George Washington

George Washington Bas Relief Portrait

by Raymond Kaskey

G Washington

Kaskey Studio 2005

Laran Bronze, Inc.

Kaskey describes this as  “Over life size profile of G.W. inspired by Augustus St. Gaudens Medalion at entry to Mt. Vernon Complex.”

The St. Gaudens Medallion referred to is likely the George Washington Inaugural Centennial Medal created in 1889 by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Philip Martiny.

Wikipedia

Under Washington's shoulder the medallion reads, “MARTINY . MODELER . DESIGN . AND . / COPYRIGHT . BY . AVGVSTVS . SAINT . GAVDENS”

E-Sylum comments that: “For the 1889 centennial of the George Washington Inauguration, Saint-Gaudens designed a medal commissioned by the Committee on Commemoration. His assistant, Philip Martiny modeled the relief and Saint-Gaudens held the copyright.” 

But my first thought on seeing Kaskey's Washington was of Laura Gardin Fraser's now familiar 1931 right facing design for the 25¢ piece.

 

Wikipedia

Fraser's design descends from the1786 medal below engraved by Pierre Simon DuViviers, which  sold at Heritage Auctions on Sep 17, 2008.

Heritage Auctions

DuViviers' medal in turn copied Houdon's 1786 bust of Washington based on Houdon's 1785 life mask of Washington: 

See George Washington elsewhere in the Portrait Gallery.