Le Général Washington, Commendant en Chef des Armées Americaines, né en Virginie en 1733 (General Washington, Commander in Chief of the American Armies, born in Virginia in 1733 [sic]) 1783 - 1786

This print of George Washington, commander of the American armies, was made by Charles Willson Peale. Peale was a painter, soldier, and politician, active in the cultural and political life of the American Revolution. The print follows a formula for the visual construction of leaders during the enlightenment. Washington is presented as a figure of power and authority, framed in an oval to suggest a classical medallion, with an orderly army displayed beneath. Prints like this circulated widely, shaping public opinion through the careful distribution of imagery. Peale was instrumental in founding the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and his own natural history museum. Understanding the history of institutions like this, and others such as the U.S. Army, is essential to interpreting this print today. Researching Peale’s biographies and the archives of early American art institutions will tell us more about its place in the history of art and politics.