Monumental Patinated Bronze Bust of George Washington, after William Rush (1817)

A Monumental Patinated Bronze Bust of George Washington, after William Rush (1817)

This commanding bronze bust of George Washington is modeled after the celebrated 1817 portrait by the Philadelphia carver and sculptor William Rush (1756–1833), often hailed as the first native-born American sculptor. Rush produced his likeness of Washington shortly after the president’s death, portraying him not in the Roman neoclassical toga of Jean-Antoine Houdon’s famous model, but as the American General—dressed in a high military collar, cravat, and coat. The result is a deeply expressive, Romantic rendering that emphasizes Washington’s authority and gravitas.

Rush’s original terracotta and plaster busts survive in several major collections. Examples include the Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia (terracotta bust of Washington, object #2014.14.004), the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (painted plaster bust, acc. no. 1841.8.1), and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. (plaster bust, gift of C. Leslie Wood, acc. no. 1968.155.1). A further painted plaster version, dating to circa 1817, is preserved in the Princeton University Art Museum (object 23197), underscoring both the significance and wide circulation of Rush’s model in early American visual culture. These works served as prototypes for later reductions and castings in bronze, such as the present example.

Rush himself produced Washington portraits in multiple media—carved wood, terracotta, and plaster—each aimed at different audiences. While plaster versions were widely circulated as affordable patriotic icons in schools, public halls, and civic institutions, bronzes such as this one represent the most enduring and elevated form of the sculptor’s vision. Bronze not only captures the fine details of Washington’s features and uniform with a precision far beyond plaster, but also conveys the permanence and gravitas befitting the nation’s founding father. Where plaster busts were prone to wear, chipping, or repainting, bronze castings projected dignity and permanence, destined for libraries, government chambers, and refined private interiors.

This bust embodies the transition of Washington imagery from neoclassical idealization to Romantic heroism, and stands within a lineage of highly important works that shaped the American memory of its first president. It is a rare opportunity to acquire an iconic Washington likeness based on William Rush’s historically significant model—one celebrated for nearly two centuries in America’s leading museums and collections.

26" high x 19" wide x 7" deep

Very good condition, normal wear consistent with age and use. Ready to place. A very rare and important bust of George Washington.