The sculpture
Thomas Jefferson, 2026
Object record
- Artist
- George Petrides (born Athens, 1964)
- Title
- Thomas Jefferson
- Date
- 2026
- Medium
- Applied brass metal coating (head) and bronze metal coating (torso) over a recycled PETG body, hand-finished; two-component UV clear coat, applied in the studio. Not a solid bronze casting.
- Dimensions
- 100 cm high × approximately 100 cm wide, excluding base
- Weight
- Approximately 30 kg, excluding base
- Edition
- Unique work; not editioned
- Provenance
- Made in the artist’s studio, Long Island City, New York; donated by the artist to the U.S. Department of State, 2026
- Location
- Jefferson House, residence of the U.S. Ambassador, Athens (installation pending)
Form and surface
The three-quarter view shows the composition: a frontal torso with the head turned to the left. The warm brass tone of the face, hair and neckcloth contrasts with the darker bronze tone of the coat and waistcoat.
Modelled passages remain visible in the hair, the features and the folds of the coat, recording the artist’s work on the surface.
Front, profile, rear and surface-detail photographs will be added after professional photography of the completed work.
Portrait sources
In developing the likeness, George Petrides studied the portraits that Jefferson and his family regarded as the best likenesses, and selected four as direct references:
- Jean-Antoine Houdon, marble bust, 1789
- Rembrandt Peale, portrait, 1800, White House collection
- Gilbert Stuart, Edgehill portrait, 1805/1821
- Gilbert Stuart, Medallion Portrait, 1805
Further reading: Life Portraits of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Foundation.
Concept visualizations · not photographs of an installation
Placement visualizations, Jefferson House
Digital renderings prepared in July–August 2026 to compare the two locations studied on site.
