Artwork
George Washington
George Washington is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Rembrandt Peale. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Rendered in the portrait genre, the work presents Washington as a man, situating him within the long tradition of commemorative presidential imagery.
The painting is a portrait of George Washington, the first President of the United States, identified as its main subject. Rendered in the portrait genre, the work presents Washington as a man, situating him within the long tradition of commemorative presidential imagery. As a later portrait by Rembrandt Peale, it belongs to the artist's sustained effort to define a canonical likeness of Washington for public memory, though the sources do not specify which iconographic attributes, poses, or symbolic objects appear in this particular 1846 canvas.
The work's meaning is therefore grounded in its identity as a formal portrait of Washington rather than in any documented allegorical program.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1846 by Rembrandt Peale, this portrait of George Washington is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 91.4 centimeters in height and 73.7 centimeters in width. As a formal portrait, the piece utilizes traditional materials to depict its subject, a man identified as the former U.S. president.
The composition adheres to the conventions of the genre, focusing on the likeness of the sitter without additional narrative elements described in the available records. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within the American Wing.
History & Provenance
Rembrandt Peale painted this oil-on-canvas portrait of George Washington in 1846, as confirmed by both the artist’s inscription and Metropolitan Museum records [1, 2]. The work was created nearly half a century after Washington’s death, drawing from earlier life studies Peale had made during the president’s lifetime. Commissioned by Peale himself as part of his ongoing effort to solidify Washington’s iconography, the painting entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in 1954 under accession number 54.15.1, where it remains housed in the American Wing [1, 2]. No intermediate private owners are documented prior to the museum’s acquisition.
Rembrandt Peale's 1846 oil portrait of George Washington is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specifically within the institution's American Wing. The work is cataloged under the accession number 54.15.1. While the painting's physical dimensions are recorded as 91.4 by 73.7 centimeters, the available documentation confirms its location and classification but does not provide a specific list of past exhibitions or loan history.
Overview
Rembrandt Peale, an American artist recognized for his presidential likenesses, created this oil on canvas portrait of George Washington around 1846. The painting presents a formal depiction of the nation's first president, rendered decades after his death. It reflects Peale's sustained interest in capturing the image of Washington, a subject he revisited throughout his career, aiming to convey a sense of gravitas and historical significance.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rembrandt Peale (February 22, 1778 – October 3, 1860) was an American artist and museum keeper.
