Gilbert Stuart, who created portraits of key figures of the American Revolution and in early U.S. historical past, died on at the present time in historical past on July 9, 1828.
Gilbert’s distinctive portrait model stays the best way that trendy People view lots of the Founding Fathers and different figures central to the nation’s adolescence, famous George Washington’s Mount Vernon official web site.
“Stuart’s most iconic portrait, the Athenaeum portrait of George Washington, serves as the idea for Washington’s depiction on the American one-dollar invoice,” mentioned this identical supply.
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Stuart was born on Dec. 3, 1755, in Kingstown, Rhode Island. His mother and father had been Gilbert Stuart Sr. and Elizabeth Anthony.
His father, a Scottish millwright, immigrated to New England to ascertain a snuff mill, in line with Mount Vernon.
As a toddler, Stuart spent the early years of his childhood within the mill home.
Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of John Jay (1745-1829) — American statesman, patriot, diplomat, one of many Founding Fathers and the primary chief justice of america. Painted by American painter Stuart (1755-1828). (Common Historical past Archive/Common Pictures Group by way of Getty Pictures)
After the failure of his father’s enterprise, the household moved to Newport, Rhode Island, to a property his mom had inherited, acknowledged the identical supply.
Whereas dwelling in Newport, Stuart developed a love for music and drawing, the identical supply indicated.
Scottish portraitist Cosmo Alexander gave Stuart his earliest coaching in portray, and Stuart accompanied Alexander to Scotland in 1771, returning residence on the older artist’s demise, in line with the Nationwide Gallery of Artwork.
In 1775, on the eve of the American Revolution, Stuart traveled to London. There, he labored for 5 years (1777-1782) as assistant to the Anglo-American painter Benjamin West.
In 1793, Stuart returned to america.
Stuart exhibited his work on the Royal Academy from 1777 to 1785, recounted the identical supply.
The success of “The Skater,” which Stuart painted in 1782, enabled him to ascertain his personal enterprise as a portrait painter, acknowledged the Nationwide Gallery of Artwork.
In 1786, he wed Charlotte Coates, and the next yr they went to Dublin, Eire.
There, Stuart painted portraits of the Protestant ruling minority for over 5 years, in line with the identical supply.
George Washington delivers his inaugural deal with within the previous metropolis corridor, New York, earlier than members of the Congress. (Common Historical past Archive/UIG by way of Getty pictures)
Then, in 1793, Stuart returned to america.
“After the People defeated the British within the Revolutionary Warfare, Stuart determined he would return to the newly fashioned United States and discover a method to paint its most well-known hero, George Washington,” mentioned the White Home Historic Affiliation.
He believed that if he may paint Washington, in line with the identical supply, then he would “make a fortune.”
Stuart landed in New York and interacted with a number of high-profile patrons.
In 1794, he painted a portrait of Supreme Court docket Chief Justice John Jay, who in flip launched him to different linked shoppers, recounted the White Home Historic Affiliation.
In 1795, Stuart tried to safe a sitting with President George Washington.
In 1795, Stuart tried to safe a sitting with President George Washington.
With a letter of introduction from Justice John Jay, he was profitable, added the identical supply.
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Stuart left New York and went to Philadelphia to color his first portrait of President Washington in 1795.
He disliked this portrait, claiming he was too overwhelmed by the person himself to supply a greater likeness, in line with Mount Vernon.
“He repainted the portrait from reminiscence in an effort to enhance the piece, however remained dissatisfied with the ultimate product because it had not been painted from life,” added the identical supply.
Former President Donald Trump, beneath a portrait of first U.S. President George Washington on the White Home in Washington, D.C. Painter Gilbert Stuart painted three copies of the Lansdowne portrait of George Washington, proven above — and 5 portraits that had been intently associated to it. His most well-known copy has hung within the East Room of the White Home since 1800. Quite a few different artists additionally painted copies. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
Stuart once more had the chance to color Washington in 1796.
This time he produced a full-length likeness commissioned by the Marquis of Lansdowne and the Philadelphia socialite Anne Prepared Bingham, who had requested that Washington sit for it, mentioned Mount Vernon.
Martha Washington had additionally commissioned a portrait of her husband and an identical one among herself, in line with Mount Vernon.
This fee led to the most well-liked creative depiction of George Washington, generally known as the Athenaeum portrait, in line with the White Home Historic Affiliation.
All through his profession, Stuart produced portraits of over 1,000 folks, together with the primary six presidents of america.
“Stuart by no means completed the unique, however he used it to make many replicas of the portray, together with an 1805 model,” mentioned the identical supply.
“The unique, unfinished portray was bought by Stuart’s daughter to the Boston Athenaeum in 1831. In 1980, the Smithsonian’s Nationwide Portrait Gallery and the Boston Museum of Wonderful Arts collectively bought the portray.”
Washington’s likeness from this portrait is now featured on america one-dollar invoice, in line with a number of stories.
George Washington (1731-1799), in an engraving by W. Humphreys from 1837 — based mostly on a Gilbert Stuart portrait. First president from 1789 to 1797 and commander of the Continental Military within the American Revolutionary Warfare, 1775-1783. Thought of father of his nation. Revealed in The Gallery Of Portraits with Memoirs, London Charles Knight, Ludgate Road. (iStock)
In 1802, Stuart moved his studio to Washington DC the place he was immensely common within the nation’s younger capital metropolis and was flooded with requests for portraits from the social and political elite, the Nationwide Gallery of Artwork indicated.
Stuart painted Dolly Madison in 1804 when her husband James served as Secretary of State; the likeness is thought to be exhibiting “astonishing subtleties … and masterful transitions of tone,” in line with the White Home Historic Affiliation.
The portrait of Mrs. Madison turned a part of the White Home Assortment in 1994.
Stuart’s work may be discovered at the moment at artwork museums throughout america and the UK.
Additionally, Stuart painted a portrait of President Thomas Jefferson in 1805 in Washington, D.C., firstly of Jefferson’s second time period, in line with Colonial Williamsburg’s official web site.
All through his profession, Stuart produced portraits of over 1,000 folks, together with the primary six presidents of america.
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His work may be discovered at the moment at artwork museums throughout america and the UK, most notably the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork in New York Metropolis, the Nationwide Gallery of Artwork in Washington, D.C., the Nationwide Portrait Gallery in London and the Museum of Wonderful Arts in Boston, in line with the official web site of Gilbert Stuart.
The Gilbert Stuart Museum, on the website of his birthplace in Rhode Island, honors his legacy.
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Based in 1930, the museum was created to honor the reminiscence of Gilbert Stuart, preserve a museum devoted to him and promote curiosity within the information of his life and artwork, says the Library of Congress.
In 1966, the Gilbert Stuart Museum was designated a registered nationwide landmark.
