Description
The painting The Skater, by Gilbert Stuart, is known to be one of the most iconic and popular works of art in American history. The painting shows George Washington, the first president of the United States, ice skating on the Delaware River during the winter of 1776.
The interesting thing about this painting is that although it has become a patriotic symbol in the United States, it is actually a fictional portrait. Stuart never saw Washington ice skating, and the scene is actually an artistic invention. Stuart created the painting in 1817, many years after Washington's death, and used his famous portrait of Washington as the model for the figure on the ice.
No painting heralds Gilbert Stuart's coming of age as a portrait painter like this. Stuart exhibited this painting at the Royal Academy of Art's 1782 exhibition, heralding his artistic maturity with quality.
The Skater is ranked no. 72 on the list of famous paintings
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