George Washington 1793

Curator: Stepping closer, one can really appreciate Edward Savage’s “George Washington,” painted in 1793, and currently residing here at The Art Institute of Chicago. What is your first impression? Editor: There's something undeniably paternal, almost stoic, about this portrait. That gentle hand placement seems significant. It is not the classic aggressive heroic pose. He appears pensive, world-weary, as if holding not just a document but the weight of a nascent nation. Curator: Precisely! Savage strays from idealized portrayals. Notice the Neoclassical influence— the restrained emotion, the focus on realism. It's a carefully constructed image intended to project authority, but with an underlying humility. That document in his hands can be seen as the map for the city. The founding documents! Editor: Ah, symbolism! I find the very controlled palette compelling. Dark, somber clothing set against the muted backdrop. I sense it speaks volumes of his role, but there’s also a subtle, almost coded, element within that rigid formal dress and stiff bearing. That’s to say there’s much hidden under those colonial garb. The light catches the white ruffles—a hint of vanity? Curator: Possibly, or just an accentuation of status, in those pre-industrial times when showing off fancy lace implied disposable income. I am taken by what I think is an unfinished part on the far right... or could it be some fur draped on top of what might be plans of the Nation's Capitol? To me, the lack of high theatrics makes the power more believable, more ingrained. And for sure Savage was playing a complex game, balancing Washington's own desire to avoid regal imagery with the public’s expectation of leadership. Editor: That incomplete vision of architectural grandeur hints to me to this nation's promise and unrealized potential. Those ghostly renderings seem to act as symbols that capture aspirations as opposed to tangible achievement. Ultimately this portrait is very telling as its complex imagery offers multiple perspectives: Washington, as individual, leader, father, all come to mind, but each aspect leaves us asking, 'but, really, what does he represent?' Curator: An exquisite enigma—much like the nation he led! It’s the kind of portrait that challenges us, even today, to keep questioning. Editor: Absolutely. Savage gave us much more than just a likeness.