The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart's Brush with George Washington

by Sarah Albee Narrated by Not Yet Available

Overview

George Washington hated having his portrait painted, but as president of the United States, he knew his image needed to live on. This nonfiction picture book explores how artist Gilbert Stuart created Washington's most lasting and recognized portrait-the one that's used on the one-dollar bill.George Washington and artist Gilbert Stuart didn't always see eye-to-eye, but both men knew the importance of legacy and the power of art. Though George disliked having his portrait painted-which took days and days to complete-he knew his place in history would require people to know his face. Fortunately, Gilbert Stuart's unique way of painting didn't compel his subjects to sit for hours on end-in fact, he encouraged them to move around and even bring friends to chat with. Capturing the soul of each subject, his portraits were unlike any other artists'. And Gilbert Stuart's one-of-a-kind portrait of Washington stands the test of time-it's the one that's used on the one-dollar bill.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

★ "An account of the rocky relationship between the U.S.’s first president and his most famous portrait painter... A timeline at the end daubs in further biographical details about the disparate duo, and the whole not insignificant historical anecdote is capped by closing comments on Washington’s “tooth troubles” and why his picture on the dollar bill has him facing the other way. The result is a humorous yet enlightening work that humanizes seemingly distant or imposing figures. A lighthearted, illuminating, and thought-provoking look at a brief but meaningful historical moment." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Readers get two character portraits here: that of impatient, action-oriented Washington and that of the freewheeling Stuart, who broke from the 'sit still' school of portraitists...The illustrations, done with acrylics and pencils, have a whimsical, cutout quality, with swirling brushstrokes in the background emulating Stuart’s signature brushwork and putting the emphasis on the characters, while occasional sidebars convey a wealth of historical information. Readers will gain an appreciation of the arduous art of portrait painting, with the added humor of Stuart’s psychological tricks...A captivating exploration of the making of one of history’s most famous portraits." —Booklist, starred review

"An iconic portrait of George Washington comes to life in this painterly picture book...president. The illustrations take painting as their inspiration, withvisible brushstrokes and dramatic contrasts creating an immersive experience." —Foreword Reviews

"The Painter and the President spotlights the relationship between America’s first president and Gilbert Stuart, one of the many artists who tried to capture his image on canvas. By the time of Washington’s presidency, Stuart had made a fine reputation as a portraitist. Although many of his subjects loved sitting for him, the laconic George Washington was not one of them. Sarah Albee and Stacy Innerst cleverly celebrate this relationship by looking at the many ways the painter tried in order to get a true portrait of America’s first president."—Mary V. Thompson, research historian emerita, George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2024-05-04
An account of the rocky relationship between the U.S.’s first president and his most famous portrait painter.

“They did not,” as Albee puts it in a nutshell, “hit it off.” Dubbed an “infernal chatterbox” by the grumpy elder statesman, Gilbert Stuart was in the habit of reeling off amusing stories and “corny jokes” to relax his subjects as he worked. Still, both painter and sitter well understood “the power of art”—and the two stuck with each other long enough for the former to break through the latter’s reserve, which was exacerbated by the pain of bad dentures, to capture a more animated expression so well that the unfinished image of 1796 has remained by far the best-known portrait of Washington or any president. Stuart went on to paint portraits of five more chief executives, which Innerst incorporates, with the painter’s “selfie” and other works, into droll caricatures of 18th-century dignitaries and the busy artist adroitly wielding his brush with many a vigorous “dab” and “swish.” A timeline at the end daubs in further biographical details about the disparate duo, and the whole not insignificant historical anecdote is capped by closing comments on Washington’s “tooth troubles” and why his picture on the dollar bill has him facing the other way. The result is a humorous yet enlightening work that humanizes seemingly distant or imposing figures.

A lighthearted, illuminating, and thought-provoking look at a brief but meaningful historical moment. (bibliography) (Informational picture book. 7-10)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940192035146
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	08/27/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years