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Parson Weems' Fable

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Part of Parson Weems' Fable

This painting depicts a folk tale of a young George Washington cutting down a cherry tree with a hand axe. Parson Weems stands in the foreground lifting a curtain to the scene within the painting. George Washington's father is depicted condemning the child. African Americans are depicted in the background picking cherries. The artist chose to place them here to remind the viewer that while a prominent figure in American history, George Washington was a slave holder his entire life.

Title

Parson Weems' Fable