''George Washington'' (also known as ''Washington and the Departure of the British Garrison from New York City'') is a large full-length

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

painted by American artist John Trumbull in 1790. Trumbull's earlier 1790 work, '' Washington at Verplanck's Point'', which he had gifted to Washington's wife Martha, had been very well received. In consequence, Trumbull received a July, 1790, commission from the corporation for the City of New York, led by

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

Richard Varick Richard Varick (March 15, 1753 – July 30, 1831) was an American lawyer, military officer, and politician who has been referred to as "The Forgotten Founding Father." A major figure in the development of post-Independence New York City and Stat ...

, to paint the president's portrait. Rather than beginning anew, Trumbull enormously scaled up the prior work, enlarging it from roughly 30" by 20" to nearly four times the size, 108" by 72". In composition and general character the two paintings are substantially the same, with only the middle background as seen through Washington's horse's legs changed, from a September 14, 1782 review of Continental Army troops he had staged for departing French commander-in-chief General Rochambeau to an idealized vision of Evacuation Day, Washington's return to New York City upon the British departure on November 25, 1783. This painting is located in the historic Governor's Room of New York City Hall.

Background

Trumbull in a letter to his mentor, the painter

Benjamin West Benjamin West, (October 10, 1738 – March 11, 1820) was a British-American artist who painted famous historical scenes such as '' The Death of Nelson'', ''The Death of General Wolfe'', the '' Treaty of Paris'', and '' Benjamin Franklin Drawin ...

, on August 30, 1790 wrote:

Composition

The pose and general composition are virtual of copies of '' Washington at Verplanck's Point'' painted earlier in 1790, but instead of the background seen through the horse's legs being a romanticized depiction of a review of Continental Army troops at their encampment at New York's Verplanck's Point Washington had staged for departing French commander-in-chief General Rochambeau on September 14, 1782, it is an idealized vision of Evacuation Day, Washington's return to New York City upon the British departure on November 25, 1783. It was put on display in the Governor's Room of New York City Hall, where it remains.

Engraving

In 1899, Samuel Arlent Edwards engraved a version entitled ''Washington'' and noted as "From the painting by J. Trumbull in the City Hall, New York".

Notes

References

External links

* Owner: Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum * Owner:

City of New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...