The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart's Brush with George Washington

K-Gr 4--George Washington did not like to sit still. Fortunately, portrait painter Gilbert Stuart didn't need him to. In fact, Stuart would joke and tell stories and let his subjects walk around the room, and even invite family and friends to join them. Washington's stern expression and pinched mouth (due to his infamous ill-fitting false teeth), for example, went from "glum to glad" when Stuart realized he loved to talk about horses. Stuart painted portraits of many luminaries (lords and ladies, admirals and artists, diplomats and dignitaries), but by far the most famous one was of Washington, which became the basis for the engraving used on the dollar bill. Expressive language and delightful acrylic, pencil, and digital illustrations, which include images from actual portraits, combine to make a lively and interesting biography of a painter and a glimpse into a little-known event in the life of the first president. The book includes a time line, information on Washington's dental woes, an explanation of why the image on the dollar bill is reversed from the original portrait, a bibliography, and source notes. VERDICT Pair this with a traditional biography of Washington for a refreshing look into the legacy of both the president and the painter. Highly recommended.--Sue Morgan

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

★ "An account of the rocky relationship between the U.S.'s first president and his most famous portrait painter... A timeline at the end daubs in further biographical details about the disparate duo, and the whole not insignificant historical anecdote is capped by closing comments on Washington's "tooth troubles" and why his picture on the dollar bill has him facing the other way. The result is a humorous yet enlightening work that humanizes seemingly distant or imposing figures. A lighthearted, illuminating, and thought-provoking look at a brief but meaningful historical moment." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Readers get two character portraits here: that of impatient, action-oriented Washington and that of the freewheeling Stuart, who broke from the 'sit still' school of portraitists...The illustrations, done with acrylics and pencils, have a whimsical, cutout quality, with swirling brushstrokes in the background emulating Stuart's signature brushwork and putting the emphasis on the characters, while occasional sidebars convey a wealth of historical information. Readers will gain an appreciation of the arduous art of portrait painting, with the added humor of Stuart's psychological tricks...A captivating exploration of the making of one of history's most famous portraits." —Booklist, starred review

"An iconic portrait of George Washington comes to life in this painterly picture book...president. The illustrations take painting as their inspiration, withvisible brushstrokes and dramatic contrasts creating an immersive experience." —Foreword Reviews

"Expressive language and delightful acrylic, pencil, and digital illustrations, which include images from actual portraits, combine to make a lively and interesting biography of a painter and a glimpse into a little-known event in the life of the first president... Pair this with a traditional biography of Washington for a refreshing look into the legacy of both the president and the painter. Highly recommended."—School Library Journal

"The Painter and the President spotlights the relationship between America's first president and Gilbert Stuart, one of the many artists who tried to capture his image on canvas. By the time of Washington's presidency, Stuart had made a fine reputation as a portraitist. Although many of his subjects loved sitting for him, the laconic George Washington was not one of them. Sarah Albee and Stacy Innerst cleverly celebrate this relationship by looking at the many ways the painter tried in order to get a true portrait of America's first president."—Mary V. Thompson, research historian emerita, George Washington's Mount Vernon