Rhode Islander, Gilbert Stuart

Gilbert Stuart is considered one of the most successful portraitists of the early years of America. Stuart created more than 1100 portraits including the first five U.S. Presidents, prominent public officials, heroes of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, as well as high society men and women of the era. Stuarts’ best known work is an unfinished portrait of George Washington, sometimes referred to as The Athenaeum. This image of Washington is seen regularly. Its reverse image is on the U.S. dollar bill.  

Born in Sunderstown, Rhode Island, in 1755, Stuart began to show his artistic ability at the age of six. As a teen, he traveled and studied under artist Cosmo Alexander. Later, Stuart moved to England where he was recognized by the Royal Academy of Arts. There he studied under the American painter, Benjamin West. Before returning to the United States in 1793, he spent a brief time in Dublin, Ireland. He lived and worked in New York before moving to Philadelphia. In New York and Philadelphia, he garnered commissions from the rich and famous, leading to his sittings with President George Washington.

Today, Gilbert Stuart’s works can be seen at museums around the globe. You can see his birthplace and some of his works at Gilbert Stuart Birthplace & Museum in Saunderstown. You can see other works at the National Gallery in Washington, DC or Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.