Gilbert Stuart’s Exceptional Athenaeum-Type Portrait of George Washington Comes to Auction at Christie’s

Gilbert Stuart (1755 – 1828) is best known in art history for his incomplete portrait of America’s first President George Washington, known as the Athenaeum Portrait. Stuart began painting at the age of 14 and made over 1,000 portraits during his lifetime. The American painter rendered at least a hundred portraits of Washington, mostly copies of the original 1796 unfinished portrait. The upcoming Important Americana event, presented by Christie’s, will feature one of Stuart’s Athenaeum-type portraits of Washington. The artwork shows Washington seated in a gilded armchair with red upholstery. The painting is characterized by strong and distinct brushstrokes. 

Antique figurines comprise a large section of the catalog, including a molded zinc and copper Goddess of Liberty Weathervane. Possibly made between 1880 and 1900 by J. L. Mott Iron Works, the figurine shows the Goddess in a dramatic pose with her arm high and her body arching in the opposite direction. A hand-colored engraving titled The Bloody Massacre by Paul Revere will also be available. Other key lots in this event include Portrait of a Boy by John Brewster, Jr. (1766 – 1854), a pair of Chinese export porcelain famille rose soldier vases and covers, a 17th-century Chippendale carved mahogany turret-top card table, and more. View the complete listings and register to bid by visiting Christie’s.