Reimagining George Washington’s Portrait
A new exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts reexamines George Washington's legacy by juxtaposing 19th-century idealized scenes with contemporary artist Titus Kaphar's complex, critical portrayals. Kaphar's work presents Washington as both a foundational leader and a slaveholder, challenging simplistic national myths. The exhibit suggests that true patriotism involves confronting difficult truths rather than venerating sanitized icons.
- ▪The exhibition "Titus Kaphar and Junius Brutus Stearns: Pictures More Famous Than the Truth" contrasts historical and contemporary depictions of George Washington.
- ▪Junius Brutus Stearns's 19th-century paintings idealize Washington, while Titus Kaphar's modern works emphasize his role as a slaveholder.
- ▪Kaphar uses diverse materials like torn fabric and sculpted tar to merge traditional and innovative techniques in his art.
- ▪The exhibit is part of Virginia’s official commemoration of the U.S. semiquincentennial.
- ▪Kaphar is married to a descendant of George Washington, which informs his personal and nuanced approach to the subject.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
CultureReimagining George Washington’s PortraitA new exhibition makes the Founding Father seem like anything but a saint. That’s a good thing.By Lily MeyerShadows of Liberty, 2016 (Titus Kaphar)May 17, 2026, 8 AM ET ShareSave George Washington has long been something of an American visual cliché. When the Russian diplomat and artist Pavel Svinin visited the United States in the early 19th century, he found it “noteworthy that every American considers it his sacred duty to have a likeness of Washington in his house, just as we have images of God’s Saints.”Today, the country is no less prone to canonizing versions of patriotism, though they go well beyond art.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Atlantic.
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