Gilbert Stuart’s Unfinished Portrait of George Washington
Gilbert Stuart first painted George Washington in 1795 (in a work now known only from copies). That painting was so successful that, according to artist Rembrandt Peale, Martha Washington “wished a Portrait for herself.” She persuaded her husband to sit again for Stuart “on the express condition that when finished it should be hers.” Stuart, however, did not want to part with the picture and left it unfinished so that he could refer to it when producing future commissions. Known as the “Athenaeum” portrait because it went to the Boston Athenaeum after Stuart’s death, this painting served as the basis for the engraving of Washington that appears on the one-dollar bill. John Neal, an early-nineteenth-century writer and art critic, wrote, “Though a better likeness of him were shown to us, we should reject it; for, the only idea that we now have of George Washington, is associated with Stuart’s Washington.” (National Portrait Gallery)
Gilbert Stuart’s portrait, the portrait on the current US $1 bill
Today’s SEE & RESPOND Challenge
Finish this portrait by Gilbert Stuart
Media is artist’s choice
#georgewashington
Post it
To be eligible for prizes (yes prizes!) at the end of the month, post your work to Instagram with #30sal and #georgewashington so we can find your post.
To find more followers for your page, you can cut/paste these to your post:
DAY 11: BEFORE AND AFTER https://seattleartistleague.padlet.org/SAL/dvmaz3zn3za0146v
DAY 10: MORANDI https://seattleartistleague.padlet.org/SAL/8yxbfsoudzf2uq81
Deadline for Prizes
Deadline for submissions: 3 days after each challenge post.
January prize winners will be announced in February.
To learn more about the 30SAL Challenge, click here.
Fun Fact: In 1862 the first one-dollar bill was issued as a Legal Tender Note (United States Note) with a portrait of Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury who served under President Abraham Lincoln. George Washington didn’t appear on the note until 1869
[image_with_animation image_url=”11209″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Thank you for the Salish Sea art submissions! My inbox has been pinging with new and interesting artworks from all of you. I welcome all these flora, fauna, maps, and memories. I hear a few of you need a couple more days to get your artworks finished, so I’m …
Henry Darger’s “Vivian Girls” (…) look like the angelic young girls of the magazines and media from Darger’s day, except he often rendered them with penises. Today, from our more gender-fluid point of view, they might be considered the earliest transgender superheroes. – Artsy You can see more artworks, and read about the personal story …
[image_with_animation image_url=”10089″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Draw or print 15 squares. For each square you are allowed only 3 lines (or circles or points). You can start anywhere in the square. When you lift your pen from the paper, that’s the end of your line. You have to stop when you touch a side of the …
Day 12: Gilbert Stuart’s Unfinished Portrait of George Washington #30SAL
Gilbert Stuart’s Unfinished Portrait of George Washington
Gilbert Stuart first painted George Washington in 1795 (in a work now known only from copies). That painting was so successful that, according to artist Rembrandt Peale, Martha Washington “wished a Portrait for herself.” She persuaded her husband to sit again for Stuart “on the express condition that when finished it should be hers.” Stuart, however, did not want to part with the picture and left it unfinished so that he could refer to it when producing future commissions. Known as the “Athenaeum” portrait because it went to the Boston Athenaeum after Stuart’s death, this painting served as the basis for the engraving of Washington that appears on the one-dollar bill. John Neal, an early-nineteenth-century writer and art critic, wrote, “Though a better likeness of him were shown to us, we should reject it; for, the only idea that we now have of George Washington, is associated with Stuart’s Washington.” (National Portrait Gallery)
Today’s SEE & RESPOND Challenge
Finish this portrait by Gilbert Stuart
Media is artist’s choice
#georgewashington
Post it
To be eligible for prizes (yes prizes!) at the end of the month, post your work to Instagram with #30sal and #georgewashington so we can find your post.
To find more followers for your page, you can cut/paste these to your post:
#30sal #georgewashington #portrait #unfinished #unfinishedportrait #unfinishedpainting #vnotes #creativechallenge #januarychallenge #drawingchallenge #drawing #art #sketch #artchallenge #artist #draw #artistsoninstagram #sketchbook #instaart #artwork #drawingoftheday #dailydrawing #oilpainting #mixedmedia #drawingsketch #artoftheday #creativity
Padlet
Don’t have Instagram? Post your work to Padlet.
DAY 12: GEORGE WASHINGTON https://seattleartistleague.padlet.org/SAL/ewht7nr1bszm24sy
DAY 11: BEFORE AND AFTER https://seattleartistleague.padlet.org/SAL/dvmaz3zn3za0146v
DAY 10: MORANDI https://seattleartistleague.padlet.org/SAL/8yxbfsoudzf2uq81
Deadline for Prizes
Deadline for submissions: 3 days after each challenge post.
January prize winners will be announced in February.
To learn more about the 30SAL Challenge, click here.
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[image_with_animation image_url=”10089″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Draw or print 15 squares. For each square you are allowed only 3 lines (or circles or points). You can start anywhere in the square. When you lift your pen from the paper, that’s the end of your line. You have to stop when you touch a side of the …