Artifact World Gallery
Get the iOS app

George Washington by Stuart, Gilbert

Stuart, Gilbert · c. 1800

Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington, painted around 1800, offers one of the last and most intimate looks at the first president. Painted shortly after Washington's death in December 1799, it became the definitive image of the man, influencing countless future depictions, including the one on the dollar bill.

Notice the details around his mouth and jaw. Washington famously suffered from painful, ill-fitting wooden dentures, which the artist meticulously captured, causing his lips to be pursed and his lower face to appear fuller. Stuart's skill in rendering these personal characteristics, alongside the gravitas of his expression, brings a human touch to a monumental figure.

This painting is a testament to Stuart's mastery of portraiture, focusing intently on Washington's face while allowing the rest of his attire to recede into shadow. It’s held in a private collection, but its influence is everywhere.

What details do you notice that give Washington's face such a recognizable quality?

Details

Look closely at his mouth, and the set of his jaw.
Look closely at his mouth, and the set of his jaw.
The artist captured this detail perfectly.
The artist captured this detail perfectly.
This likeness became the image of Washington you know today.
This likeness became the image of Washington you know today.
The soft white coiffure signals 18th-century republican dignity; its loose, almost impressionistic rendering contrasts sharply with the careful modeling of the face below it
The soft white coiffure signals 18th-century republican dignity; its loose, almost impressionistic rendering contrasts sharply with the careful modeling of the face below it
Slightly downcast and weary, carrying the resigned gravitas of a man exhausted by public life; Stuart spent more time on the eyes than any other passage
Slightly downcast and weary, carrying the resigned gravitas of a man exhausted by public life; Stuart spent more time on the eyes than any other passage
Transcript

This is Washington, near the end of his life. He died in December 1799. This was painted in 1800. Look closely at his mouth, and the set of his jaw. Washington wore ill-fitting wooden dentures that pushed his lips inward. The artist captured this detail perfectly. This likeness became the image of Washington you know today.