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George Washington

George Washington
Artist
Charles Willson Peale, 15 Apr 1741 - 22 Feb 1827
Sitter
George Washington, 22 Feb 1732 - 14 Dec 1799
Date
1787
Type
Print
Medium
Mezzotint on paper
Dimensions
Image: 19 × 15.3 cm (7 1/2 × 6")
Sheet: 24.9 × 16.4 cm (9 13/16 × 6 7/16")
Topic
Costume\Dress Accessory\Epaulet
George Washington: Male
George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Revolutionary War
George Washington: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman
George Washington: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer
George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\General
George Washington: Politics and Government\President of US
George Washington: Science and Technology\Surveyor
George Washington: Congressional Gold Medal
Portrait
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Funded by Wendy Wick Reaves, Curator Emerita of Prints and Drawings
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Object number
NPG.2016.16
Exhibition Label
Born Westmoreland County, Virginia
Charles Willson Peale sought to capitalize on the public’s interest in the American Revolution (1775–83) by portraying some of its key figures in a series of prints. In 1787, when this mezzotint was made, George Washington was presiding over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where Peale lived. The future president obliged the artist with three portrait sittings that summer, continuing a relationship that they had begun in 1772. Having the opportunity to portray Washington buoyed Peale’s career, while the politician benefited from the artist’s skilled—and timely—representations.
Nacido en Westmoreland County, Virginia
Charles Willson Peale quiso aprovechar el interés público en la Revolución Estadounidense (1775–1783) retratando a varias de sus figuras clave en una serie de grabados. En 1787, cuando se realizó esta mezzotinta, George Washington presidía la Convención Constitucional en Filadelfia, donde vivía Peale. El futuro presidente accedió a posar tres veces para el artista ese verano, continuando la relación que habían establecido en 1772. La oportunidad de retratar a Washington impulsó la carrera de Peale, mientras que el político se benefició de las excelentes y oportunas efigies.
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Location
Currently not on view