photo by: Art Bridges

Edward Hicks' "Washington Passing the Delaware," circa 1835-1840, oil on canvas, 36 1/4 x 49 7/8 inches.

The Watkins Museum of History is partnering with a national arts nonprofit to bring a major work of 19th-century American painting to Lawrence.

Edward Hicks’ “Washington Passing the Delaware,” on loan from the Art Bridges Collection, will anchor “Sharing Heritage Through Art,” a yearlong exhibition series opening in April 2027.

The nonprofit, Art Bridges Foundation, was founded by philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton, the Walmart heiress.

The oil painting will be the centerpiece of the “Sharing Heritage Through Art” exhibitions exploring how cultural communities, including Native American, African American and Mexican American communities, in Douglas County preserve and share their histories, a news release Tuesday from the museum said.

Hicks, a Pennsylvania Quaker preacher best known for his Peaceable Kingdom paintings, produced several versions of Washington’s December 1776 crossing of the Delaware River, modeling them on Thomas Sully’s “The Passage of the Delaware.” The painting on loan to the Watkins depicts the Continental Army’s surprise advance on Trenton, New Jersey — a turning point of the Revolutionary War — and will remain on view through December 2027.

A rotating selection of stories and artwork drawn from the Watkins Museum’s collection and community partners will surround the painting and be refreshed every two months.

The opening installation will pair Hicks’ depiction of an iconic episode from the American Revolution with traditional approaches to a defining event in Lawrence’s own history, Quantrill’s Raid of 1863, the release said.

“This project with Art Bridges provides a new perspective on local history,” said Steve Nowak, executive director of the Watkins Museum of History, in the release. “Through the medium of art, visitors will discover how different cultural traditions represented in our community remember and share their heritage.”

“Art Bridges’ mission is to share important works of American art with communities across the United States,” said Ashley Holland, director of curatorial initiatives and partnerships at Art Bridges, in the release. “We are thrilled to partner with the Watkins Museum of History for the first time and look forward to seeing how they bring Washington Passing the Delaware by Edward Hicks to life through engaging experiences for their community.”