In 1795, the seventeen-year-old Rembrandt Peale painted George Washington during a sitting organized by his father Charles Willson Peale in Philadelphia. Throughout his career, Rembrandt created over 79 likenesses of the first U. S. president, some of which represent Washington as a divine hero who embodies the virtues of the classical past. Unlike his grandiose, porthole-style portraits, the artist's study here captures an aging George Washington diminutively placed against a dark, undefined background. His realistic, intimate rendering attests to the magnanimous spirit of Washington, whose firm set mouth and cynical gaze denote his influence as a powerful force in American history.

Attributed to Rembrandt Peale, circa 1795,
Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA, 1/22/20