George Washington

Status

Not on view

DateApril 1, 1830

After Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755 - 1828)

Maker William Holl (English, 1807-1871)

Publisher Thomas Kelly (American, 1795 - 1841)

Subject George Washington (American, 1732 - 1799)

Geography Made - England

Medium/TechniqueInk on paper, stipple engraving

DimensionsOverall (H x W): 10 13/16 in. x 8 1/4 in. (27.46 cm x 20.96 cm) Other (Platemark H x W): 10 1/16 in. x 7 3/8 in. (25.56 cm x 18.73 cm) Other (Image H x W): 6 13/16 in. x 4 1/4 in. (17.3 cm x 10.8 cm)

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley DeForest Scott, 1985

Object numberSC-51

DescriptionFull bust portrait of George Washington, facing left and wearing a black coat, a cravat, a jabot, and a sawtooth edge ribbon tying back his hair. He is set against a stippled grey background.

The portrait is set in an engraved frame seated on a plinth. Swags of drapery adorn the top sides of the frame, and below the plinth, layers of cloth are intertwined around three tiebacks. Above the portrait at center is a bust of Minerva flanked by two the one on the left representing the army and the one on the right representing the navy and rays of light radiate behind this crest. On the sides of the frame near the base are symbols of the army, a shield, helmet, halberd and gauntlets, on left side and symbols of the navy, a cannon, anchor, rope, and shot, on the right.

Baker 257, Hart 397b
Published ReferencesCharles Henry Hart and Samuel Arlent Edwards, Catalogue of the Engraved Portraits of Washington (New York: Grolier Club of the City of New York, 1904), 181.

William Spohn Baker, The Engraved Portraits of Washington with Notices of the Originals and Brief Biographical Sketches of the Painters (Philadelphia: Lindsay & Baker, 1880), 138.

MarkingsEngraved below portrait: "Geo. Washington." Printed below image centered in cursive handwritting: "Go. Washington". Printed below image centered in cursive script: "Painted by G. B. Stuart. Engraved by. W. Holl." Printed below image centered in block script: "London: Published by Thomas Kelly, 17 Paternoster Row, April 1 1830."

Mount Vernon's object research is ongoing and information about this object is subject to change. For information on image use and reproductions, click here.