General and Mrs. George Washington
19th century
Medium
Photocollage (albumen prints with woodcut)
Dimensions
Image/paper: 29.5 × 22.8 cm (11 5/8 × 9 in.); Mount: 34.1 × 26.4 cm (13 7/16 × 10 7/16 in.)
Classification
mixed media/collage
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
148474
Art Historical Context
Step into the inventive world of 19th photography with *General and Mrs. George*, a captivating photocollage created by an unknown artist. This mixed-media work from the Art Institute of Chicago Photography and Media department measures 29.5 × 22.8 cm on paper, elegantly mounted to 34.1 × 26.4 cm. It honors America's first president and his wife, Martha, through a clever fusion of portraiture and patriotism, evoking the era's fascination with historical icons. The artwork's brilliance lies in its pioneering technique: albumen prints—silvery photographs on paper coated with egg whites for shar...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...