The Painter and the President

A Kirkus Best Picture Book of the Year
CCBC Choices 2025

★ “An account of the rocky relationship between the U.S.’s first president and his most famous portrait painter… A timeline at the end daubs in further biographical details about the disparate duo, and the whole not insignificant historical anecdote is capped by closing comments on Washington’s “tooth troubles” and why his picture on the dollar bill has him facing the other way. The result is a humorous yet enlightening work that humanizes seemingly distant or imposing figures. A lighthearted, illuminating, and thought-provoking look at a brief but meaningful historical moment.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “Readers get two character portraits here: that of impatient, action-oriented Washington and that of the freewheeling Stuart, who broke from the ‘sit still’ school of portraitists…The illustrations, done with acrylics and pencils, have a whimsical, cutout quality, with swirling brushstrokes in the background emulating Stuart’s signature brushwork and putting the emphasis on the characters, while occasional sidebars convey a wealth of historical information. Readers will gain an appreciation of the arduous art of portrait painting, with the added humor of Stuart’s psychological tricks…A captivating exploration of the making of one of history’s most famous portraits.” —Booklist, starred review

★ “Elegantly economic, always accessible prose gives a sense of the era’s decorum, while sculptural acrylic, pencil, and digital artwork captures both the artistic process and the wrangling of two unique historical personalities.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“An iconic portrait of George Washington comes to life in this painterly picture book…president. The illustrations take painting as their inspiration, withvisible brushstrokes and dramatic contrasts creating an immersive experience.” —Foreword Reviews

“Expressive language and delightful acrylic, pencil, and digital illustrations, which include images from actual portraits, combine to make a lively and interesting biography of a painter and a glimpse into a little-known event in the life of the first president… Pair this with a traditional biography of Washington for a refreshing look into the legacy of both the president and the painter. Highly recommended.”—School Library Journal

“The Painter and the President spotlights the relationship between America’s first president and Gilbert Stuart, one of the many artists who tried to capture his image on canvas. By the time of Washington’s presidency, Stuart had made a fine reputation as a portraitist. Although many of his subjects loved sitting for him, the laconic George Washington was not one of them. Sarah Albee and Stacy Innerst cleverly celebrate this relationship by looking at the many ways the painter tried in order to get a true portrait of America’s first president.”—Mary V. Thompson, research historian emerita, George Washington’s Mount Vernon