# George Washington, Front View, from Oeuvre de Canova

**Antonio Canova** (Italian, 1765–1820)  
1817  
Engraving in black on ivory wove paper  
Plate: 45 × 32.5 cm (17 3/4 × 12 13/16 in.); Sheet: 86 × 62 cm (33 7/8 × 24 7/16 in.)

Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2021.51. [The museum's record](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/260564).

## About this work

Antonio Canova’s statue of George Washington, commissioned by the state of North Carolina for its State House in Raleigh, showed the first American president seated in Roman dress, writing on a tablet. The marble was installed in 1821 and destroyed only ten years later when the State House burned, so prints like this one, from a published survey of Canova’s sculpture, help to preserve a record of his design. Engravings of this kind spread the fame of Europe’s most celebrated sculptor far beyond the few who could see his work in person.

_Written by Ochre Editions._

Antonio Canova made this in 1817, aged 52. It is now at the Art Institute of Chicago.

### What you’re looking at

A work made of engraving in black on ivory wove paper.

_Description from the Art Institute of Chicago._

### How it was made

- **Engraving.** Lines cut directly into a metal plate with a steel burin, which makes them swell and taper. It took years to master, and for centuries it was how paintings travelled as pictures.

### [Antonio Canova](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/antonio-canova)

Italian, 1765–1820

## Facts

- Type: Print
- Culture: Italy
- The artist was 52
- Real size: about 18 × 13 in (45 × 32 cm). The 12 × 16 in print is close to life size.
- Century: 19th century
- Colour: white
- Rights: public domain (CC0 1.0); free to use for any purpose.

## Get it

- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/404.jpg?dl=1
- Image: https://img.ochreeditions.com/a/404/1920.jpg
- Giclée reproduction on Hahnemühle Photo Rag: 8 × 10 in $28; 11 × 14 in $38; 12 × 16 in $42; 16 × 20 in $56; 18 × 24 in $68; 20 × 30 in $86; 24 × 36 in $108; 30 × 40 in $148
- Framed reproduction: 8 × 10 in $78; 11 × 14 in $98; 12 × 16 in $108; 16 × 20 in $138; 18 × 24 in $164; 20 × 30 in $208; 24 × 36 in $258; 30 × 40 in $338
- Canvas reproduction: 8 × 10 in $58; 11 × 14 in $72; 12 × 16 in $79; 16 × 20 in $98; 18 × 24 in $118; 20 × 30 in $148; 24 × 36 in $178; 30 × 40 in $228
- Print-ready file: 8 × 10 in $2; 11 × 14 in $2; 12 × 16 in $3; 16 × 20 in $3; 18 × 24 in $3; 20 × 30 in $5; 24 × 36 in $5; 30 × 40 in $5

Sizes stop where the museum's file would print below 150 pixels per inch. Everything sold is a reproduction, made to order. [Order a print](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/george-washington-front-view-from-oeuvre-de-canova-aic-260564).