American Progress by John Gast
American Progress Painting Analysis by Xavier Byams
American Progress by John Gast shows American Exceptionalism in many ways as this painting vividly represents the exploration of the west and manifest destiny. The first thing I noticed about the painting is the American figure Lady Columbia in the middle with her brown locks and white robe. Lady Columbia represents the United States moving west. She symbolizes knowledge and progress. As she moves westward, she brings knowledge and progress with her as seen in her left hand carrying a telegram line which resembles progress, and in her right hand carrying a book which resembles knowledge. Lady Columbia’s roman toga also represents classical republicanism. The next thing I notice is the men at the bottom with their horses, cattle, and a plow. This shows the American idea of being hard-working and striving for more as it shows these men going to explore out west to take their land. Looking at the whole painting you can see all the landscapes of America. The coast, mountains, and plains show the diversity of the land. To the left of Lady Columbia, you can see the Native Americans being driven away with the Native Americans being topless and with animals to dehumanize them. In the plains, in the center, you can see Bisons running away from a man on a horse chasing them which also shows the American exceptionalism idea of chasing your goals in the unknown. The idea of the unknown leads to what is the most important element of the whole painting. The light imagery.
Lady Columbia is leading the way west with the light following her along with all the dreams of Americans. The canvas is progressively being filled with the light of the American dream and with that dream comes technology and cultivators of a brand-new land. Throughout the whole painting, there is this very American idea that you can decide how successful you can be, but you must work for it and that is how you manifest your destiny.
