The painting, created by artist Gilbert Stuart, has been in the collection of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1944. The museum has decided to sell the piece early next year to raise money for its acquisition fund.
In the portrait, the George Washington sits in front of a crimson backdrop while wearing a dark coat atop a white ruffled shirt. His blue eyes gaze directly at the viewer. Stuart painted the work in late 1795. Around the same time, he also created several other Washington paintings that came to be known collectively as the “Vaughan” series. They are named after John Vaughan, who is thought to have commissioned the original portrait.
Just 14 works from the “Vaughan” series are known to exist today, according to Christie’s. Four are in private hands, while the others are part of various museum and university collections.
The piece will be sold during Christie’s Important Americana sale, which is scheduled for January 18 and 19.
Main Image :Gilbert Stuart, George Washington, 1795, Courtesy Christie’s
