In a big surprise moment, I got to meet the author of The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon AND George Washington, himself!
Okay, well, I already know GW (the actor) and he knows me and my family! =)
INTERVIEWED BY GEORGE WASHINGTON
As I walked up to the book signing table to say hi, the actor walked up to me to say he had waved to us on the way to the Visitor Center, but we didn’t see him (or his horse).
Oh, no! I apologized and explained I never heard or saw anything.
Then he smiled and said he had stumbled upon my blog the day before.
Oh my goodness! While chatting a bit about that, the author, Carla Killough McClafferty joined us.
When she heard the topic of our conversation she asked, “Oh, do you blog about the 18th century?”
Yes! I also told her I had already blogged about her fabulous book.
INTERVIEWED BY THE AUTHOR, A KINDRED SPIRIT
She asked all sorts of questions about me. (Um, isn’t this supposed to go the other way around?)
She asked about how I teach history, which interested her because she enjoys writing historical fiction for kids.
She loved hearing that we use real books (like hers…this book is an excellent addition to our American Revolution studies) in lieu of textbooks.
She asked about the costumes I sew (for history presentations across the eras as well as Colonial Williamsburg), which interested her for many reasons.
She was thrilled to hear that some of the tailors who sewed the garments for the wax figures were the same tailors who give me tips for some of my colonial sewing.
I showed her that my daughter had death head buttons on her red cloak, like the 19-year-old George Washington wax figure has on the recreated frock coat he wears as a surveyor.
We had to laugh that I had just spoken to the shoemaker (who actually has another CW related job) about his part in recreating the shoes and boots for the wax figures.
She asked about my favorite part of the book, I exclaimed the forensic analysis based on the gorgeous Houdon was most unique of any biography I’ve read of George Washington!
BUSINESS CARDS
She even asked for my business card!
Um, I don’t have business cards.
However, she gave me hers!
AUTOGRAPH
She chatted with me and my kids for over an hour until the Visitor Center closed.
She even autographed my copy of the book.
I told her I had bought it during President’s Day weekend.
When I first saw it through the storefront window, I had instantly recognized those figures of George Washington on the front cover of the book and knew a deep-seated desire had been realized.
SOMEONE NEEDS TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THIS
AMAZING 2008 MOUNT VERNON EXHIBIT EXPERIENCE
Initially, I told the author, I had first visited the Mount Vernon Education Center while on vacation from Texas in August 2008.
When I first saw the Houdon of George Washington, I was speechless.
As Lafayette said about the life-size Houdon, “That is the man himself.”
Having recently studied George Washington in homeschool, we doubted the accuracy of the paintings rendering a rather austere figure.
Instead, our deep study supports the Houdon…stoic indeed, yet warm-hearted, deep thinking, genteel.
2008 LAFAYETTE MEETING AT COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG
Ah, I know someone who can put my feelings into words far better than I can.
A few days before I saw the Houdon, I first met Lafayette at Colonial Williamsburg who said: When he did walk into the room, I knew who he was by the majesty in his face, by the way in which he carried himself. He was an aristocrat without the name. He was a nobleman without the title.
2008 EXPLORATION OF THE HOUDON LIFE MASK OF GEORGE WASHINGTON
After watching the short reenactment video of how the Houdon was made, with a life mask which captures every single nuance and feature of the face, paired with the skill of the gifted French artist Jean-Antoine Houdon, I knew I was looking at the “man himself” whom I had so enjoyed studying.
He didn’t look anything like the paintings I had seen.
2008 IN THE PRESENCE OF THE REALISTIC GEORGE WASHINGTON
After pulling my heart away from the fascinating Houdon, I explored the Education Center, where three incredible life-sized figures of George Washington were based on the Houdon: the 19 year old surveyor, the 45 year old general at Valley Forge, and the 57 year old first president of the United States of America.
Surrounding those wax figures were realistic scenes fitting to the moment.
As I stood next to the surveyor, I felt the very presence of the wilderness and the messiness of the job as Washington’s fingers were smudged from recording surveying marks.
As I stood next to the general astride Blueskin, I felt the bitter cold of Valley Forge and sensed the enormity and heaviness of concern on his face.
As I stood watching the momentous inauguration of the first president of the United States on the steps of Federal Hall in New York City, I felt the magnanimity and solemnity of this pivotal moment in world history…the attempt by humankind for freedom and representation in government had begun…would it last?
He knew the gravity of every decision he would make…which would become defining moments.
At each of these spots it was all I could do to tear myself away.
Someone really needed to write a book on this. Little did I know…
CARLA KILLOUGH MCCLAFFERTY TAKES THE CHALLENGE
Carla Killough McClafferty became deeply involved in meticulously researching and observing the historically accurate recreation of the wax figures of George Washington for the Mount Vernon Education Center to aid her in writing an authentic book about the project.
While reading the book, I felt as though I was there, from the research, to the recreation process, to the intertwining story of George Washington’s life.
While she wrote about the recreation of George Washington’s clothing for the wax figures, she studied extant garments with CW textile curator Linda Baumgarten so she could understand the research and attention to detail by expert craftspeople who recreated “the man”.
I attended her talk at Colonial Williamsburg’s Hennage auditorium last Saturday, where she gave a power point presentation of the creation of these incredibly life-like figures.
PROVING THE UNLIKENESSES
She began by showing us the vast array of paintings that George Washington sat for…none of which look the same.
Considering that art of this era was realistic in philosophy, and that most of his painters were renowned for their talent, indicates he must have been a challenging face to capture.
A quote on the back of her book says it all.
I have never seen a picture that represents him to me, as I saw him at Valley-Forge, and during the campaign in which I had the honour to follow him. Perhaps that expression was beyond the skill of the painter; but while I live it will remain impressed on my memory. -Pierre-Etienne Duponceau
SHOWING US THE MICROSCOPICALLY RESEARCHED DETAILS
McClafferty showed slides (many of which can be seen in the book) detailing the fascinating process of making the wax figures.
We watched the research in forming the face in state-of-the-art digital images.
We saw how the head and body were formed by an expert sculptor and various processes.
We learned about the skill at adding hair to the head, to the eyebrows, and to the eyelashes, one by one.
Painting of the face and eyes was shown.
A GASP AROSE FROM THE AUDIENCE
After looking at the individual parts, she showed a close-up of the whole.
When seeing the hairline, eyebrows, eyes and top of the nose at once…a gasp arose from the audience. It looked like a real person. It looked like George Washington.
Then McClafferty detailed all the Colonial Williamsburg employees who helped with the wax figure, from making shoes and boots, to sewing shirts, leather gloves and leather breeches.
Colonial Williamsburg experts were interviewed as part of her research in period clothing, period customs and courtesies, history, and more.
McClafferty showed her research into primary resource documentation from reading actual documents (she spoke of a rare document she read at Mount Vernon before it was stored away), going to various museums to visit paintings of Washington, reading scores of books and closely working with the Mount Vernon Ladies Association.
She basically got free reign while on Mount Vernon property to experience all Washington would have experienced.
There was even a photo of her in the cupola! No one ever gets to go there!
For teachers, there is a website listed in back of the book for teaching materials to use with the book.
It is an excellent read for young and old.
The book encompasses a range of subjects from history, to science to art.
TRAVELING EXHIBIT
There is also a traveling exhibit.
Searching the internet for “The Many Faces of George Washington traveling exhibit” I found that it is currently (at the time of this posting) at Morristown National Historical Park Museum.
So be looking for George Washington to arrive in a town near you!
He might even wave as he goes by!
For more photos, check my Flickr set.
COMMENTS FROM MY OLD BLOG
Rebecca, March 24, 2011 at 10:35 AM – I always assumed that you must keep careful notes to help you remember all of the details you put in posts like this, but I know you didn’t at the GW talk, and I’m AMAZED by the amount of details you recalled here! Thanks for posting this because there were things I’d already forgotten, and it was such a fascinating presentation.
