Lieutenant General George Washington, (sculpture).

Lieutenant General George Washington, (sculpture).

Mills, Clark, 1810-1883, sculptor.

Lieutenant General George Washington, (sculpture).

George Washington, (sculpture).

Washington, (sculpture).

Commissioned 1853. Dedicated Feb. 20, 1860.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze; Base: marble.

Sculpture: approx. 9 x 14 x 6 ft.; Base: approx. 9 ft. 8 in. x 15 ft. x 8 ft.

(Base, east side:) CLARK MILLS/SCULPTOR (Founder's mark is visible on rear proper left leg inside on knee.) (Front of base:) WASHINGTON signed Founder's mark appears.

Equestrian portrait of George Washington dressed in his military uniform as he faces the British troops. The horse is rearing back, but Washington is sitting erect in the saddle as he looks out over the battle scene. His uniform consists of a long jacket with fringed epaulets, boots, and a three-cornered hat. He holds the horses reins in his proper left hand and his sword at his side in his proper right hand.

Portrait male -- Washington, George

Occupation -- Military -- General

Occupation -- Political -- President

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Object -- Weapon -- Sword

Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington

Administered by United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, District of Columbia

Located Washington Circle, Pennsylvania Avenue, New Hampshire Avenue, 23rd Street, & K Street, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia

Mills modeled Washington's portrait after Jean Houdon's famous and much copied bust of Washington. Mills served as the architect for this piece which was authorized by an act of Congress on January 25, 1853 and again on February 24, 1860. Mills had originally designed an elaborate base, complete with relief panels and additional figures of Washington and his general, but due to a lack of fund, this base was not constructed. The Goode publication contains a sketch of this base. The sculpture was temporarily moved during the early 1960s when the K Street underpass was built. It was reinstalled in 1963. IAS files contain an excerpt from Jannelle Warren-Findley's Aug. 1, 1985 report for the National Park Service entitled, "A Guide to Selected Statues, Monuments and Memorials," National Capital Parks - Central, National Park Service, Washington, D.C. (RFQ 3-4-1919) which includes a brief maintenance history, a list of bibliographic sources, and notes to additional information found in National Park Service files.

Index of American Sculpture, University of Delaware, 1985

Goode, James M., "The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C., A Comprehensive Historical Guide," Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1974, pg. 384-385.

Smithsonian Institution Research Expeditions Volunteer Project, 1991.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, District of Columbia survey, 1993.

Michael Richman, SAAM curatorial assistant, 1967-1969.

Goode, James M., "The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C., A Comprehensive Historical Guide," Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1974, J-19.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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