Battle of Saratoga, September 19, 1777 1777 - 1782

This engraving, "Battle of Saratoga, September 19, 1777," was made by Johann Martin Will. The scene plunges us into the heart of the American Revolutionary War. Will, a German artist, illustrates the clashing forces, but it's crucial to remember that this image emerges from a European perspective on a conflict fundamentally about identity and self-determination. The print highlights the grand scale of the battle. What isn't immediately apparent is how this struggle for independence was deeply entwined with issues of race and class. While the narrative often focuses on white colonists seeking freedom, enslaved Africans were promised liberation by the British, complicating the moral landscape. Class divisions among the colonists themselves fueled tensions, making it a multifaceted conflict. Consider how Will, from a distance, interprets this battle. Does it maintain traditional representations of warfare, or does it hint at the emergence of new, alternative narratives of national identity? The "Battle of Saratoga" serves as a potent reminder of how the fight for liberation is always entangled with complex social and political realities.