2016)
This statement could describe the whole movement in the canvas in the best way. In the painting, a big quantity of pioneers is moving to the West of the United States – they are expanding westwards. "Westward Ho!" Is a perfect example of how Manifest Destiny5 was put in practice.
After long months of hard and tiring traveling a big group of emigrants has finally arrived to the frontier line that divides them from the West, Eldorado6, Promised Land, where they are going to forget all the difficulties from the past and start a completely new life.
The setting of the canvas is in the West of the United States. The right side of the picture …show more content…
Pioneers and are also depictured on the right side. Most of them are sitting in the wagons, pulled by horses and mules. This caravan is escaping from the darkness: they are overcoming all the difficulties and continue moving forward, inspired by the the light ahead and hoping for the bright future. Faces of the pioneers on the right side have an enormous emotional impact on the viewers: they reflect all the problems and sorrow of the pioneers and provoke empathy. Some of the pioneers are pointing to an incredible and full of light horizon. It symbolizes the calm and peace that pioneers are going to reach as soon as they arrive to the West, to the Promised Land.
On the right side of the picture, there are a few men riding their mukes and a few women in the cart. One is also waving a flag, going by the side of the cart. In the far background going down the valley we can see a lot of carriages and there must be even more we can't see, they are going down the valley.
5 Manifest Destiny is a term for the attitude prevalent during the 19th century period of American expansion that the United States not only could, but was destined to, stretch from coast to coast. This attitude