That’s It - Books!
When the artist added books to the portrait, he picked them carefully: each points to events in George Washington’s life. Books under the table include American Revolution, General Orders, and Constitution and Laws of the United States, which refer to Washington’s role as a military leader, and his leadership in defining the new government during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Another fact about George Washington and books: he did not go to school the way you do. Instead, he learned a lot at home by reading books. One of his favorites was about good manners. Really. He copied each of the 110 rules in the book by hand. Here is one: “Be not angry at the table . . . .”