"George Washington at Dorchester Heights" after Gilbert Stuart, Unsigned Oil-on-Canvas Painting
Presented is a framed oil-on-canvas painting entitled "George Washington at Dorchester Heights" by an unnamed artist. The painting dates to the mid-to-late 19th century and was modeled after the original 1806 painting by Gilbert Stuart. Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828) is best known for the hundreds of portraits he completed of American politicians and social figures during his lifetime. Stuart hoped to one day paint the first president of the United States, purportedly declaring to a friend: “I expect to make a fortune by Washington.” Stuart took on many government and private commissions during his life; his reputation and skill resulted in George Washington agreeing to sit for Stuart on three separate occasions. "George Washington at Dorchester Heights" was painted by Stuart in 1806. Washington stands beside his horse with a distant view of the city of Boston visible in the background. The painting commemorates the American Revolutionary War victory at Dorchester Heights when Colonist t