Horatio Gates
ca. 1793–94
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
44 1/4 x 35 7/8 in. (112.4 x 91.1 cm)
Classification
Painting
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Lucille S. Pfeffer, 1977
Accession Number
1977.243
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of early American portraiture with Gilbert's *Horatio Gates* (ca. 1793–94), a masterful oil on canvas now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing. Measuring an imposing 44¼ × 35⅞ inches, this work captures General Horatio Gates, a figure in the American Revolution in a three-quarter-length pose that conveys both authority and introspection. Gifted to the Met in 1977 by Lucille S. Pfeffer, it exemplifies Stuart's renowned skill in rendering lifelike expressions and textures, from the rich folds of Gates' dark coat to the subtle gleam of his skin. Painted sh...
About the Artist
Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828) was born on December 3, 1755, in Saunderstown, Rhode Island. He received his first painting instruction from local portraitist Samuel King, then studied under Scottish artist Cosmo Alexander who brought him to Scotland in 1771. After Alexander died, Stuart returned to Newport before sailing to London in 1775, where he entered the studio of Benjamin West for approximately...