Stuart Gilbert (1755-1828) was a very successful American classicist portraitist. Born in Kingston, he then showed his talent in Newport. However, his painting style was not levelled, and he went to Europe to improve. During the years 1777-1793, he worked in London and Dublin. After five years of hard work, he finally won recognition for his portraits. The success abroad evoked a greater ambition in him: to paint a portrait of George Washington. After returning to New York, he obtained commissions from wealthy citizens. Despite the fact that his work was sold expensively, he often staggered to the brink of bankruptcy. In 1795, he moved to Philadelphia, where he finally managed to arrange some sittings with the President. The result was several portraits of George Washington.