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

Albee and Innerst wittily render the backstory of the portrait of George Washington (1732–1799) that graces the U.S. one-dollar bill. Premier American portraitist Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828) wields a “dancing brush” that “captures the very soul of the person he is painting,” but his initial encounter with the president left much to be desired by both parties. Washington begrudgingly agrees to give Stuart another chance, though the president would “rather sit on a horse than sit in a chair,” and considers Stuart an “infernal chatterbox.” The two men share an understanding of “the power of art” to capture not just likeness but legacy, and when Stuart sees Washington looking delightedly at a horse, conversation fodder is found and a famous portrait is born. Elegantly economic, always accessible prose gives a sense of the era’s decorum, while sculptural acrylic, pencil, and digital artwork captures both the artistic process and the wrangling of two unique historical personalities. Secondary characters are portrayed with pale skin. Ages 7–10. (Aug.)