The Decisive Battle for Los Angeles

James Walker volunteered as an interpreter for the American Army during the Mexican-American War. These firsthand experiences of battle helped shape his artistic perspective and influenced many of his works. Walker’s unique style portrays figures and animals as if they are stuck in time allowing the viewer to appreciate the details of his intricate scenes (Julie Schimmel, The West Explored: The Gerald Peters Collection of Western American Art (Santa Fe, 1988), p. 60). In his depiction of the Battle of Los Angeles, Walker illustrates the United States Army being surrounded by the Mexican troops trying to maintain control of the Pueblo de Los Angeles.