When trying to understand a painting there are a lot of elements that have to be analyzed. Questions have to be answered and paralleled with other observations. One will realize that most of the choices the artist makes have to do with one question: What is the artist trying to express through his painting? It seems as though in this painting, Thirteen Americans, all Alfred Leslie's choices relate back to the answer to that question. Another question that helps with answering the first question is: why are there thirteen people standing there on an enormous canvas?
             When studying a piece of art, one of the first steps in appreciating what the artist created, is understanding the title. Thirteen Americans and United We Stand go hand and hand. They both represent what our country is built upon, a diverse country with equal opportunities. This painting comprises thirteen Americans of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and both sexes. Without the title, Thirteen Americans, one wouldn't be able to appreciate Leslie's message he is conveying. All one would see are thirteen random people standing there, but with one simple word, Americans, one then understands what is being represented. Alfred shows that it doesn't matter who you are or what you look like, in America, you are just as equal to everyone else.
             When approaching Thirteen Americans, one's eyes are fixed on the vast painting. The size itself helps with communicating what Alfred Leslie is trying to illustrate to the viewers and that is a bold powerful message which is so large that no one can shun it; America stands for equality. Not only does the size force a message to be grasped by the viewer, but the size also creates a sense of realism. The size of the figures are accurate to the size of real life figures giving one the illusion that these painted Americans are just a few ordinary people standing in front of one's self.
             Looking at these life size figures, one...