PRIVATE COLLECTION

This mosaic is inspired by Washington Crossing the Delaware, the celebrated painting created in 1851 by Emanuel Leutze. The original oil on canvas, measuring an impressive 378.5 × 647.7 cm, is regarded as one of the most iconic images in American history.

The painting commemorates General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River during the night of December 25–26, 1776. On that freezing winter night, Washington led the Continental Army across the ice-filled river to launch a surprise attack on the Hessian forces stationed at Trenton. The victory became a defining moment of the American Revolutionary War, symbolizing courage, determination, and the pursuit of independence.

"When I first saw the image we were asked to recreate, even I could not fully judge how successfully it could be translated into hardstone," recalls Leonardo. "As an artist, I never begin a work unless I believe completely in the final result, but this challenge possessed a unique fascination that I simply could not resist."

Leonardo and his father, Renzo, spent the first hour studying the painting in complete silence. No words were needed; each understood the magnitude of the task ahead. A quiet smile on his father's face revealed both excitement and anticipation. The opportunity to recreate such richly detailed figures and immerse himself in another historical era was a challenge he was eager to embrace.

Their work began with extensive research into the historical event itself—military uniforms, equipment, boats, flags, and every available source that could help them understand the people and atmosphere represented by Leutze. Every detail became essential to faithfully translating the spirit of the original painting into the language of hardstone mosaic.

The landscape presented one of the greatest artistic challenges. In Leutze's composition, the frozen river is not merely a setting but an active participant in the drama, conveying both danger and the extraordinary scale of the crossing. Recreating that sense of vastness required subtle variations in the color and tone of the stones. Softer hues were used to suggest the cold, misty distance, while the foreground figures demanded remarkable precision to preserve their individuality, movement, and emotional intensity.

Color after color, piece by piece, the composition slowly came to life. One moment, in particular, remains unforgettable. After spending hours assembling the American flag, Renzo unveiled it the following morning. The reaction of the team was immediate: "The flag looks incredibly real!". Its flowing movement and extraordinary softness seemed almost impossible to achieve in stone, yet it instantly became one of the most expressive elements of the entire composition, evoking the freezing air of that December morning and the ideals for which the soldiers fought.

Looking back, Leonardo considers the spirit of collaboration to be the greatest achievement of the project. It extended far beyond the artists themselves. Colleagues Stefano, Pierpaolo, and Filippo each contributed their technical expertise and creative insight throughout the process, while visitors who observed the work shared their own historical knowledge and personal interpretations of the scene. What began as the work of two artists gradually became the result of many minds and many hands.

"We had never created a work 'with four hands' before," Leonardo reflects. "In this case, it would be more accurate to say it was created with ten. Every person involved contributed their own talent and passion, reminding us that great works of art are often the product not only of individual craftsmanship, but of shared dedication and a common vision."

Year of composition: 2016

Size: cm 39x53

Artist: Renzo and Leonardo Scarpelli 

Renzo and Leonardo's interpretation pays tribute to this historic moment through the centuries-old Florentine art of Commesso Fiorentino. The natural veins, colors, and shadings of selected stones replace the painter's brushstrokes, transforming a masterpiece of painting into a work of exceptional craftsmanship and expressive power.

Commesso Fiorentino was born with the Medici family, one of the most important families in Florence, in the second half of 1500.

The research of the stones is made by the mosaicist that must be able to choose from a rich and wide range of shades and veins: for this reason the artists personally search and collect the stones retracing the paths of the Medici researchers.

The processing starts by drawing the subject on adhesive paper, that is then cut into small tamplates that will be attached to the variegated shades of the stones following the visual instinct, the innate gift of the artist and his perfect knowledge of the materials. The shape of the little piece will be cut by hand with a chestnut, cherry or hazelnut wood bow and an iron wire that flows with abrasive powder and water. It creates a very precise and inclined cut to form the essential spaces to accommodate the glue, made by artisans with beeswax and pine tree resin. The different stones are previously glued onto a slate surface which acts as a support during the cutting and filing phase. The various pieces which form the composition are adjusted in shape with diamond files, glued together so that the joints are invisible, flattened and finally polished in order to create a perfect decorative harmony showing the colors of nature in all their radiance.