As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, a prominent portrait of George Washington is back on display at the New York State Capitol.
The portrait by artist Ezra Ames dates to 1813, and had been on public display in Albany since then — until it needed a little TLC.
Conservationists have spent more than a year restoring the painting from the effects of aging and its busy location in the Capitol’s State Street lobby.
“The temperature fluctuates quite a bit, the humidity changes quite a bit, and all of those changes have an impact on the canvas,” said Joseph Madeira, director for Curatorial and Visitor Services for the state Office of General Services. “And so, we monitor these things very closely, and occasionally we have to do some work to make sure that this is preserved for future generations.”
A team at the Williamstown + Atlanta Art Conservation Centers added things like UV protection and restored the large golden frame.
“It's incredible to see it back,” said Briann Greenfield, the centers’ executive director. "When they're in our labs, it's a little bit like being in a hospital, you know. Things come in an incredibly vulnerable state."
The portrait has been on display in the State Street lobby since 2012; before then, it hung outside the governor’s office since the 1980s, Madeira said.
It was inspired by the famous 1796 Lansdowne Portrait by Gilbert Stuart, which is on display in Washington, D.C.
State historians say they hope the Ames portrait inspires curiosity and reflection as Americans celebrate the semiquincentennial.
The nearby New York State Museum is also opening the "Revolutionary New York" exhibit on July 1, honoring New Yorkers who took part in the Revolutionary War and those who worked to make its promises real.
