George Washington

Gilbert Stuart

ca. 1803 · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

Stuart's most popular portraits of Washington are the so-called Athenaeum type, of which there are as many as sixty replicas dating from the turn of the nineteenth century until the artist's death. Often disparagingly referred to as his "hundred-dollar bills"--after the price of each painting--the striking portraits not only provided an income for Stuart but also made him a major player in the development of Washington as a cultural icon, as the works sold far and wide.

Artist

Gilbert Stuart

Date

ca. 1803

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of H. O. Havemeyer, 1888