beautiful mountain ranges, while the right side depicts settled land, reflecting the reality of the East Coast at the time. The Native Americans, already displaced by European settlements, are now pushed further west, into the darkness that surrounds them in the painting. This contrast between light and dark symbolises the "superior" knowledge and progress of the Americans compared to the Native Americans.
Columbia, with her bright, angelic appearance, embodies knowledge and progress. She carries a book in her right hand, representing education and enlightenment, and in her left hand, she holds a telegraph wire, symbolising progress in communication and the westward expansion to come. The inclusion of technological innovations like the telegraph emphasises the belief in Manifest Destiny—that it was God's will for Americans to spread their "superior" knowledge westward.
The painting also serves as a historical encyclopedia of transportation technologies. It showcases the evolution from simple Indian travois to covered wagons, the pony express, overland stage, and eventually, the railroad. This progression conveys a vivid sense of the passage of time and the inevitability of technological advancement. John Gast's "American Progress" thus presents a dynamic portrayal of technological progress, Manifest Destiny, and the tragic displacement of Native Americans during America's westward expansion.
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The artist's background and perspective
Prussian-born John Gast was a painter, printer, and lithographer who lived and worked in Brooklyn, New York, during the 1870s. Gast's father was a lithographer, and Gast followed in his father's footsteps, later establishing his own lithograph firm, Gast and Company. He also helped launch the New York Daily Graphic, a newspaper with a dedicated lithographic section. He received patents for several lithographic processes and equipment, and he is considered the inventor of the three-colour lithograph process.
Gast's most famous painting, "American Progress," was created in 1872. It is an allegory of manifest destiny and American westward expansion. The painting depicts a woman, Columbia, the female personification of the United States, laying a telegraph wire with one hand and carrying a school book in the other. As Columbia moves westward, indigenous people and bison flee from her and the settlers who follow. The painting conveys the idea of technological progress and the inevitability of change, with groups of human figures representing different waves of people migrating from the East to the West.
Gast's painting was widely disseminated in chromolithographic prints and is now considered an important example of American Western Art. It was commissioned by George Crofutt, a publisher of American Western travel guides, and it has been frequently reproduced. "American Progress" is a visual vocabulary that viewers found both familiar and persuasive, engaging with large historical questions, cultural stereotypes, and political ideas.
Gast's education and career in lithography likely influenced his artistic style and perspective. His training in Berlin and Paris exposed him to different artistic techniques and ideas, contributing to his unique approach to art.
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Frequently asked questions
The American Progress painting by John Gast is about the concept of Manifest Destiny, the belief that it was God's will for Americans to expand westward and spread their "superior" knowledge and technology.
The American Progress painting was made in 1872.
The American Progress painting was commissioned by George Crofutt, the publisher of a popular series of western travel guides.
The painting was created using chromolithography, a type of printmaking technique that uses oil or water-based inks and stone slabs.
The painting depicts a female figure known as Columbia, representing the United States, leading pioneers westward. The left side of the painting shows untouched land with Native Americans and wildlife, while the right side shows settled land with farmers and settlers. The progression of light from left to right symbolizes the idea of progress and the displacement of Native Americans.
