How Did The Constitutional Convention Reflect America In 1940

To fully understand a time and place one must immerse one’s self with the subject time period and people’s culture. Music, cuisine, current events, and even how history is conveyed assist the researcher. Fine arts help meet this end too, but combining fine art with the interpretation of historic events provides more depth of understanding. In other words, values are very much informed by culture and vice versa. Howard Chandler Christy‘s 1940 work demonstrates how the view of the Constitutional Convention has changed to reflect current events, culture, values and politics over the last 200 years. Although the time and place of the Constitutional Convention is irrefutable, its depiction has changed over time because the US Constitution has itself
This seemingly minor detail is very important to the painting as it reflects the values of the American people during 1940. Many have debated whether or not it was a rising or setting sun, but it has been determined that it is in fact a rising sun. The rising sun chair during the convention symbolized how America was just beginning and if it falls, they will rise again. America in 1940 really needed that symbolism as they were about to make the decision whether or not to enter a war against a brutal and powerful army. They had to choose this decision through electing new politicians that they trusted with making the right choices for the nation. America had also just gotten out of the Great Depression, proving that America can overcome the toughest challenges and rise again, just like the Sun. Americans valued never losing hope as they knew that even if America hit rock bottom, they would overcome their problems and rise up again. There were many other times in the past where America had fallen and then got back up, that is how the depiction of the “Rising Sun” chair in Christy’s painting reflects the values of the people over the last 200