Artwork
George Washington
George Washington is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Gilbert Stuart. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:reverse of the lining canvas, in a later hand: Stuart's Washington / painted for Genl McDonald / of Maryland, & from his walls / brought to Boston, & given to / Rob. C. Winthrop / by his wife & daughter.
About this work
George Washington sits in a chair in formal dress, his expression serious. The close attention to his face and clothing gives a real sense of how he looked in life. Gilbert Stuart painted it in oil in 1804.
Subject & Meaning
The work is based on Stuart's earlier Athenaeum Portrait, a likeness Stuart repeatedly reused in his celebrated series of Washington portraits.
This 1804 oil-on-canvas portrait by Gilbert Stuart depicts George Washington, the first President of the United States, who serves as the painting's main subject. The work is based on Stuart's earlier Athenaeum Portrait, a likeness Stuart repeatedly reused in his celebrated series of Washington portraits. As a formal presidential portrait, the painting functions both as a likeness of the individual and as an icon of American leadership and national identity, presenting Washington as a dignified statesman.
The image belongs to Stuart's broader project of standardizing Washington's visual image for public memory, making the canvas a representative symbol of the founding era rather than a one-off study.
Technique & Style
Gilbert Stuart's 1804 portrait of George Washington is executed in oil on canvas. The composition is anchored by a three-quarter pose, directing attention to Washington's gaze and the restrained turn of the shoulders, while the dark, neutral background isolates the figure and enhances the sitter's presence. The canvas measures approximately 73.6 × 61.4 cm. As one of Stuart's repetitions of his standard Washington likeness, the work follows the established format of his presidential portraits rather than introducing a new compositional scheme.
History & Provenance
Painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1804, this oil-on-canvas portrait of George Washington originated in the collection of William C. McDonald of Baltimore. Upon McDonald's death in 1845, the work likely passed to his grandson, Samuel McDonald, who held it until his death in 1877. It was subsequently acquired by Cornelia Adelaide Granger Winthrop and her daughter, Adele Thayer, acting on behalf of Robert Charles Winthrop in Boston.
Following Winthrop's death, the piece was bequeathed to Adele Thayer and his grandson, Robert M. Winthrop. In December 1924, the heirs consigned the portrait through Frank W. Bayley & Son to M. Knoedler & Co. in New York, where it was sold later that month to Edward Small Moore. Ownership transferred to Moore's wife, Jean McGinley Moore Draper, upon his death, and she bequeathed the work to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1954 (accession 1954.9.2). No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
This oil painting by Gilbert Stuart, created around 1804, presents a formal portrait of George Washington. Executed on canvas, it captures the likeness of the first U.S. president, reflecting Stuart's characteristic approach to portraiture. The work serves as a significant visual record of a prominent historical figure from the early American republic.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Gilbert Stuart (né Stewart; December 3, 1755 – July 9, 1828) was an American painter born in the Rhode Island Colony who is widely considered one of America's foremost portraitists.
