The Washington Family
1789-1796
George Washington sits in his military uniform, looking every bit the commanding general, but here he's portrayed as a family man surrounded by his wife Martha, two grandchildren, and an enslaved servant named Christopher Sheels standing in the background. The group is gathered around a table examining a map of the future capital city, Washington D.C., which they were helping to plan. Martha looks quite serious as she holds the map, while young George Washington Parke Custis rests his hand on a globe, perhaps dreaming of future adventures. Edward Savage actually started this painting in New York and finished it in London, making it a bit of a transatlantic project!
Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.