Object Image

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver c. 1864 - 5 Jan 1943

The Harmon Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in New York City and active from (1922-1967) included this portrait in their exhibition “Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origins” which documented noteworthy African Americans’ contributions to the country. Modeling their goal of social equality, the Harmon sought portraits from an African-American artist, Laura Wheeler Waring and Euro-American artist, Betsy Graves Reyneau. The two painters followed the conventional codes of academic portraiture, seeking to convey their sitters extraordinary accomplishments. This painting, along with a variety of educational materials, toured nat...

1942
Oil on canvas
114.9 x 89.5 x 2.5 cm
NPG.65.77
Image and text © National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 2024

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