It's always fascinating to learn about the stories behind famous pictures. What was happening while these legendary images were being created? What are we not seeing?
In The Painter and the President, author Sarah Albee lets us into the room and shows us the drama (and comedy!) surrounding the making of the most circulated image—the portrait of George Washington on the one-dollar bill. Gilbert Stuart was the artist tasked with painting that picture. And it was quite the task! George Washington didn't like sitting still and he hated having his portrait painted since it took days to complete. Also, the President wasn't a big fan of the free-spirited painter. So how did that iconic dollar-bill image ever happen? Lucky for both of them that movement was Gilbert's muse. His unique way of painting allowed his subject to walk around and even talk with friends. Using a few tricks here and there, Gilbert captured the soul of the first American President in a one-of-a-kind portrait that just might be in your pocket right now!
Today Sarah shares her process in crafting The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart's Brush with George Washington.
What sparked your interest in Gilbert Stuart?
My favorite party trick is asking fellow grownups if they know who Gilbert Stuart is. Nearly always, (if they're honest) people say they don't know. But if they can see one of his portraits of George Washington, they say "Oh, sure, THAT guy!"
I have written about George Washington many times, and knew that Gilbert Stuart was the go-to portraitist of his day (and painted George three times) but it wasn't until just a few years ago, when I was researching a different project and reading Ron Chernow's biography of George Washington, that I learned that the two of them really didn't get along. And I knew right away that was a cool book idea.
Was there one aspect of Gilbert's life—a specific scene, quote, or image—that guided you throughout the writing process?
Well, the underlying theme of the book is the power of art. And both Gilbert and George knew how much Gilbert's paintings of George mattered for both of their legacies. So that theme was in my mind as I considered every fact, every word, every scene, and determined whether or not it belonged in the book.
While researching this book, which fact surprised you the most?
The way Gilbert painted. He mixed his paints on the canvas, rather than on the palette, and he painted portraits so very quickly. Gilbert could nail your soul to a canvas in just a few hours, unlike so many of his contemporaries, who required multiple sittings, and who required their subjects to remain still as a statue. Gilbert encouraged his sitters to walk around the room, chat with friends, drink Madeira. I have no idea how he managed it. Lots of other painters envied his ability to do what he did.
Why do you think kids can relate to The Painter and the President?
Well for starters, I don't have to explain who George Washington is, so that's saved me from having to bore them with too much backstory. And the iconic Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington is right there on the dollar bill, so I think kids can see right away how relevant the story is to their own lives. Also, I hope they find the book funny.
Which sources were invaluable to writing this biography?
Besides the "usual" sources about Gilbert Stuart (you see the same primary sources in most books about him, as there aren't very many), my most invaluable source by far was my ongoing dialogue with a retired curator from the National Portrait Gallery, who also wrote the catalogue for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilbert Stuart retrospective, and who is a foremost expert on American portraiture. We had multiple conversations, both by phone and email, and I could not have written the book without her help. I also consulted with my go-to George Washington expert, Mary V. Thompson, who has recently retired from her role as research historian at Mount Vernon. She's helped me with several books about George Washington.
How did you select the timeframe for your book?
Ah, that wasn't difficult, as the two men's lives overlapped quite nicely. I mean, Gilbert outlived George by several decades, but the book centers on the time of their most famous portrait sittings.
What's your #1 tip for writing true stories?
Use a combination of primary and secondary sources, because primary sources are so often biased or unreliable, and don't be shy about contacting experts. People love to talk about what they do, and I've gotten really bold about contacting THE foremost experts in whatever field I'm researching. They almost always agree—enthusiastically—to answer my questions and/or review parts of my manuscripts.
If you could pick the ideal place for a The Painter and the President storywalk, where would it be?
Somewhere accessible to as many kids as possible. A park near a kid-friendly museum, perhaps. Heck, why not somewhere near the National Portrait Gallery?
What other books would you recommend to readers who love The Painter and the President?
I love books that humanize iconic historical or scientific figures, that show kids the human side of "great men and women." There are so many examples, but to name just a couple: I love Lesa Cline-Ransome's brilliant biography of Harriet Tubman, Before She Was Harriet, and there's a new book by Loree Griffin Burns called One Long Line, that tracks the work of two very different scientists who studied processionary caterpillars, and kid readers can see their process and understand how their thinking evolved.
TRUE STORY TIDBITS
I recommend this biography on one shelf in my TrueStory Bookshop:
- True Stories~Artists
To take a peek inside the book, checkout my Booktok.
Every day is a good day for a true story but here are some special tie-in dates for The Painter and the President:
- Third Monday of February: President's Day
- February 22: George Washington's Birthday
- August 8th: National Dollar Day commemorates the day Congress established the U.S. monetary system in 1786.
- December 3: Gilbert Stuart's Birthday
Sarah Albee is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 150 books for kids, ranging from preschool through middle grade. Recent nonfiction titles have been Junior Library Guild, Bank Street College of Education Best Books, and Notable Social Studies Trade Books selections, as well as winners of Eureka! Nonfiction Children's Book Awards. She especially loves writing about topics where history and science connect. Learn more about Sarah on her website.