Artwork
George Washington
George Washington is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1876 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The piece is catalogued as part of the museum's collection (MET 83.
The watercolor on ivory portrait dated 1876, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, depicts George Washington as a male sitter, a format typical of 19th‑century representations of political leaders. As an anonymous work listed under the genre of portrait, it functions as a visual testament to Washington's status as a foundational figure of the United States, embodying the iconography of republican virtue through conventional portrait conventions. The piece is catalogued as part of the museum's collection (MET 83.2.101).
Technique & Style
Created in 1876, this portrait of George Washington is executed as a watercolor on an ivory support. The work measures 11.1 centimetres in height and 9.2 centimetres in width, presenting a compact, intimate scale typical of miniature portraiture. The artist, identified as unknown or anonymous, utilized the translucent qualities of watercolor to render the sitter's likeness directly on the smooth, polished surface of the ivory.
This medium and support combination allows for fine detail and a luminous effect, characteristic of 19th-century American miniature painting traditions. The piece remains in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, classified within the American Wing as a genre portrait depicting a man.
History & Provenance
The watercolor portrait of George Washington, painted in 1876, is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is catalogued under accession number MET 83.2.101 and listed within the American Wing's American paintings collection. The work measures 11.1 cm by 9.2 cm and is classified as a portrait. Exhibition records in the available documentation do not detail specific public displays beyond its permanent placement in the museum's American Wing galleries.
Overview
This small watercolor on ivory depicts George Washington in profile. The artwork, a miniature, presents the first American president with a dignified bearing, characterized by soft tones and precise detail. Its intimate scale suggests it was intended for personal contemplation or as a portable memento, reflecting a common practice for portraits of significant figures during its era.
Context
While the artist of this miniature remains unidentified, the work reflects the widespread popularity of small-scale portraits in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. These portable images offered an accessible means of commemorating loved ones or significant public figures. The anonymous nature of many such works underscores the craft-focused approach often taken by miniaturists of the period.
Artist & collection
