G-Series: George Washington
Artist
John Clem Clarke
(American, 1937 - 2021)
CultureAmerican
Date1978
MediumOil on canvas
DimensionsOverall: 40 1/4 x 30 3/8 in. (102.2 x 77.2 cm)
Credit LineGift of Fred Hochberg
Object number95.19
Not on view
DescriptionAbstract depiction of George Washington. The artist has appropriated the well-know image of Washington from Gilbert Stuart's painting.Label TextJohn Clem Clarke American, b. 1937 G-Series: George Washington, 1978 Oil on canvas John Clem Clarke began his interpretations of famous works of art in the late 1960s at a time when painting as a medium was questioned. Performance art and Conceptualism, which asserted that art could exist simply as an idea, invaded the New York art scene. In response artists like Clarke began to focus on the role of painting as a visual code. He disrupts the long, linear history of art by creating a new version of Gilbert Stuart's famous portrait of George Washington. In doing so, Clarke challenges the earlier version's iconic power, status, and value as a work of art. Gift of Fred Hochberg 95.19 *Includes image* Gilbert Stuart American, 1755-1828 George Washington (Lansdowne Portrait), 1796 Oil on canvas, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; acquired as a gift to the nation through the generosity of the Donald W. Reynolds FoundationExhibition History"Treasures for the Community: The Chrysler Collects, 1989-1996," October 25, 1996 - February 16, 1997 "First in the Hearts of His Countrymen: America Remembers George Washington 1732-1799," Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va., November 23, 1999 - Summer 2001. "Remix: A Fresh Look At Our Modern And Contemporary Art Collections," Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, November 2, 2011 - March 17, 2012. "American Treasures at the Willoughby-Baylor House," Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, January 2 - December 1, 2013.
