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Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755–1828)
John Jay, 1794
Oil on canvas; 51 1/2 x 40 1/8 in. (130.8 x 101.9 cm)
National Gallery of Art, Washington, lent by Peter A. Jay
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Stuart's repeated delays in completing work for John Jay (1745–1829) seems not to have daunted the chief justice's appreciation of the artist's talents. In 1784 in London, Jay had commissioned two portraits of himself, which Stuart left unfinished and pawned when he went to Dublin. A decade later, Jay sat for Stuart again. This new picture remained unfinished for a few months and was completed after several requests from Jay's wife. Stuart's extraordinary gift of characterization through physiognomic accuracy combined with creative choice of pose seems to have made up for the delay. Jay wrote a letter of introduction to George Washington for Stuart.
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