Object Details
- Exhibition Label
- Born Westmoreland County, Virginia
- In 1784, the French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon agreed to execute a full-length marble statue of George Washington for the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. The following year, he traveled across the Atlantic and spent two weeks at Mount Vernon. While there, he made a life mask of Washington. That mask became the basis for several plaster and terra-cotta busts, including this one.
- Nacido en el condado de Westmoreland, Virginia
- En 1784, el escultor francés Jean-Antoine Houdon accedió a crear una estatua de George Washington en mármol para el capitolio del estado de Virginia en la ciudad de Richmond. Al año siguiente cruzó el Atlántico y pasó dos semanas en Mount Vernon. Mientras estuvo allí tomó un molde de la cara de Washington que se convirtió la base para varios bustos de yeso y terracota, incluido este.
- Provenance
- J. William Middendorf, II [b. 1924] and Isabelle P. Middendorf; (Stabilimento Falivo), Vaduz, Liechtenstein; purchased NPG 1978
- Date
- c. 1786
- Artist
- Jean-Antoine Houdon, 1741 - 1828
- Sitter
- George Washington, 22 Feb 1732 - 14 Dec 1799
- Topic
- George Washington: Male
- George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Revolutionary War Army officer
- George Washington: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman
- George Washington: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer
- George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\General
- George Washington: Politics and Government\President of US
- George Washington: Science and Technology\Surveyor
- George Washington: Congressional Gold Medal
- Portrait
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- Exhibition
- America's Presidents (Reinstallation September 2017)
- On View
- NPG, South Gallery 240
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; partial gift of Joe L. & Barbara B. Albritton and Robert H. & Clarice Smith
- Data Source
- National Portrait Gallery
- Object number
- NPG.78.1
- Type
- Sculpture
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Medium
- Plaster
- Dimensions
- With Socle: 55.9 x 33.7 x 24.8cm (22 x 13 1/4 x 9 3/4")
- Socle Diameter: 14.6cm (5 3/4")
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.78.1
- Metadata Usage
- CC0
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