When Americans chose their first President under their new Constitution in 1788, the election of George Washington was a foregone conclusion. In the recent fight for independence, no one had been more crucial than he, and of the Founding Fathers, none engendered as much admiration.

Despite Washington's prestige, his presidency had its critics. Toward the end of his administration, one newspaper branded him a "scourge and misfortune." Still, even some of his critics doubtless admitted that his election had been a wise choice. While his administration's fiscal policies brought sorely needed economic stability, his adroit leadership kept the country safely removed from involvement in the Anglo-French conflicts of the 1790s. Above all, his firm leadership gave a credibility to the new federal government that assured its survivability. Washington's intellect, Thomas Jefferson once admitted, was not "of the very first order." Nevertheless, he added, "He was indeed . . . a wise, a good, and a great man."

Gilbert Stuart painted this portrait from life in 1796, when Washington was president. He painted the likeness to use in a full-length portrait commissioned as a gift for the Earl of Shelburne. In the same year, Stuart painted Washington's wife Martha.

The artist kept the unfinished paintings until his death, using the likeness of Washington as the basis for many subsequent portraits, which were painted to meet the steady demand for Washington's image.

Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828)
Oil on canvas, 1796
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Owned jointly with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
NPG.80.115

Enlarged image

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