1 Many artists have hopes that their creations will become well known. But sometimes a work of art achieves greater recognition than the artist might have ever imagined. And in the case of Gilbert Stuart and George Washington, a work of art may not even be completed but still inspire people long afterward.
2 Stuart was a painter who lived from 1755 to 1828. He was known for both his talent as a painter and his charm as a person. He painted the portraits of approximately 1,000 people during his lifetime. Many distinguished and famous people sat for a portrait with him. But instead of making his subjects sit perfectly still, as was commonly practiced at the time, Stuart engaged them in interesting conversation. He wanted his subjects to feel at ease in order to capture their most natural expression and pose. Only then would Stuart paint the person.
3 One of Stuart’s aspirations was to paint George Washington. Their meeting was not easy to arrange, but Stuart eventually got the opportunity in 1796. Stuart had a difficult time getting Washington to be comfortable. The president finally relaxed when Stuart began to talk about horses. This was one of Washington’s favorite topics. The men chatted while Stuart painted the then 64-year-old president. Their time together was limited, however.
4 The result was a portrait of just Washington’s head and shoulders. The reasons why Stuart never finished the rest of the portrait are uncertain. What is known is that the bottom and left parts of the canvas remained bare, and Stuart persuaded Washington to let him keep the original. Stuart made and sold multiple copies of the portrait in his lifetime—a common practice in the days before cameras.
5 Even unfinished, Stuart’s original portrait is considered the definitive representation of George Washington. People have always believed that the portrait truly captures this great man’s presence. The image was used on the dollar bill beginning in 1869 and has been featured there ever since. This means just about everyone in the United States has seen this work of art. While it is an amazing portrait, surely even Stuart would be amazed by its lasting popularity.
What is the best summary of the selection?
A
What is the best summary of the selection? F In 1796 painter Gilbert Stuart had the opportunity to paint a portrait of George Washington. It had been difficult to arrange time for the two men to get together. While Stuart painted Washington, the two men talked about horses.
B
The most famous portrait of George Washington was painted by Gilbert Stuart, who lived from 1755 to 1828. Stuart painted portraits of other famous people as well. He never finished his portrait of Washington, but Stuart kept the original and sold copies of it anyway.
C
An accomplished painter who completed hundreds of portraits, Gilbert Stuart lived from 1755 to 1828. Stuart wanted the subjects of his portraits to feel relaxed so that he could create a portrait of them that looked natural. One of Stuart’s most famous paintings is a portrait of President George Washington.
D
During his career Gilbert Stuart painted portraits of many famous people, including George Washington. Although Stuart was unable to complete a portrait of Washington during the time they had together in 1796, the work became the most popular portrait of Washington ever painted.
I believe it is D! Am I right?