George Washington Talk with Jill Vaum Rothschild

Art At Noon: George Washington Talk with Jill Vaum Rothschild examines George Washington’s presidency from 1789 to 1797 through the changing landscape and workforce of Mount Vernon. Rothschild will focus on themes of place, presence, and enslavement, considering how Washington’s residence in New York and Philadelphia kept him away from his Virginia estate for much of his presidency.

The talk will consider the lives of people who worked at Mount Vernon, including primarily enslaved laborers as well as indentured and free workers. Rothschild will also discuss how the estate has been represented through artist Edward Savage’s work.

When: November 5, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Run time: One hour.

Venue: Rhoden Arts Center, Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Tickets: General admission is free with museum admission, which costs $25. Admission is free for PAFA members.

Registration: Registration is requested through the event’s “Register Now” link.

Speaker: Jill Vaum Rothschild, associate curator of fine and decorative arts at George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

About the speaker: Rothschild researches the art and material culture of the 18th- and 19th-century Atlantic world, with particular interest in the visual histories of slavery and freedom in the United States. Working with Mount Vernon experts and descendants of people enslaved by George and Martha Washington, she curated *Lives Bound Together: Slavery at Mount Vernon*, an exhibition focused on the history and landscape of slavery at the 18th-century estate.

Rothschild also oversees the rotation of objects in Mount Vernon’s museum exhibitions and is planning the furnishing of the mansion’s cellar, which is scheduled to open to the public for the first time in October. From 2022 through 2025, she held a Luce Curatorial Fellowship at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Her recent research includes work on portrait painter Joshua Johnson and potter Josiah Wedgwood I, and she has contributed to exhibitions and catalogs for institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the American Folk Art Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and PAFA.

Rothschild earned a bachelor’s degree in the history of art and American studies from Vanderbilt University, followed by a master’s degree and doctorate in art history from the University of Pennsylvania.

Contact: Center for Art Education, arteducation@pafa.edu.