Washington On His Deathbed Analysis

Washington on his Deathbed by Junius Stearns is part of a series of paintings on the life of George Washington. Washington’s life is depicted in five parts in the series: “farmer at his plantation; citizen at his wedding; soldier at Monongahela; Christian on his deathbed, and statesman at the Founding.” Glimpses of scenes from Washington’s life were revealed in these paintings, previously not shown. These portraits are “notable for their sentimentality and air of dignified calm”, and reflect values and beliefs for the American people to imitate. The series added an everyday quality to the stiff untouchable image of Washington, more accessible to the everyday American that wished to emulate him.
Washington on his Deathbed is a depiction of George Washington’s death in December of 1799. According to historical accounts, Washington suddenly became ill and quickly declined despite the best efforts of multiple physicians. Washington “died in the presence of his wife, his secretary, two physicians, his white housekeeper, and four slaves.” The scene of the deathbed is generally consistent with descriptions of the event, except for the omission of the three slaves and housekeeper that were present at Washington’s death. In the painting, three of his grandchildren took the place of the servants. This edit done by the artist reflects

She appears to be lit by a source from the side, especially on her face. This draws attention to her, making her a significant character in the scene. The attention given to the figure makes sense when considering the historical accounts that place Martha Washington, the wife of George Washington, at the foot of the bed. Stearns appears to have used light as a means of establishing who/what is important in the scene, rather than accurately showing where light is hitting based on the