George Washington
mid-19th century
Medium
silk tapestry
Dimensions
overall: 26.5 × 21.3 cm (10 7/16 × 8 3/8 in.)
Classification
Decorative Art
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
2012.10.2
Art Historical Context
This delicate silk tapestry, titled * Washington*, was woven by François Carquillat after design by Allardet in the mid-19th. Measuring a modest 26.5 × 21.3 cm (10 7/16 × 8 3/8 in.), it the revered first U.S. President in a portrait, now housed in the National Gallery of's Decorative Art collection (Department CG-E) through the Ailsa Mellon Fund. As a fine example of textile artistry, it showcases the era's fascination with historical icons, blending American heroism with European craftsmanship. Silk tapestries like this were luxury items for affluent homes, valued for their luminous sheen an...