(lively music) [Narrator] This may be a picture perfect ending to the Revolutionary War, but it's missing an essential figure.

The surrender of Lord Cornwallis is one of four key moments President James Madison requested from artist John Trumbull.

The painting depicts the end of the Battle of Yorktown with the smoke of cannon and gunfire still on the air.

But British General Lord Cornwallis is not present.

Cornwallis, supposedly ill, had his deputy stand in for him.

George Washington on horseback in the background took this as a snub and had his second in command accept the surrender in his stead.

Almost 40 years after the battle, this painting was displayed at the Capitol rotunda.

Later in 1971, a thrown penny damaged the canvas, but it was repaired with a last major restoration taking place in 2008.