The Tory Escort

In the final year of his life, William Tylee Ranney painted The Tory Escort, an example of a decidedly American theme in history painting. Set during the Revolutionary War, the scene Ranney chose to depict tells the story of conflicted colonists, not the soldiers and great battles of the war. The three Tories, those loyal to the British crown, are about to lead away their prisoner—an American patriot. In the background, a home, presumably that of the patriot, stands smoldering.

Ranney, who began his painting career in the early 1830s in New York, often paid particular attention to the experiences of common men involved in war. His artistic career was interrupted when the the siege of the Alamo inspired him to serve in the war for Texan independence. His own involvement in battle undoubtedly influenced his approach to painting scenes like this one.