http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/19/gilbert-stuart/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:40:52 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/19/gilbert-stuart/comment-page-1/#comment-25819 Bob Eggleton Tue, 20 Feb 2007 03:47:49 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/19/gilbert-stuart/#comment-25819 I drive by his birthplace all the time here in Rhode Island. It's down in North Kingstown, down a little country road and it's a grist mill with a waterwheel. I drive by his birthplace all the time here in Rhode Island. It’s down in North Kingstown, down a little country road and it’s a grist mill with a waterwheel.

]]> http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/19/gilbert-stuart/comment-page-1/#comment-25718 Daniel van Benthuysen Mon, 19 Feb 2007 18:40:37 +0000 http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/02/19/gilbert-stuart/#comment-25718 It's interesting to consider what we might think of Gilbert Stuart had he NOT painted ANY portraits of George Washington. Rather like the problem of the actor who gets typecast in a particular kind of role again and again. Since Washington the man was more than a bit of a stiff (a role he felt necessary as president of the new republic) then Stuart's many portraits come off the same way. Stuart really was a gifted portraitist in whose hands the images of children and artists and statesmen came to life. My personal favorite is here in New York at the Met: The Skater (William Grant), 1782, a painting which if 'read' from top to bottom starts out as a sober and pensive conventional portrait and ends at the bottom as a rendering of an elegant gentleman having a bit of fun figure skating! It's very popular as a Christmas card. It’s interesting to consider what we might think of Gilbert Stuart had he NOT painted ANY portraits of George Washington. Rather like the problem of the actor who gets typecast in a particular kind of role again and again. Since Washington the man was more than a bit of a stiff (a role he felt necessary as president of the new republic) then Stuart’s many portraits come off the same way. Stuart really was a gifted portraitist in whose hands the images of children and artists and statesmen came to life. My personal favorite is here in New York at the Met: The Skater (William Grant), 1782, a painting which if ‘read’ from top to bottom starts out as a sober and pensive conventional portrait and ends at the bottom as a rendering of an elegant gentleman having a bit of fun figure skating! It’s very popular as a Christmas card.

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