George Washington

Object Details

Exhibition Label

This heroic sculpture depicts George Washington as a Roman emperor, a popular European tradition for representing political and military leaders. The portrait is based on a likeness modeled in Philadelphia in 1791 or 1792 by Italian sculptor Giuseppe Ceracchi, who came to the United States seeking the commission for a congressional monument to Washington (which was never made). A plaster cast of his life portrait of Washington was acquired in 1809 by Thomas Appleton, American consul in Livorno (Leghorn), Italy. A decade later, Italian sculptor Massimiliano Ravenna made several marble copies of the portrait for sale in the United States.

Provenance

(Peter Hill); purchased NPG 1970

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Date

c. 1819 copy after 1792 original

Object number

NPG.70.4

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Attribution

Massimiliano Ravenna

Copy after

Giuseppe Ceracchi, 4 Jul 1751 - 31 Jan 1801

Sitter

George Washington, 22 Feb 1732 - 14 Dec 1799

Topic

George Washington: Male

George Washington: Military\Army\Officer\Revolution

George Washington: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial Statesman

George Washington: Natural Resources\Agriculturist\Farmer

George Washington: Military\Army\Officer\General

George Washington: Politics and Government\President of US

George Washington: Science and Technology\Engineer\Surveyor

George Washington: Congressional Gold Medal

Portrait

Medium

Marble

Dimensions

69.5cm (27 3/8"), Accurate

Data Source

National Portrait Gallery

Type

Sculpture

Record ID

npg_NPG.70.4

Usage

CC0