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Gilbert Stuart's extraordinary talent made him one of the most important American portrait artists of the 18th century. Most famous is his unfinished work of a US president: The so-called Athenaeum Portrait of George Washington. Started in 1796, Stuart never finished the painting, but kept it. Later he made about 75 copies of his own unfinished painting and sold them due to financial difficulties for a painter of his skill unworthy price of 100 US dollars each. Stuart's image of Washington can still be seen today on the US dollar bill. Stuart's remarkable portrait collections can be found in art museums and galleries around the world.
Gilbert Stuart was born in 1755 in the snuff mill of his father in the small town of Saunderstown in the United States. Six years later he moved with his family to Newport. There his interest in art grew and he began painting and drawing as a young boy. He painted his earliest known painting at the age of 14. It bears the title "Dr. Hunter's Dogs". As a teenager he was allowed to study and travelled with his Scottish artist colleague and good friend Cosmo Alexander.
As a 20-year-old Stuart was drawn to faraway England. In London he was taught by the famous American painter Benjamin West. The recognition by the English Royal Academy brought him the resounding success in the art scene. As a famous man he could finally move into his first own studio. Stuart married Charlotte Coates, but was less fortunate financially: he lived in England until 1787 when he fled to Ireland due to debts.
A few years later Gilbert Stuart returned to his home country America. He lived and worked in New York for two years before moving to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia he created his famous George Washington portraits and his copies. In 1805 he decided to make one last move and settled in Boston, where he lived until his death in 1828 at the age of 72. His burial place is not known.
Gilbert Stuart's great legacy are the famous portraits of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John Adams and John Quincy Adams, of the heroes of the revolution and war of 1812, as well as portraits of prominent men and women of society at the time. His artistic talent lay in capturing the essence of his models precisely and thus radiating an extraordinary vividness.
Gilbert Stuart's extraordinary talent made him one of the most important American portrait artists of the 18th century. Most famous is his unfinished work of a US president: The so-called Athenaeum Portrait of George Washington. Started in 1796, Stuart never finished the painting, but kept it. Later he made about 75 copies of his own unfinished painting and sold them due to financial difficulties for a painter of his skill unworthy price of 100 US dollars each. Stuart's image of Washington can still be seen today on the US dollar bill. Stuart's remarkable portrait collections can be found in art museums and galleries around the world.
Gilbert Stuart was born in 1755 in the snuff mill of his father in the small town of Saunderstown in the United States. Six years later he moved with his family to Newport. There his interest in art grew and he began painting and drawing as a young boy. He painted his earliest known painting at the age of 14. It bears the title "Dr. Hunter's Dogs". As a teenager he was allowed to study and travelled with his Scottish artist colleague and good friend Cosmo Alexander.
As a 20-year-old Stuart was drawn to faraway England. In London he was taught by the famous American painter Benjamin West. The recognition by the English Royal Academy brought him the resounding success in the art scene. As a famous man he could finally move into his first own studio. Stuart married Charlotte Coates, but was less fortunate financially: he lived in England until 1787 when he fled to Ireland due to debts.
A few years later Gilbert Stuart returned to his home country America. He lived and worked in New York for two years before moving to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia he created his famous George Washington portraits and his copies. In 1805 he decided to make one last move and settled in Boston, where he lived until his death in 1828 at the age of 72. His burial place is not known.
Gilbert Stuart's great legacy are the famous portraits of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John Adams and John Quincy Adams, of the heroes of the revolution and war of 1812, as well as portraits of prominent men and women of society at the time. His artistic talent lay in capturing the essence of his models precisely and thus radiating an extraordinary vividness.