Chapter 9

[Alexander]

Here are some discussion questions to help us get started. As always, these are never required, but here to facilitate discussion should we need it.

1. This isn't really a question, but more of an observation. I really liked the way that Staiti opened this chapter with his description of Stuart. I think a lot of people, myself included, tend to see the artist in a similar way as the subject, especially in the case of Washington. It's easy to think of Stuart as serious and serene when, in reality, he clearly was not.

2. In a similar vein to #1: Stuart clearly observed Washington's ungovernable temper and yet chose not to paint even a hint of that in his famous portraits. Do you think this is for better or for worse? I cannot be the only one who thought of Washington almost as a god growing up: someone to be revered; someone who was wise, calm, and imposing; someone who it seemed could do no wrong. In other words, really just a statue. It's something that no one can ever live up to. Is it something that the republic needed at the moment or could he have painted even a slight hint into his portraits giving us a taste for the "real" George Washington: General, President, and, above all, human.

3. On page 260, Staiti quotes Henry Knox saying, "...in the United States 'it is the President's character, and not the written constitution, which keeps it together.'" Do you think this is true today or was it only true for Washington? Was it even true then?

4. Did you have a favorite passage? What was it and why?

[Jane]

1. I agree, it was interesting and a little surprising to find that Stuart was another example of a drunk and irresponsible artist :) Fortunately he had incredible talent and in my mind was second only to Copley when in came to American talent of the era.

2. I loved the story about Stuart trying to paint the jaded and stoic President Washington and having to finally loosen him up with bad jokes. As much as I like Stuart's work, I don't like his Washington portraits as well as I like Rev War era depictions.

3. LET US HOPE IT IS THE CONSTITUTION.
I did enjoy the story about how people would buy copies of Stuart's portrait of Washington and that for common people, it might be the first time they had ever seen him. Imagine revering this hero for 20 years as the leader of your Revolution and then president, and not knowing what he looked like! It must have been so thrilling when he made his tour of the country, for the people to finally see his face.

4. "Stuart's portraits were artistic interpretations, not impartial documents. Like an authorized biography, they tell only the story that the subject wishes to reveal. They are Stuart's image of the President, and they also represent Washington's well-orchestrated image of himself as President."