The Athenaeum, Gilbert Stuart's unfinished portrait of George Washington, defined the artist's career
Rembrandt Peale, another prolific and successful contemporary of Gilbert's, established his own career by painting George Washington seventy-nine times; a career-defining milestone if ever there was one. The artist helped cement George Washington as an iconic symbol of the young nation. Interestingly, Peale had been greatly inspired by Gilbert Stuart's 1795 dollar portrait of Washington.
George Washington as painted by Rembrandt Peale in 1854 currently hangs
in San Francisco's de Young Museum
Photo: Chronica Domus
Over the years, many more artists have been roused into action by America's first president. Mr. Ray Beldner, a San Francisco-based sculptor and artist, is one of them. Below is his depiction of George Washington, which itself was inspired by Rembrandt Peale's Washington portrait as seen in the preceding photograph.
Ray Beldner's 2005 portrait titled
"E.pluribus unum" hangs next to Peale's original in The de Young Museum
Photo: Chronica Domus
The extraordinary thing about this particular depiction of George Washington can be found in the details. If you look carefully, you will notice the portrait is comprised entirely of one dollar bills, the same bills that feature Gilbert Stuart's Washington portrait. Mr. Beldner has painstakingly sewn them together in a most novel arrangement. By some unfathomable trick of the eye, they form a perfect likeness of The Sage of Mount Vernon.
Photo: Chronica Domus
The first President of The United States has not only inspired countless men on the battlefield and beyond, but has also managed to inspire those of a creative bent. Stuart, Peale, and Beldner, three artists, over two centuries, forever united by their greatest inspiration, George Washington.
I believe you mean 1863. Which, I am never the person who catches these things:). And thank you, General Washington appears to have been the real deal.
ReplyDeleteHello Lisa,
DeleteSurprisingly not. The current design of the one dollar bill debuted in 1963 would you believe.
Given his skimpy resume, I'm sure General Washington would be quite proud Lisa has finally come around to concede he "appears to be the real deal" although we certainly understand her reluctance to rush to such a hasty judgement.
DeleteLisa,
DeleteGSL anxiously awaits your verdict on Shakespeare, Beethoven, & Mozart.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to note that Martha Washington's likeness was on the $1 silver certificate bill in 1891. The General's appeared on the silver certificate $1 in 1929.
Stuart was commissioned to paint Martha, and she convinced the General to sit for that portrait. He did so with the provision that the portrait would belong to Martha. Stuart left the General's portrait unfinished and made lots of copies.
The portraits were initially known as the Mt. Vernon portraits. Stuart noted that "When I painted him, he had just had a set of false teeth inserted, which accounts for the constrained expression so noticeable about the mouth and lower part of the face." Poor George, always so dentally challenged.
Hello Janet,
DeleteYou are a fountain of knowledge! I enjoyed learning that the Stuart portraits were once referred to as the Mt. Vernon portraits (GW's was subsequently named The Athenaeum). I also had no idea that the sore matter of GW's oral health played such a large part in forming his inimitable expression. Makes perfect sense though.
Hello,
DeleteThe portraits were intended for Mt. Vernon, but Stuart left them unfinished so he didn't have to hand them over. After Stuart's death, Boston's Athenaeum acquired the portraits. GW's portrait is now in the National Portrait Gallery.
During the Revolutionary War, GW fretted that the British would intercept his letters to the chap who tended his dental woes (lots of abscesses) and then ridicule him. His fretting was not unwarranted.
I'm a Virginian and as Faulkner said, in the South the past is never past. It's true, and I've been fascinated by history, old gardens, old houses, etc. since I was very young. My enthusiasm for history makes it nigh impossible to remember everyone doesn't share my fascination.
Hello again Janet,
DeleteSo pleased you came back to provide yet another history lesson on GW and his portraits, oh and his teeth, of course. I cannot recall if it was at Mt. Vernon or at the American History Museum in D.C. that I encountered a set of GW's dentures, on display, for the entire world to see. It made me feel very strange, as though I had just stumbled upon an intimate secret of his.
I've always enjoyed delving into the past, both within the domestic environs of a house and garden, and in a more general sense where history is concerned. Virginia has many beautiful and historic buildings and gardens, and you are lucky to have grown up there.
Happy 4th to you.
Janet, I also share your fascination and consider a day spent at Mount Vernon, Monticello, or Montpelier worth planning months in advance. I had a much younger cousin attend Washington & Lee and several times volunteered to drive him back as the new term dawned. The Commonwealth of Virginia is unrivaled in GSL's eyes.
DeleteThank you for sharing and reminding me of that sacred ground on this Holy Day.
Hello GSL,
DeleteMy family and I made a special pilgrimage several years ago to visit all three residences that you reference, and would happily repeat the experience. In fact, we also added Poplar Forest to our itinerary and would very much like a follow-up visit to see the progress of the restoration.
Happy Independence Day to you.
I always learn something from reading your excellent posts. I love the Peale portrait of Washington.
ReplyDeleteHope your Independence Day weekend was fun.
xo,
Karen
Hello Karen,
DeleteSo pleased to read you've learned something from my ramblings. I too learn much from my very knowledgeable commenters which makes blogging so rewarding.
By the way, the Peale portrait I photographed for this post is juxtaposed perfectly with the Beldner. It is as though one enhances the other.
Hello CD, George Washington seems to have been an inspiration to bring out the best in a variety of artists. I am also partial to Houdon's famous bust and statue, while the Cleveland Museum of Art has a noteworthy portrait of Washington at the Battle of Princeton by Charles Willson Peale:
ReplyDeletehttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Washington_at_the_Battle_of_Princeton,_about_1779,_by_Charles_Willson_Peale_-_Cleveland_Museum_of_Art_-_DSC08898.JPG
--Jim
Hello Jim,
DeleteI had the privilege of viewing Houdon's GW statue that sits so magnificently in the rotunda of Virginia's State Capitol several years ago. What a treat that was!
I've yet to get myself over to Cleveland but when I do, I'd very much enjoy a visit to the art museum to gaze upon the handsome Peale portrait you reference.