George Washington
Rembrandt Peale, George Washington, ca. 1850, oil on canvas, Gift of Veronica A. Macdonald and Valerie A. Story, public domain, 2010.7
This work is not currently on view.
- Title
George Washington
- Artist
- Date
ca. 1850
- Medium
oil on canvas
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
30 in x 25 in
- Inscriptions & Markings
signature: R. Peale, brown paint, lower right
- Collection Area
American Art
- Category
Paintings
- Object Type
painting
- Culture
American
- Credit Line
Gift of Veronica A. Macdonald and Valerie A. Story
- Accession Number
2010.7
- Copyright
public domain
- Terms
Rembrandt Peale was only seventeen years old when he first painted a commanding likeness of President George Washington in 1795. Due to the popularity of the image, as well as the growing nationalism of the young country following the Revolutionary era, Peale replicated the portrait seventy-nine times throughout his career; the Portland Art Museum picture dates to approximately 1850. Throughout the many versions, Peale introduced various neoclassical elements—including the illusion of a stone oval, military dress, and an aquiline or "Roman" nose—to link Washington to the Roman ideals invoked by the Founding Fathers.
- Exhibitions
1997 Art of Independence Portland Art Museum