Thursday, February 28, 2008

Bouquets to Art 2008 Begins!

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The Fine Arts Museums' most popular annual event, Bouquets to Art, began today at the de Young... [more]

Posted by: Andrew Fox | February 28 at 9:25:58 AM
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Listed under: de Young News | Exhibitions

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Portraits of George at the de Young

Rembrandt Peale (American, 1778–1860), George Washington, ca. 1850



Rembrandt Peale (American, 1778–1860), after Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755–1828), George Washington, 1854



Ray Beldner (American, b. 1961), E. Pluribus unum, 2005

George Washington that is—Revolutionary War hero and first president of the United States. Being that the de Young Museum has a comprehensive survey collection of American art, it's not surprising that the collection includes several portraits of President Washington. The portraits range from a Folk Art piece by an unknown artist ca. 1825 to two iconic portraits by American painter Rembrandt Peale (1778–1860), to a contemporary portrait made of dollar bills by artist Ray Beldner (b. 1961). In honor of Washington's birthday on February 22, American art curator Timothy Anglin Burgard has installed all these portraits together in the de Young's American Art Galleries.

The two pieces by Rembrandt Peale, who was actually born on Washington's birthday in the midst of the American Revolution, will be instantly recognizable to many. The first is a copy of Peale's own 1824 "Patriae Pater" portrait of the president, done in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of his death. Similar paintings are in the collections of the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The second is a copy of Gilbert Stuart's famous portrait of Washington.

Although both these paintings date from the 1850s, late in Rembrandt Peale's career, he did in fact paint Washington's portrait from life, as a 17-year-old artistic prodigy in 1795... [more]

Posted by: Andrew Fox | February 14 at 1:56:05 PM
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Listed under: General News