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George Washington, 1732-1799
One of the most widely admired figures in American history, George Washington commanded the respect of his peers as much as that of subsequent generations. "He was in every sense of the words a wise, a good, and great man," effused Thomas Jefferson. During the Revolutionary War, Washington provided critical military leadership. As the nation's first president, he famously retired from office after eight years, creating a precedent for the peaceful transition of power that would characterize the practice of democracy in the new United States.
This rare engraving by the Scottish-born engraver John Roberts testifies to the birth of a broad demand for images of this Founding Father. Based on a miniature copy of Gilbert Stuart's celebrated 1796 Athenaeum portrait by Benjamin Trott, Roberts developed a new technique of working his plate, creating a mezzotint of exquisite quality.
John Roberts, after Benjamin Trott, after Gilbert Stuart, 1799 |