The Painter and the Photographer
Gilbert Stuart, the painter who made the image of George Washington Americans carry in their pockets, was as much entrepreneur as artist, and George Washington his most lucrative subject. Although Washington sat for him only three times, over a hundred of his paintings are of George. He copied and sold his first painting of Washington at least a dozen times, and he left his favorite painting of Washington deliberately unfinished - and undelivered to Martha Washington, who had ordered it - so that he could copy and sell it. He made at least 70 copies of the work. Famous and in demand, he briefly opened a studio in the capital. But Stuart's entrepreneurial instincts were less sure than his artistic skill, and he fled the city still owing his landlord.
About 50 years later, photographer Mathew Brady opened a portrait studio in Washington, within blocks of Stuart's old place. Like Stuart, Brady had a business bent that proved less successful than the pictures he made, and also like Stuart, some of his most famous portraits are of an American President.
Comments
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
(16)
July (16)
(31)
August (31)
(30)
September (30)
(31)
October (31)
(30)
November (30)
(31)
December (31)
|
(31)
January (31)
(29)
February (29)
(31)
March (31)
(10)
April (10)
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|