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6 Iconic American Flag Paintings for 4th July You’ll Love to Discover!
- Sutithi
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 23
“The United States is the only country with a known birthday.”
– James G. Blaine
Freedom is priceless everywhere.
In America, freedom shines on the 4th of July. It’s a day to celebrate Independence with parades, fireworks, flags, and family barbecues - a time to cuddle up with pals, open some beers, and hope that everything is just okay with a nation nearly 250 years old!
This snug patriotic feeling is shared and cultivated by phenomenal artists and celebrated painters, who’ve significantly added on to the vibes of the cultural celebration of the Fourth of July. There are commemorative paintings of flags, cartoons, vintage posters, 4th of July banners and contemporary works on the themes of independence.
Let us follow some intriguing tales as to how artists dealt with the inherent symbolisms in patriotic flag paintings & Independence Day paintings, and how they have added their own twists to these objective pieces of art.
From the politically charged painting of Delaware to Warhol’s Coca Cola prints, there are numerous forms of patriotic art presented on this occasion by celebrated artists like Jasper Jones, Andy Warhol or Barbara Kruger. They have explored the flag's symbolism in a way never done before.
Let’s dive in!
Jasper Jones Paintings of the Flag of America
Jasper Johns is famous for his iconic flag paintings of 4th July. His earlier flag series radiate the jubilant spirit of the occasion in stark red, blue, and white. No wonder, it became one of the most commonplace symbols of American identity.
Jasper’s symbolism is so inherent that one may take it for granted, but there are deep, underlying meanings to it. Yes, they are the American flags that people can readily recognize. Still, it is fascinating to know how Jasper dealt with the inherent messages when he recreated the flag images already loaded with meaning!
Thomas Sully – The Passage of Delaware
Sully, the prominent Philadelphia artist, termed his monumental painting ‘The Passage of Delaware’ as ‘a historical portrait.’ It shows the valiant figure of Washington, leading his troops across the Delaware river in a cold, wintry, December night to startle the enemies at Trenton.
He depicted the victory of the colonists in a theatrical and dramatic way. Nevertheless. the painting triggered some uneasy political questions regarding the existence of slavery in the new found nation!
Childe Hassam – The Fourth of July, 1916
Another notable depiction is ‘The Fourth of July, 1916’ by Childe Hassam, evoking the joyous air of celebration. This work showcase the spirit of revolution and the brave fight for Independence with color symbolism that scream red, blue and WOW!
Andy Warhol’s America in Coca-Cola Prints
As the spirit of Independence Day soars high up in the air, we look at some bizarre but bold creations of contemporary artists like Andy Warhol or Barbara Kruger, who explored the American flag’s symbolism in their own artistic ways. They triggered some uneasy questions though!
Following in the footsteps of Jasper Jones, Kruger or Warhol have explored the subject matter from a never-seen angle, blending the staple consumer products and the American flag art to show us a brand-new face of a consumerist society.
With his series of green Coca Cola bottles, Andy Warhol brings the element of commercial art into patriotism, hinting on the growing consumerist culture in America. His works were showcased as retrospective at the Whitney Museum, called ‘Andy Warhol – From A to B, and Back Again.’
They were also exhibited in San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art.
Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Questions), 1990
This 30 ft large-scale mural created by Barbara Kruger in 1990 posed many uneasy questions and triggered thoughts about political power-play, social structures and individualism. This work was showcased at the Museum of Contemporary Art, in Los Angeles and was re-exhibited several times.
Kruger’s Untitled (Questions) was framed amidst a cultural debate in the US that touched on the themes of patriotism, civic duty, and power, asking nine questions like ‘who is free to choose’ or ‘who is beyond the law.’ They are relevant to this day in 2025!
Roy Lichtenstein, Forms in Space, 1985
Roy Lichtenstein’s 'Forms in Space' is one of his famous pop art style creations that has bold colors of blue and red. It has the Lichtenstein signature Ben-Day blue dots that mimic modern printing techniques.
This work has toured different art museums and galleries worldwide, like the National Gallery of Art, Washington, the Tate Modern, London or Museo Delle Culture de Milan, etc.
Lichtenstein created it for the Institute of Contemporary Art's fundraising event, "Rally 'Round the Flag," where other artists like Andy Warhol also contributed.
Vintage Posters and Banners for the Independence Day
The early 20th century saw some spirited patriotic holiday celebrations featuring symbols of Uncle Sam or the American Eagle in the vintage posters, using blue, red, and color white in bold designs.
People shared famous quotes and penned odes to America like historical speeches to humorous expressions, mixed with a sense of pride & passion for a united nation.
“I believe in America because we have great dreams, and because we have the opportunity to make those dreams come true.” – Wendell L. Wilkie
The Independence Day Portrayals from the Black Artists of America
“The character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this 4th of July,”
- African-American orator & social reformer Frederick Douglass.
Amidst the celebration of the birth of the nation, Frederick Douglas also recalled an unfulfilled promise made in the Declaration of Independence. He wished the abolitionists had granted equal rights to the American slaves!
And, after so many decades, the lurking unhappiness and discontent is projected through some artistic expressions of the Black artists of America, like in the contemporary works of Kerry James Marshall.
When Kerry Painted his ‘Happy July 4TH Bang’
The 1994 painting by Kerry showcases an Independence Day celebration basking in a party mood. The apparently naive celebration scene depicts two boys showing their reverence to the US flag beside a smoking suburban barbecue set-up. It looks easy at the first sight.
The write-up just below the image shows a banner with text-clouds that reads: “HAPPY JULY 4TH BANG” and “WE ARE ONE.”
The image captures the patriotic spirit well, but the African American boys appear grim and somber, adding a deeper emotional layer. Kerry has cleverly used the setting sun as a symbolic backdrop. It feels like this image holds more meaning than we can fully grasp at first glance.
Parades, Fireworks and Flags: What's Behind the 4th July Celebration!
There are more flag paintings, symbolic patriotic artworks, showcasing the pride of the nation to mark the day as the ‘last great experiment of promoting human happiness’ as Geroge Washington suggested.
These iconic works of art have reshaped the cultural landscape of the Fourth of July, offering a unique visual identity of what is called America, with a mix of patriotism & sarcasm.
“We tend to assume there is one history of America: the mythical, heroic narrative of an all-inclusive, grand project that had at its inception the goal of embracing differences and treating all as equal,”
- Kerry James Marshall
During an interview for his National Gallery retrospective, Marshall reminds us that the celebration, the fireworks, hot dogs, and beer cans can sometimes make us forget the worth of what we are truly celebrating -
“If we allow ourselves to be lost in this mythology, we overlook the more disturbing, less humane dimensions of our history.”
And that insight can bring much relief!
TERAVARNA gallery wishes its readers a Happy Independence Day!
Let's hope for a better tomorrow!
