George Washington

Status

Not on view

Label Text

This portrait of George Washington was painted after Gilbert Stuart’s so-called Vaughan portrait, or one of its copies. While the Vaughan portrait was widely copied by Stuart himself and many other nineteenth-century artists, this work is unusual in being cabinet-sized. An inscription gives an early provenance tracing the painting back to Washington himself, who purportedly gave it to a Major Grier, who in turn bequeathed it to an early congressman, Ezekiel Gilbert.

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Datec. 1795-1820

After Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755 - 1828)

Subject George Washington (American, 1732 - 1799)

Geography Probably made - United States

Medium/TechniqueOil on canvas; gilt wood

DimensionsOverall: 9 7/8 in. × 8 1/4 in. × 1 3/4 in. (25.08 cm × 20.96 cm × 4.45 cm) Other: 7 1/8 in. × 5 5/8 in. × 3/4 in. (18.1 cm × 14.29 cm × 1.91 cm)

Credit LinePurchase, 2015

Object numberH-5373/A-B

DescriptionA rectangular bust-length and cabinet-sized portrait of George Washington in civilian dress. The figure is presented three-quarters turned to the proper left, and gazing to the proper right. There is a white film over the face, above a flesh color at the neck. Cream tones demarcate the hairline from the face, and the hair ranges in color from creamy-white to an under-layer of gray brown. A network of tiny blue-black dots appear through the face, particularly at proper left, and extending throughout the face and hair. The proper right collar and shoulder of the black velvet coat have a slight graying as though to suggest powder. A loosely painted black queue ribbon is visible on the proper right. The blue eyes have dots of white, suggesting reflectivity.

The background is red in the center, particularly near the face at proper left, and at the upper proper left corner, and darkens to oxblood and then brown.

The portrait is housed in a carved gilt wood neoclassical frame with a fillet and beading along its inner edge, followed by two cavettos and a filleted outer edge.

Published ReferencesSecondary sources:
1.) Carrie Rebora Barratt and Ellen G. Miles, GILBERT STUART (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005). (General Reference)

2.) Lawrence Park, GILBERT STUART: AN ILLUSTRATED DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF HIS WORKS (New York: W.E. Rudge, 1926). (General Reference)

3.) Francis Bernard Heitman, HISTORICAL REGISTER OF OFFICERS OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY DURING THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION, APRIL 1775 TO DECEMBER 1783 (Washington, DC: The Rare Book Publishing Company, Inc., 1914).

4.) George C. Mason, THE LIFE AND WORKS OF GILBERT STUART (New York: Charles Scribner, 1879). (General Reference)

MVLA Records:
ANNUAL REPORT: 2015, ---

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