( ORIGINAL PORTRAITS 
 WASHINGTON 
 
V 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/originalportraitOOjohn 
 
Plate I. 
 
 Charles Wilson Peale. 
 
 See P:ige 5. 
 
\ 
 
 - 
 
V 
 
ORIGINAL 
 
 PORTRAITS OF WASHINGTON 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 STATUES, MONUMENTS, AND MEDALS 
 
 BY 
 
 ELIZABETH BRYANT JOHNSTON 
 
 ** It is indeed almost as difficult to draw his character as the portrait of Virtue? 
 
 Fisher Ames. 
 
 JAMES R. 
 
 BOSTON 
 OSGOOD AND 
 
 1882 
 
 COMPANY 
 
Copyright, 1881, by Elizabeth B. Johnston. 
 
 STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY RAND, AVERY, AND COMPANY, 
 117 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON. 
 
€o t^e Memory of 
 
 JAMES ABRAM GARFIELD 
 
 Volume ^cDtcatcD, 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 HE individuality of portraiture is such that it attains almost 
 personal interest when a portrait has been a prized possession 
 through generations. The dates, incidents, and associations that 
 mark its existence, assume a significance which intensifies with 
 years, and is not infrequently the chief value of such pictures. The record 
 of each work of art is unique, and as distinctively individual as the life of a 
 man : in this truth, aesthetic taste and culture receive their charm and reward. 
 
 Portraits of Washington are a national possession, and their history right- 
 fully belongs to the American people. As the result of the universal recogni- 
 tion of the character of Washington during his life, we have of him a large 
 number of original portraits. Many of these are far from acceptable as works 
 of art ; others are even grotesque in composition and expression : yet there is 
 no reason to doubt that his exact features, proportions, expression, and char- 
 acter have been faithfully portrayed from early manhood to old age. Admirers 
 of Peale, Trumbull, Stuart, each claims that his favorite artist has left the por- 
 trait which should be considered the standard. It must be conceded that no 
 artist succeeded in producing an entirely satisfactory portrait. Still it is a 
 matter of congratulation that we have the elements from which to compose 
 this desired work : they may be found in the figure of Trumbull, the expres- 
 sion of Peale or Stuart at different periods of Washington's life, the ungainly 
 fidelity of Wright, the profile of Sharpless, the drawing of St. Memin, or the 
 life-moulding of Houdon. 
 
 The large number of portraits proven to have been original may provoke 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 a smile in the reader, as they have amused the writer, and will suggest, to 
 one who has given the matter only passing attention, an over-proportion of 
 • personal vanity on the part of Washington. This is an unjust conclusion ; for 
 the truth is developed, that the American hero was made a martyr to the 
 devotion of his friends at home and his admirers abroad. We have him 
 presented as citizen, soldier, statesman, and patriarch. Artists followed him 
 through campaigns, visited him at Mount Vernon, sketched him on parade, 
 in the council-room, at dinner, drew his features in the church and in the 
 theatre. Washington was proverbially a bad sitter : and he became so restive 
 under these increasing demands, that he was wont to declare, even in the 
 earlier years of his military career, that each yielding to such requests should 
 be the last ; but he finally, not very gracefully it must be confessed, would 
 submit to the inevitable. Old comrades naturally desired a counterpart of the 
 face and form they had watched in many an hour of peril ; women often 
 asked the favor of a portrait of the leader of the armies in which their 
 husbands and their sons fought ; artists were sent by monarchs and nobles of 
 Europe to secure an accurate rendering of the features of the citizen of the 
 New World who commanded their veneration. In the history of man, there is 
 not to be found a parallel to the wide-reaching respect and admiration given 
 personally to Washington ; nor has a century subdued the world's ardor. In 
 1863, while ascending a mountain-road near Lake Lugano, Italy, an American 
 traveller entered a small pavilion, a wayside resting-place, wherein he found 
 only a bust of Washington. It bore no inscription, but was in itself an 
 eloquent tribute from some lover of liberty. 
 
 Each one of these portraits of Washington has now a history of more 
 or less interest, linking together many memories and family legends. It is 
 a matter of surprise how frequent are the quotations of the assurance of 
 some contemporary of the original, — Marshall, Jefferson, Lafayette, or Custis, 
 -that a particular picture is the very best likeness. Lafayette especially, it 
 is often said, was wont to exclaim in his enthusiastic French way, "Ah, this 
 is indeed my old friend ! " 
 
 In the study of the portraits of Washington by so many different artists 
 •and at various periods, a new chapter in the life of the man is unveiled ; for 
 in them are seen the exaltation of patriotism, the scars of war, the sternness 
 
of command, the deep lines carved by civil responsibility, and the softening 
 light thrown over all at last, in the delights of retirement and domestic quiet. 
 
 Much has been published concerning Washington portraits, with extended 
 criticisms, and frequent disagreements in fixing the standard head. This 
 volume purports to be only a history of these portraits, and the design has 
 been to embrace every recognized presentation. In the desire to make the 
 work exhaustive, not even the most grotesque has been omitted, nor those 
 which could only be commended by the knowledge that they were drawn from 
 life. All are included, from the rich canvas of Gilbert Stuart to the shadow- 
 profile drawn by Nelly Custis, from the life-cast by Houdon to the wax 
 bust by Patience Wright. It has caused regret that there are so many poor 
 presentations of Washington. The only comfort possible is the theory of the 
 " survival of the fittest," and the assurance that the indifferent will soon be 
 recognized merely as relics. Histories of memorials, forming a harmonious 
 sequence to original portraits, have been added, from the gold medal ordered 
 by the Continental Congress in 1776, to the most recent statue, unveiled 
 Feb. 22, 1879. Occasional reference has been made to familiar engravings 
 of portraits, prints used to prove originals, and, for each artist, the more 
 important engravers named ; but no special attention has been accorded to the 
 engraved heads, — a subject demanding patience and research; partly because 
 of the exhaustive manner in which it has been treated by Mr. William S. 
 Baker in his recent valuable work entitled " Engraved Portraits of Wash- 
 ington." 
 
 It will be observed that the birthday of the nation, or of Washington, 
 has been usually chosen as the appropriate day on which to dedicate such 
 tributes. The nth of February, O.S., was first observed publicly at the court- 
 house of Talbot County, Virginia, in 1783; and the first occasion on which the 
 22d was substituted was at Philadelphia, in 1 791. This day was in 1880, by 
 the Congress of the United States, solemnly set apart and designated as a 
 legal holiday in the District of Columbia ; and the observance of it as a 
 holiday is the unwritten law of the land. 
 
 The dedication of this volume to President Garfield was in press when 
 the sad event of the 19th of September caused it to be changed to a memo- 
 rial. The interest he expressed in anticipation of the publication of this 
 
viii Preface. 
 
 work in the last interview I had with him will ever be a cherished remem- 
 brance. Of the various reasons for making such a dedication, beside the per- 
 sonal pleasure it gives me to thus link the names of Washington and 
 Garfield, — the Father of his Country and the Son of his Country, — perhaps 
 the compelling one is the fact that I have never met a man more appre- 
 ciative of the first President's greatness than he whose untimely death a 
 nation mourns. 
 
 The difficulty and the labor of this book are not readily appreciated. 
 I will only say, the very unimportance of the matter handled has often been 
 an embarrassment. Yet nothing has been allowed to be despised because of 
 seeming insignificance ; and I have religiously endeavored, by " eschewing 
 perplexity, casting awaye the chaff of superfluity," to escape the offensive repe- 
 tition almost unavoidable in a work of this nature. The fear of being accused 
 of hero-worship has not been before my eyes "in stirring up your pure minds 
 by way of remembrance," while gathering and presenting the multiplied evi- 
 dences of personal affection and general appreciation offered Washington in 
 connection with his portraits. This country has been in great danger of 
 suffering from the want of reverence, especially in regard to the illustrious 
 men to whom it owes its existence; and the recent infusion of a wholesome 
 quantity of hero-worship will be healthful and elevating. What youth of the 
 land has not had his better nature strengthened through the example of noble 
 manhood brought to the door of the rich and poor alike in this year of trial ! 
 What mother has not been encouraged in the unequal struggle to put bread 
 in the mouths of her little ones ; what wife will not feel the exaltation of daily 
 sacrifice, at which she has sometimes murmured, since through deep affliction 
 two noble women have become better known to the world ! The salutary 
 lesson of the hour was a nation's need, to teach us that the recognition of 
 good impels the development of good. For years a carping press has been 
 nibbling at the pedestal on which the heart and conscience of this republic 
 has placed Washington ; and the great Englishman, Carlyle, once asked if we 
 "could not lower him a little." We might, with shame, confess that such 
 appears to be the aim of a large number of our countrymen, rather than an 
 endeavor to reach the manly height of justice and* patriotism which he 
 attained. But with pride we answer, " No, we cannot lower him ; for, search 
 
Preface. ix 
 
 his records as we will, on no action of his life do we find branded a price." 
 The fierce light engendered by a century's criticism now falls around him ; and 
 the civilized world — not America alone — asks, " Who can stand beside 
 him ? " The reply girdles the earth, " Not one : he is the capital of the pillar 
 of fame." E B J 
 
 Washington, Sept. 28, 1881. 
 
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. 
 
 N giving the history of original portraits, the author has at all times, 
 when attainable, preferred the opinion of Washington's contem- 
 poraries as to the relative merits of these works, to the expression 
 of her own estimate in regard to them. While due credit is 
 accorded to Dunlap, Tuckerman, Irving, Everett, Custis, Lossing, Mason, Baker, 
 Darling, McRea, and other writers upon the subject, it will be seen that a large 
 portion of the data has been received through different mediums, — such as 
 government archives, unpublished diaries, letters; and from living sources, — 
 members of the Washington family, and the owners of, or those familiar with, the 
 works. Any portrait or memorial that has not been brought to notice in this 
 volume will be put in its proper place, if the owner will give its history, or 
 vouch for its authenticity. A list of the names of obliging correspondents 
 and others who have generously responded in the tedious work of bringing 
 to light the minute details of this picture-biography are herewith affixed. The 
 author is most happy to avail herself of this opportunity of acknowledging her 
 indebtedness. 
 
 Stephen M. Allen, Charles Amory, Archer Anderson, Mrs. Emily W. Appleton, Nathan 
 Appleton, W. H. Appleton, Samuel P. Avery, William S. Baker, Mrs. Emily Swift Balch, Charles 
 Washington Ball, Mrs. Augusta Peale Barker, Charles G. Barney, M.D., E. M. Barton, Elisha 
 Bassett, Rafael A. Bayley,» George Blight, Mrs. Dr. Bogart, A. S. Boteler, Rev. William F. Brand, 
 Miss E. R. Braxton, J. Carson Brevoort, S. A. Bridges, R. A. Brock, William Buchler,. Henry D. 
 Burroughs, D.D., George B. Butler, Mrs. Martha Custis Williams Carter, William F. Channing, M.D., 
 James Chesnut, I. Edwards Clarke, W. D. Clemson, George B. Clitherall, Mrs. Arthur Codman, 
 Edward Coles, L. L. Conrad, Mrs. Angelica S. Cooper, W. W. Corcoran, Dr. Elliott Coues, U.S.A., 
 
 xi 
 
Xll 
 
 Acknowledgment 
 
 Mrs. M. M. Crafts, Mrs. M. V. Dahlgren, Charles VV. Darling, Carl C. Darwin, Charles Deane, Mrs. 
 De la Roche, Frederic de Peyster, John M. DeSaussure, Doll & Richards, Theodore F. Dvvight, W. 
 Harrison Eisenbrey, Joseph P. Elliott, Miss Elizabeth T. Ewcll, John Hoye Ewing, Mrs. Wilson Eyre, 
 Samuel B. Fales, Hon. Hamilton Fish, Robert J. Fisher, Miss Fitzhugh, Henry D. Fraser, M.D., 
 William K. Gilbert, M.D., Mrs. George R. Goldsboro, Miss Elizabeth M. Grant, Hon. Horace Gray, 
 Samuel A. Green, M.D., Charles Gulager, William Gulagcr, Alexander Hamilton, G. W. Harris, Mrs. 
 E. L. C. Harrison, Charles J. Hoadley, Mrs. W. J. Hubard, W. J. Irwine, M.D., Mrs. A. D. Johnston, 
 John Taylor Johnston, Horatio Gates Jones, S. H. Kearney, Mrs. Beverly Kennon, Moses Kimball, 
 Miss Annie S. King, John H. B. Latrobe, G. W. Custis Lee, John W. M. Lee, W. H. Fitzhugh Lee, 
 H. L. Daingerfield Lewis, Mrs. Morton Lewis, William D. Lewis, R. B. Lilley, Charles B. Loring, 
 E. D. Marchant, Brantz Mayer, John A. McAllister, Miss Jane Byrd McCall, J. C. McGuire, J. 
 Howard McHenry, William McLeod, Sherwin McRea, Williams Middleton, Miss Virginia Miller, Mrs. 
 Jane Washington Moncure, John T. Montgomery, C. B. Moreau, Mrs. Thomas H. Morris, Thomas 
 Muir, Thomas Neilson, David Nichols, Herbert Norris, M.D., Charles S. Ogden, Titian R. Peale, 
 J. S. Perot, the Misses Phillips, Henry E. Pierrepont, M. B. Poitiaux, Mrs. J. V. L. Pruyn, Mrs. 
 W. H. H. Raleigh, Mrs. Anna R. Reilly, Miss Carrie H. Richardson, George W. Riggs, Marquis de 
 Rochambeau, Francis Robert Rives, Edmund Law Rogers, E. C. Rowe, John Sartain, the Misses 
 Savage, Mrs. F. C. Sayles, Edward Shippen, S. M. Shoemaker, E. R. Silliman, Benjamin R. Smith, 
 A. R. Spofford, John Austin Stevens, T. D. Stone, W. W. Story, John H. Sturgis, Mrs. B. Ogle 
 Tayloe, Joseph M. Toner, M.D., Mrs. Maria Tuley, Noah Walker, Miss Wain, Anna C. Walton, 
 Mrs. Ella Bassett Washington, John A. Washington, Hon. John Welsh, A. D. Williams, Mrs. Wilson, 
 R. B. Winder, Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, S. D. Wyeth, and many others. 
 
 The writings of the following authors upon the subject have also been freely consulted, and 
 valuable corroborative material obtained from them : John Marshall, Jared Sparks, William Dunlap, 
 Washington Irving, Benson J. Lossing, J. F. Loubat, Henry T. Tuckerman, William S. Baker, George 
 C. Mason, Sherwin McRea, Miss Stuart. 
 
 The author is indebted to the following publications for important and interesting memoranda : 
 The American Historical Record, Magazine of American History, Transactions of the American 
 Antiquarian Societies, Transactions of the Historical Societies of Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsyl- 
 vania, New York, Virginia. 
 
NAMES OF ARTISTS. 
 
 « 
 
 JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY. 
 CHARLES WILLSON PEALE. 
 NATHANIEL FULLERTON. 
 PIERRE EUGENE DU CIMITIERE. 
 
 LABATUT. 
 
 ROBERT FULTON. 
 WILLIAM DUNLAP. 
 MISS DE HART. 
 JOSEPH WRIGHT. 
 ROBERT EDGE PINE. 
 JAMES PEALE. 
 MADAME DE BREHAN. 
 JOHN TRUMBULL. 
 EDWARD SAVAGE. 
 
 JOHN RAMAGE. 
 
 JACQUES LUC BARBIERE. 
 
 CHRISTIAN GULAGER. 
 
 ARCHIBALD ROBERTSON. 
 
 WILLIAM BIRCH. 
 
 ADOLPH ULRIC WERTMULLER. 
 
 GILBERT STUART. 
 
 REMBRANDT PEALE. 
 
 ELEANOR PARKE CUSTIS. 
 
 JULIEN DE ST. MEMIN. 
 
 ROBERT FIELD. 
 
 WALTER ROBERTSON. 
 
 JAMES SHARPLESS. 
 
 MRS. E. SHARPLESS. 
 
 SAMUEL FOLWEL. 
 B. HENRY LATROBE. 
 SAMUEL POWEL. 
 
 WILLIAMS. 
 
 KEMMELMYRE. 
 
 CHARLES G. FRASER. 
 
 PAINTERS. — Mis c ellan eous. 
 
 W. LOUTERBOURG. 
 P. A. PETICOLAS. 
 ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 
 F. KISSELMAN. 
 J. HILLER, Jun. 
 
 SCULPTORS. 
 
 JEAN ANTOINE HOUDON. 
 JOSEPH AND PATIENCE WRIGHT. 
 GIUSEPPE CERACCHI. 
 
 ECCLESTON. 
 
 JOHN ECHSTEIN. 
 WILLIAM RUSH. 
 ANTONIO CANOVA. 
 SIR FRANCIS CHANTREY. 
 HORATIO GREENOUGH. 
 
 THOMAS CRAWFORD. 
 CLARK MILLS. 
 E. D. BARTHOLOMEW. 
 H. K. BROWN. 
 HIRAM POWERS. 
 THOMAS BALL. 
 JOSEPH A. BAILEY. 
 J. Q. A. WARD. 
 
 xin 
 
AUTOGRAPHS OF ARTISTS. 
 
 XV 
 
xvi 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PORTRAITS, MINIATURES, AND SKETCHES. 
 
 Page 
 
 OHN SINGLETON COPLEY Massachusetts i 
 
 CHARLES WILLSON PEALE Maryland 4 
 
 NATHANIEL FULLERTON Massachusetts 21 
 
 ALEXANDER CAMPBELL Virginia 22 
 
 PIERRE EUGENE DU SIMITIERE .... Switzerland 24 
 
 MISS DE HART New Jersey 27 
 
 LABATUT France 28 
 
 ROBERT FULTON . . '. Pennsylvania 28 
 
 1 
 
 JACQUES LUC BARBIERE-WALBONNE . . France 29 
 
 WILLIAM DUNLAP New Jersey 30 
 
 JOSEPH WRIGHT New Jersey 32 
 
 ROBERT EDGE PINE England 39 
 
 JAMES PEALE Maryland 42 
 
 EDWARD SAVAGE Massachusetts 44 
 
 MADAME DE BREHAN France 48 
 
 ADOLPH ULRIC WERTMULLER Sweden 50 
 
 CHRISTIAN GULAGER. Denmark 54 
 
 ARCHIBALD ROBERTSON Scotland 58 
 
 JOHN TRUMBULL Connecticut 64 
 
 GILBERT STUART - Rhode Island '. . 77 
 
 WILLIAM BIRCH . . . England . . . .'. . . .110 
 
 WALTER ROBERTSON Ireland. . 113 
 
 JOHN RAMAGE Ireland 114 
 
 ROBERT FIELD England 115 
 
 REMBRANDT PEALE Pennsylvania 118 
 
 JAMES SHARPLESS England 128 
 
 CHARLES BALTHAZER JULIEN FEVRET DE ST. MEMIN . France 134 
 
 HENRY B. LATROBE England 136 
 
 xvii 
 
XV111 
 
 Contents. 
 
 Page 
 
 ELEANOR PARKE CUSTIS Virginia 138 
 
 SAMUEL POWEL .140 
 
 SAMUEL FOLWEL • . . 140 
 
 WILLIAMS 141 
 
 KEMMELMYRE .' 142 
 
 P. A. PETICOLAS 142 
 
 W. LOUTERBURG - 143 
 
 F. KISSELMAN 143 
 
 CHARLES FRASER South Carolina 144 
 
 BUSTS, STATUES, MONUMENTS, AND MEDALS. 
 
 BUSTS 146-172 
 
 JOHN ECHSTEIN 150 
 
 ECCLESTON 150 
 
 MRS. PATIENCE LOVELL WRIGHT New Jersey 151 
 
 JEAN ANTOINE HOUDON France 153 
 
 GIUSEPPE CERACCHI Italy 170 
 
 WILLIAM RUSH Pennsylvania 172 
 
 .STATUES 173-191 
 
 ANTONIO CANOVA Italy *. . . 173 
 
 SIR FRANCIS CHANTREY England 174 
 
 HORATIO GREENOUGH Massachusetts 175 
 
 THOMAS CRAWFORD New York 176 
 
 HENRY KIRKE BROWN Massachusetts 178 
 
 EDWARD SHEFFIELD . BARTHOLOMEW Connecticut 180 
 
 CLARK MILLS New York . . .181 
 
 THOMAS BALL . . Massachusetts 183 
 
 JOSEPH A. BAILEY France 184 
 
 JOHN Q. A. WARD Ohio. , 189 
 
 EDWARD V. VALENTINE Virginia 191 
 
 MONUMENTS .: 192-234 
 
 WASHINGTON MONUMENT, Baltimore, Md 198 
 
 WASHINGTON MONUMENT, Order of the Society of the Cincinnati 204 
 
 WASHINGTON AND LAFAYETTE MONUMENT, Philadelphia 206 
 
 WASHINGTON NATIONAL MONUMENT ........ 209 
 
 MEDALS 235-245 
 
 INDEX 247 
 
LIST OF PLATES. 
 
 Note. — These plates, with a few unavoidable exceptions, are reproduced from the original works. On account of their present 
 condition, it has been possible to obtain but little more than the outline of some of the paintings, as in the " Military Portrait," by Trumbull? 
 or "Washington before Yorktown " by Rembrandt Pcale ; yet the spirit of the work has been preserved. The absolute truth secured by 
 the heliotype process has been preferred to any engraving; for although the latter, in many cases, might have been a more pleasing picture, 
 
 it could of necessity be no more than a translation. 
 
 Plate Pace 
 
 I. CHARLES WILLSON PEALE Frontispiece. 
 
 Original Painting owned by Gen. G. \V. C. Lee. 
 
 ' CHARLES WILLSON PEALE .4 
 
 Original Miniature in Possession of William F. Gill. 
 
 MADAME DE BREHAN 4 
 
 Engraving of Cameo Painting owned by Gen. George B. McClellan. 
 
 II. < 
 
 JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY 4 
 
 Engraving by J. De Mare. 
 
 JOSEPH WRIGHT • . • 4 
 
 Original Sketch in Possession of David Nichols. 
 
 ' WILLIAM DUNLAP 22 
 
 Engraving by Augustus Robin. 
 
 PIERRE EUGENE DU SIMITIERE 22 
 
 Original Painting owned by J. P. McKean. 
 
 NATHANIEL FULLERTON 22 
 
 Engraving by G. G. Smith. 
 
 ALEXANDER CAMPBELL . . . 22 
 
 Engraving by Joh. Martin Will. 
 
 ARCHIBALD ROBERTSON 22 
 
 Original Painting on Marble in Possession of Mrs. M. M. Craft. 
 
 IV. ROBERT EDGE PINE . 40 
 
 Original Painting owned by J. Carson Brevoort. 
 
xx List of Plates. 
 
 Plate Face 
 
 V. JAMES PEALE ...... 42 
 
 Engraving, by John Sartain, of Original Painting in the Lenox Library. 
 
 VI. EDWARD SAVAGE 44 
 
 Original Painting owned by Harvard University. 
 
 VII. EDWARD SAVAGE 46 
 
 The Artist's Engraving of his Painting now owned by Moses Kimball. 
 
 VIII. ADOLPH ULRIC WERTMULLER 50 
 
 Steel Engraving by H. B. Hall from the Original Painting. 
 
 IX. CHRISTIAN GULAGER 54 
 
 Original Painting owned by Mrs. Arthur Codman. 
 
 X. JOHN TRUMBULL 64 
 
 Original Painting owned by Yale College. 
 
 XI. JOHN TRUMBULL 70 
 
 Owned by City of Charleston, S.C. 
 
 XII. GILBERT STUART 80 
 
 Engraving, by James Heath, of the " Lansdowne Portrait " by Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 XIII. GILBERT STUART ....... 84 
 
 Original Painting owned by Boston AthenjEum. 
 
 XIV. GILBERT STUART 90 
 
 The " Faneuil Hall Portrait " owned by the City of Boston. 
 
 XV. GILBERT STUART . • 94 
 
 Original Painting owned by William F. Channing, M.D. 
 
 'HENRY B. LATROBE 110 
 
 Pen-and-Ink. Sketch owned by Benjamin S. Ewell. 
 
 LABATUT 1 10 
 
 Original Miniature on Ivory owned by Miss E. F. Watson. 
 
 WILLIAM BIRCH 110 
 
 XVI. { 
 
 Enamel Miniature owned by J. Howard McHenry. 
 
 ROBERT FIELD .110 
 
 Original Painting on Ivory owned by Charles C Moreau. 
 
 P. A. PETICOLAS 110 
 
 Original Miniature on Ivory. 
 
List of Plates. 
 
 Plate 
 
 XVII. REMBRANDT PEALE 
 
 Original Bust Portrait in the Capitol, Washington, D.C. 
 
 XVIII. REMBRANDT PEALE 
 
 "Washington before Yorktown," from Original Painting at Mount Vernon. 
 
 XIX. JAMES SHARPLESS 
 
 Original Portrait owned by Gen. G. W. C. Lee. 
 
 XX. CHARLES BALTHAZER JULIEN FEVRET DE ST. MEMIN 
 Original Crayon Portrait owned by J. Carson Brevoort. 
 
 xxi.-! 
 
 SAMUEL FOLWEL 
 
 An Old Woodcut. 
 
 W. LOUTERBOURG 
 
 Original Pen-and-Ink Sketch owned by Madame De La Roche. 
 
 ELEANOR PARKE CUSTIS 
 
 The Shadow Portraits owned by the Everett School, Boston, Mass. 
 
 MRS. PATIENCE LOVELL WRIGHT 
 Photograph of Wax Bust. 
 
 XXII. •{ 
 
 WILLIAMS 
 
 Original in Masonic Lodge, Alexandria, Va. 
 
 PITCHER PORTRAIT" . 
 
 In Possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Penn. 
 
 XXIII. < 
 
 HORATIO GREENOUGH . . . . . 
 
 Marble Statue in Front of the Capitol, Washington, D.C. 
 
 JOHN ECHSTEIN 
 
 Marble Miniature Bust owned by J. C. McGuire. 
 
 JOSEPH WRIGHT (?) 
 
 Marble Bust in Christ Church, Boston, Mass. 
 
 JEAN ANTOINE HOUDON 
 
 Marble Statue in the Capitol, Richmond, Va. 
 
 XXIV.-J 
 
 THOMAS CRAWFORD 
 
 Equestrian Monument, Public Grounds, Richmond, Va. 
 
 GIUSEPPE CERACCHI 
 
 Original Marble Bust in the Corcoran Gallery of Art. 
 
 xxv.-; 
 
 JEAN ANTOINE HOUDON 
 Plaster Bust. 
 
XX 11 
 
 List of Plates. 
 
 Plate Page 
 XXVI. JOSEPH WRIGHT .... . . . 168 
 
 No. i. Bas-Relief in Plaster owned by Gen. G. W. C. Lee. 
 
 No. 2. Bas-Relief in Wax owned by Benjamin G. Smith. 
 
 XXVII. ANTONIO CANOVA 172 
 
 No. 1. Engraving by Aug. Bertini. 
 No. 2. Engraving by Dom. Marchetti. 
 
 ( EDWARD SHEFFIELD BARTHOLOMEW 180 
 
 Marble Statue, Baltimore, Md. 
 
 JOSEPH A. BAILEY 180 
 
 Marble Statue in Front of Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Penn. 
 
 WILLIAM RUSH 180 
 
 XXVIIlJ 
 
 Statue in Wood, Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Penn. 
 
 SIR FRANCIS CHANTREY 180 
 
 Marble Statue in the State House, Boston, Mass. 
 
 JOHN Q. A. WARD 180 
 
 Bronze Statue, Newburyport, Mass. 
 
 ' HENRY KIRKE BROWN 182 
 
 Bronze Statue, Union Square, New-York City. 
 
 CLARK MILLS 182 
 
 XXIX. { 
 
 Bronze Statue, Washington Circle, Washington, D.C. 
 
 THOMAS BALL 182 
 
 Bronze Statue in Public Garden, Boston, Mass. 
 
 ' ROBERT MILLS 198 
 
 Washington Monument, Baltimore, Md. 
 
 JOHN SARTAIN 198 
 
 XXX. <J 
 
 Washington-Lafayette Monument, Philadelphia, Penn. 
 
 WASHINGTON NATIONAL MONUMENT 198 
 
 Washington, D.C. 
 
 XXXI. MEMORIAL BLOCKS 220 
 
 Washington National Monument. 
 
 XXXII. MEDALS 236 
 
Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 1737-1815. 
 
 HE beautiful miniature of Washington at the age of twenty-five, and the 
 earliest representation of him known to exist, has been attributed to this 
 artist. It was probably one of his first productions, yet it is distinctive in 
 the traits which made Copley famous. 
 Washington was in Boston at the date of its execution, and the object of his 
 journey there is thus related by Sparks : — 
 
 "In 1756 Major George Washington, late aide-de-camp to Gen. Braddock, visited Boston for 
 the sake of relating to Gov. Stirling the circumstances attending the death of that gentleman's 
 gallant son at the fatal battle of Monongahela. It was then well known that the courage and 
 experience' of Major Washington, and the steadfastness of the colonial troops, had saved the 
 remnant of the British army on that day; and the young Virginian was naturally the 'observed of 
 all observers.' " 
 
 After quoting this account, Augustus Thorndike Perkins, Copley's biographer, says, 
 " Mr. Copley painted his portrait in miniature, which, after remaining in the Washington 
 family for many years, came into the possession of Washington Irving, and from him to 
 George P. Putnam of New York, the well-known publisher." It was, doubtless, only 
 loaned to Washington Irving, and through him to his publishers, who had it engraved by 
 De Mare for his " Life of Washington." 
 
 While in their possession, it is said to have narrowly escaped destruction through 
 a casualty which happened to one of their employees. He had it with him while on a 
 boating excursion off the coast of Maine, where he was drowned. Although his body 
 was not recovered for several days, the miniature was found entirely uninjured in its 
 gutta-percha case. 
 
2 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 This picture has, until recently, been owned by the Washington family. Gen. 
 Washington presented it to his niece, Harriet Washington, the only daughter of his 
 brother Samuel, who, after her father's death, was often for months at Mount Vernon, 
 and was one of Washington's most beloved relatives. She married Major Andrew Parks, 
 and presented the miniature to her daughter, who married Milton Hansford of Kanawha 
 County, Virginia (now West Virginia). It was sent by this lady's heirs to New- York 
 City for exhibition in the autumn of 1878, and was sold to W. H. Huntington, at 
 present residing in Paris, who deposited it at the Metropolitan Museum of New York. 
 It is thus described : — 
 
 "This picture is painted upon ivory, and is in a perfect state of preservation. It measures one 
 and one-fourth by one and one-half inches, the head and breast filling the entire space, which was 
 probably reduced when the miniature was mounted in a bracelet. The face is shown in a three- 
 quarter view, the eyes being averted. The hair is powdered ; the cravat is worn high in the neck ; 
 the coat is blue with buff trimmings ; and there is a buff vest with embroidery. The head is 
 firmly drawn, and well modelled ; and the features and expression are characteristic of the man, 
 being easily recognizable on comparison with the portraits of later years. The color is good, and 
 the whole work shows the skill of an accomplished artist." 
 
 Authorities differ as to what artist produced this exquisite miniature. By some it 
 is attributed to Copley, by others to Charles Willson Peale. Rembrandt Peale, who was 
 rather unfortunate in the matter of dates, saw the miniature when it was in Mr. Putnam's 
 hands, and said, " I recognize it most unmistakably as the work of my father." He cited 
 the manner of the setting as evidence, and produced in corroboration the correspondence 
 between his father and Mrs. Washington. This, it will be seen hereafter, was in regard 
 to other miniatures painted by Peale. 
 
 We cannot ignore the assertion of the Washington family as to the age at which 
 this picture was taken ; but, at the date given, Peale was only sixteen years of age, and 
 had probably never dreamed of the profession of fine arts, nor exhibited to any 
 noticeable degree the versatility he afterwards developed. He did produce miniatures 
 that looked almost as youthful, with slight difference in costume ; the slight difference 
 being the broad lapel of the Continental, in place of the high, narrow collar of the 
 British uniform. 
 
 Mr. Augustus Thorndike Perkins relates that Mrs. Gardner Green, the daughter of 
 Copley, told him her father painted a portrait of Washington ; and the same was cor- 
 roborated by Miss Mary Copley at Hampton Court, not long before her death. In a 
 biographical sketch in the March number of Scribner's Magazine, 1881, Mrs. Charles 
 Amory, grand-daughter of the artist, also says he painted Washington, though she gives a 
 later date for the execution of the portrait. 
 
jfohn Singleton Copley. 
 
 3 
 
 It is maintained that the miniature, in its modelling and individuality, bears evidence 
 of Copley ; but Peale, having been his pupil for a short time, may have followed him in 
 some degree. Between the conflicting claims, it is impossible to determine the author- 
 ship. No testimony is produced by the former owners to identify, or even indicate, the 
 artist, only the assertion that the portrait was taken at the age of twenty-five. This, 
 and the fact that Washington was in Boston at the time, with the pronounced style of 
 the painting, all suggest Copley. 
 
 It would be gratifying if sufficient evidence could be produced to identify a portrait 
 of Washington by Copley, not only because of his reputation, but because he was the 
 first artist who painted the American flag in England, as related by Elkanah Watson in 
 his journal : — 
 
 "The painting" (a full-length portrait of Mr. Watson) "was finished in most exquisite style in 
 every part except the background, which Copley and I designed to represent a ship bearing to 
 America the acknowledgments of our independence. The sun was just rising upon the stripes of 
 the Union streaming from her gaff. All was complete save the flag, which Copley did not deem 
 proper to hoist under the present circumstances, as his gallery was the constant resort of the royal 
 family and of the nobility. I dined with the artist on the glorious 5th of December, 1782. After 
 listening with him to the speech of the King, formally recognizing the United States of America as 
 in the rank of nations, previous to dinner, and immediately after our return from the House of 
 Lords, he invited me into his studio ; and there, with a bold hand, a master's touch, and, I believe, 
 an American heart, he attached to the ship the stars and stripes. This was, I imagine, the first 
 American flag hoisted in Old England." 
 
 A miniature nearly resembling the one under discussion was presented to Miss 
 Dandridge of Old Kent County, Virginia, — a relative of Mrs. Washington. This picture, 
 if painted as early as 1756, coming through the Dandridge family, was probably owned 
 at one time by the " fair widow Custis." It is now owned by a member of that family 
 in Virginia, and was exhibited at a mechanics' fair in Richmond several years before the 
 civil war. It was at that time set in a cloak-clasp. The late Thomas H. Wynne, the 
 distinguished antiquarian, and corresponding secretary of the Virginia Historical Society, 
 was attracted by this picture ; and, believing it to be the work of Copley, he had it faith- 
 lully copied. The copy, of cabinet size, is now in possession of his widow. 
 
CHARLES WILLSON PEALE. 
 
 MARYLAND, 
 1741-1827. 
 
 ITIAN RAMSAY PEALE, the son of this artist, is the authority found for 
 the statement that he painted Washington from life fourteen times, — in full, 
 three-quarter, half-length, and in miniature. From these original portraits 
 he made many copies. It is to Peale that we are under especial obligations 
 for our familiarity with Washington in the full vigor of manhood, ere the heavy respon- 
 sibilities of the seven-years' struggle had carved lines upon his brow, or the incessant 
 cares of state had added dignity, almost severity, to his countenance. Nearly a quarter 
 of a century ('lapsed between the execution of the first portrait, painted at Mount Vernon, 
 and the last, which was painted in Philadelphia. 
 
 The life, character, and gifts of Charles Willson Peale, form a chapter full and varied 
 in interest. He is not an insignificant member of that group of remarkable men whose 
 achievements in the Revolution enforce the impression that they were raised up to meet 
 the need ot the times. Though he had not the sacred fire of genius, he had the genius 
 of industry, and his talents were of wonderful versatility. His name belongs to the class 
 styled " self-made men," as his early advantages were meagre. He had so many callings 
 that he might have been subject to the aphorism, " Jack at all trades, master of none," 
 if he had not left creditable record in more than one of them. He was saddler, silver- 
 smith, watchmaker, carver in ivory, schoolmaster, painter, engraver, soldier, inventor, author, 
 legislator ; and in none of these occupations did he fail to command respect. We find it 
 recorded of him that he " was a leading promoter of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine 
 Arts, was the first American popular lecturer on natural history, opened the first American 
 museum, and was the first American manufacturer of enamelled teeth." He wrote and 
 published valuable essays upon scientific subjects, and was a devoted student of the 
 hidden laws of nature. He was distinguished for his genial character, his exalted and self- 
 sacrificing patriotism, his wise judgments, his generosity as an artist, and his unceasing 
 energy. 
 
 I he first picture of any degree of excellence ever seen by Charles Willson Peale was 
 
 from the brush of Hesselius, a Swede ; and he at once made overtures to that artist for 
 4 
 
Plate II. 
 
 John Singleton Copley. 
 
 See. Page t. 
 
 Joseph Wright. 
 
 See Page 36. 
 
Charles Willson Peak. 
 
 5 
 
 instruction, offering in payment the " best saddle that can be made in the State of Mary- 
 land." 
 
 He made a visit to Boston, and studied for a short time with Copley, whore encour- 
 agement strengthened his determination ; but he was not content until he crossed the 
 Atlantic, and received instruction from Benjamin West. Notwithstanding his eventful life, 
 and the cares and expense of a large family, he never flagged in his devotion to art ; 
 and one of his last works is a full-length portrait of himself at the advanced age of 
 eighty-three. 
 
 The keynote of his life is given in this insciiption on the "Family Group,' now 
 owned by the New- York Historical Society: " C. W. Peale painted these portraits of his 
 family in 1773; wishing to finish every work he had undertaken, completed this picture 
 in 1809." This large canvas contains portraits of the artist, his wife and children, David 
 Ramsay the historian, and the trusty custodian of the museum, his good dog Argus, 
 whose figure was the last one introduced. 
 
 In 1772, immediately after his return from Europe, Mr. Peale was invited to Mount 
 Vernon, where he painted the first life-size portrait of Washington. It is a three-quarters 
 length, and represents him as a comparatively young man, — quite young in appearance 
 for his forty years. The bright colors of the uniform, — that of a colonel of the Virginia 
 militia, — and his own high color, give a rich tone to the picture. The costume is closely 
 copied, and its details are now accepted as historic, — blue coat with scarlet facings, scarlet 
 waistcoat and breeches, with a purple scarf passing over the left shoulder, and tied at the 
 right hip. The hilt of his sword is just visible at the left side, and he wears the regi- 
 mental cocked hat. In his left hand, which is thrown behind him, is a musket; and the 
 right hand is thrust within his waistcoat. From a ribbon around his neck is suspended a 
 gorget, — a pendant silver ornament, — engraved with the royal arms, which was worn at 
 that time by officers of the British service when on duty, as a badge of authority. A 
 button with the number of the regiment, "22," was cut from this military coat in 1798 
 by Robert Field, the amateur English artist, who was tempted to the pious theft by seeing 
 the coat in the guest-chamber where he slept. 1 
 
 While Mr. Peale was painting this portrait, he remained at Mount Vernon a fort- 
 night, and succeeded in producing a brilliant and graceful picture. The progress of the 
 painting is quaintly interleaved by Washington in a copy of the " Virginia Almanack for 
 the year of our Lord God 1772," under the heading, "Where & how my time is 
 spent." 
 
 "May 18. — Went up to court and stayed all night. In the evening, Mr. Peale and J. P. 
 Custis came to Mount Vernon. 
 
 1 See Lossing's Mount Vernon and its Associations. 
 
6 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 " May iQ. — Mrs. Barnes came up to Alexandria, I returned home in the afternoon & found 
 Col° Blackburn & Lady, Miss Scott, Miss Brown & Docf Brown here, who came before dinner, — 
 also found Mr. Peale & J. P. Custis. 
 
 "May 20. — Col° Blacburn & the compy with him went away after breakfast. I sat to have 
 my Picture drawn. 
 
 "May 21. — ... I sat again, to take the drapery 
 
 " May 22. — Set for Mr. Peale to finish my Face, — in the afternoon Rid with him to my 
 
 mill." 
 
 A French biographer of the "elder Peale" congratulates us on having a portrait of 
 Washington in his prime, and says, " So highly esteemed was this picture, that it has 
 been reproduced more than an hundred times by painting and engraving." It is known 
 as the "Colonial," or "Virginia Colonel" portrait; was inherited by the adopted son of 
 Washington, George Washington Parke Custis; and has remained in the Arlington 
 collection, being now the property of the grandson of Mr. Custis, Gen. G. W. C. Lee. 
 During the civil war it was secreted in a cellar, where, unfortunately, it was somewhat 
 injured by the dampness, but has been skilfully restored. It is familiar through engrav- 
 ings in Irving's " Life of Washington," Vol. II., and also in Sparks's Life. Edmund Law 
 Rogers of Baltimore, a lineal descendant of Mrs. Washington, has an exquisite copy of it 
 recently painted. 
 
 At the time of the division of the personal effects of Washington, the gorget was 
 given to Mrs. Martha Peter, grand-daughter of Mrs. Washington, and by her was 
 presented in 1813 to Josiah Ouincy. He transferred it to the Washington Benevolent 
 Society of Boston. After the dissolution of that society, it was returned to Mr. Ouincy, 
 during whose life it was once, on a public occasion, carried through the streets, hung upon 
 a banner of the revolution 
 
 The ribbon that was worn with it at Braddock's defeat is still attached to it. In 
 1823 Mr. Ouincy committed this relic to the keeping of his daughter, Miss Eliza Susan 
 Ouincy, who exhibited it at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia ; and on the 5th 
 of May, 1877, in accordance with her father's will, she presented it to the Massachusetts 
 Historical Society. 
 
 The bust-study for this portrait was retained by the artist, and afterwards finished at 
 his leisure. It was familiar for many years to the visitors of the Peale Gallery, upon 
 the dispersion of which, this valuable first portrait was purchased by its present owner, 
 Charles S. Ogden of Philadelphia, in whose possession it remains. 
 
 Peale did not repeat this work, but used it as an aid in several miniatures produced 
 within a short period of time ; and that they appear to be of a younger man than those 
 of his full-size portraits executed during the war is explained by this fact. 
 
Charles Willson Peale. 
 
 7 
 
 In 1776 Peale painted portraits of Gen. and Mrs. Washington for John Hancock. 
 The destination of Washington's is thought to be explained by a quaint " letter from a 
 gentleman on Rhode Island," contributed to " The Pennsylvania Packet " of Nov. 10, 1778. 
 
 "Thursday the 26th of November next is appointed by Authority to be obferved as a day of 
 Thankfgiving Prayer and Praife throughout this State. Monday fe'ennigKt, a large company of 
 gentlemen and ladies dined on board the Languedoc at the invitation of Count d'Eftaing. The 
 entertainment was highly elegant. A picture of General Wafhington at full-length, lately prefented 
 to the Count by General Hancock, was placed in the center of the upper fide of the room, the 
 frame of which was covered with laurels." 
 
 Charles Hector, Count d'Estaing, 1 was the vice-admiral of the French fleet then in 
 the harbor of Newport, R. I., and " The Languedoc " was his flagship. The count returned 
 to France in 1780, and was guillotined in 1794. After his death no further mention of 
 the portrait is made. An engraving by Norman, published in 17S2 by John Coles, "Taken 
 from an original Picture in possession of His Ex'cy, Gov. Hancock," indicates that the 
 governor owned a picture after the fete on " The Languedoc." There is no other record 
 of two paintings by Peale being executed for John Hancock ; yet the evidence of an 
 engraving cannot be ignored : therefore the Washington portrait of which this print testi- 
 fies may at any time be found, — the gem of some modest collection, or holding an 
 honored place in an old homestead. Engraving, of all the arts, yields most pleasure, is 
 most extended in its influence, and the gentlest in its teachings. Not the least important 
 mission of the burin is that of witness for the brush. Occasionally the right of a portrait 
 of Washington to be considered original can only be sustained by the testimony of an 
 enoravinor 
 
 In 1777 Congress, then sitting in Philade'phia, ordered a full-length of life-size. 
 This historic canvas was begun at the camp of Valley Forge in 1778, in the midst of the 
 most disheartening scenes, and at the most critical period of the Revolution. Before it 
 was completed, the battles of Princeton and Monmouth were fought. The soldier-artist 
 shared in all the privations of this time " which tried men's souls," at each engagement 
 gallantly leading his company, and, in the language of another soldier, " He fit and painted, 
 and painted and fit." 
 
 During a sitting at Princeton, Peale, by Washington's suggestion, introduced a view of 
 the town as seen from a window of his headquarters, showing Hessian prisoners under 
 guard. This was to commemorate the brilliant victory of Jan. 3, when the British army, 
 encamped near the college, was surprised at sunrise, and routed in twenty minutes, — a 
 
 1 A bust by Houdon of this brave French officer is in the gallery of the late Joseph Harrison, Philadelphia. 
 
 D'Estaing was devoted to the cause of the Revolution received a land grant, and became a citizen of the State of 
 
 r 
 
 Georgia. 
 
8 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 victory which re-inspired the drooping spirits of the colonists. Several captured regimental 
 flags are on the ground beside him, conspicuous among them being the British ensign 
 with the red cross of St. George. Washington wears the full uniform of the commander- 
 in-chief. His left hand rests upon a cannon ; and the right, holding his hat, is placed on 
 his hip. The continental flag, a circlet of stars in a blue field, floats over his head ; and 
 we are told it was sketched on the battle-field. 
 
 The uniform is most carefully followed. "The sword of Princeton" was a few years 
 ago offered to the United-States Government by a member of the Washington family. 
 The committee to whom the matter was submitted compared it with the sword in the 
 picture, — at that time in the Patent Office, — and it was found to be a facsimile. 
 
 This picture was finished in Philadelphia, and bears date 1779. Congress adjourned 
 without making an appropriation for it: so it was left on the hands of the artist. It has 
 quite an interesting history. Peale sent it to Europe, hoping, as he said, " to get some- 
 thing clever" for it, but was so unfortunate as to receive nothing - . He confided it to the 
 care of a gentleman, who proposed selling it in Madrid. The artist was always unrecon- 
 ciled to the loss of this picture, and in the last year of his life asserted that it had never 
 been paid for. His feeling on the subject is shown in a series of letters written by him 
 to William Carmichael, who, it appears, was instrumental in its being taken abroad, and 
 was in some way responsible for the picture. The first letter was written in October, 
 1779; and the last is as follows: — 
 
 PllILADA Sept* 23 17S6. 
 
 Sir, — I have never received any money from Mr. Brockholst Livingston or any other person on 
 your account. When you so obligingly offered to assist me in the sale of the portrait of General 
 Washington, I did hope to have got something clever for the picture. When you reflect on my 
 situation, having known my difficulties, and having a large family to maintain by my labours alone, - 
 you must know that the price of a whole length picture is no trifle to me — more surely, I need not 
 say to induce you to let me hear from you soon, which will much oblige your friend and humble 
 servan 
 
 C. W. PEALE. 
 
 • To the Honorable W» Carmichal. 
 
 After Mr. Peale's death, the portrait was returned to the United States through the 
 Count de Menou, sometime char ge-a" affaires at Washington, by whom it was purchased 
 early in the century at a public sale, at which it was claimed that the portrait had once 
 been the property of Louis XVI. 
 
 Ihc Count de Menou placed it in the National Institute, whose properties were for 
 a time deposited in the Patent Office at Washington. W r hen this association dissolved, 
 the portrait was sent to the Smithsonian Institution, and from there removed, in 1876, to 
 the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts. It is now temporarily placed in the Corcoran 
 Gallery of Art. 
 
Charles Willson Peak. 
 
 9 
 
 The ownership of this portrait was a question pending for some years before the 
 regents of the Smithsonian Institution ; but, there being no record in the minutes of the 
 National Institute of the presentation of such a picture (and the right of the Count to 
 give it being denied by Peale's family), it seems probable that he placed it there for safe 
 keeping, as he was known to be financially embarrassed. It is claimed now by the 
 venerable and only surviving son of the artist, Titian Ramsay Peale, who wishes to dispose 
 of it to the United-States Government. 
 
 An exact reproduction, or contemporary portrait, sold at the public auction of Peale's 
 Museum in 1855, was bought by its present owner, H. Pratt McKean of Philadelphia, who 
 says that when he purchased it the work had been neglected, and was in bad condition ; 
 but he had it perfectly restored. This picture was doubtless kept by the artist as data, 
 and must have been approved by him. At the suggestion of friends, Peale painted several 
 full-length portraits contemporaneously with and differing only from the one ordered by 
 Congress in the character of their backgrounds ; all of which may be termed originals, as 
 Washington accorded sittings to his artist-friend whenever occasion required or allowed. 
 
 One, the property of the Earl of Albemarle, now in the gallery at Ouiddenham Park, 
 was shipped in 1780 to the Stadtholder of Wurtemburg, in the care of Henry Laurens, 
 who was sent as a secret emissary to the Hague, and took passage in the packet " Mer- 
 cury." The ship was captured by a British frigate, and Mr. Laurens threw his despatches 
 overboard ; which act was observed by a British sailor, who sprang into the sea, and 
 secured the papers. All of our affairs with Holland were thus exposed ; and, in conse- 
 quence, England declared war. Capt. Keppel, commander of the frigate, claimed the 
 portrait as a personal prize, and presented it to his uncle, Admiral Lord Keppel, who had 
 known Washington when the young Virginian was an officer in Gen. Braddock's campaign. 
 " It thus became one of the treasures of the Earl of Albemarle, present head of the 
 Keppel family in Norfolk." 
 
 In 1874 Alexander Duncan, a native of Rhode Island, residing in London, was 
 permitted by the earl to have made of this portrait a copy, which he presented to the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society. The president of the society, Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, 
 ordered a frame like the one which enclosed the original picture ; so that, to quote his 
 own words, " It may take its place in our gallery precisely as the original is now found 
 in the gallery of Lord Albemarle." 
 
 This copy has the following graceful indorsement from the earl to Vernon Heath, 
 Esq. : — 
 
 Quiddenham Park, Attleborough, March 31. 
 
 Dear Sir, — Of the skill that Mr. Vivian has shown in producing a faithful copy of my picture 
 of Washington, there can be no doubt in the mind of any one who has seen, as I have, the copy 
 and the original side by side. The Americans ought, therefore, to be thoroughly satisfied with a 
 
IO 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 correct portrait of their illustrious countryman. If, as a work of art, and not on account of its 
 historical merit, a finer picture be not produced, the fault is with the original, and not with the 
 copy. 
 
 I am, dear sir, yours faithfully, 
 
 ALBEMARLE. 
 
 A third portrait, an exact reproduction of the one intended for the United-States 
 Government, was bought for the French court by order of the Marquis de La Fayette, 
 and is in the gallery at Versailles (No. 4,560). This is undoubtedly the picture of which 
 the Count de Menou thought he had come into possession. On the engraving, by Wolff, 
 of this picture, is this inscription : — 
 
 "Washington (Georges) 
 President de la Republique des Etats-unis d 'Amerique du Nord. J799." 
 
 Washington took much interest in these portraits, giving special sittings for them, 
 and wearing a blue scarf, which he afterwards presented to the artist, in whose family it 
 was long preserved. The belief in the Peale family was, that " the blue sash was the 
 designation of a field ' marshal of France ; ' which rank had been conferred upon Washing- 
 ton by the King of France as a point of etiquette, enabling him to command the French 
 generals, our allies." 
 
 This account of the sash conforms, to the commonly received tradition, that Louis XVI. 
 conferred the rank of Marshal of France upon Washington. It is, however, only referred 
 to by contemporaries a few times, its acceptance having become more general since 
 Washington's death. An engraving of one of Trumbull's portraits is inscribed " Marshal 
 of France," and French artists have inscribed several paintings and engravings of his head 
 " Dictateur ; " but they bear no indications of his claim to a French title. No medal 
 perpetuates the alleged honor. 
 
 * An engraved portrait of Francis, Lord Napier, was presented by the Earl of Buchan 
 with this address, " To Marshal General Washington;" and there was also a small volume 
 of poems dedicated to " Marshal Washington." 
 
 It will be remembered that it was agreed between Louis XVI. and the American 
 Congress that the French troops should be called an " Auxiliary Army," all under the 
 command of his Excellency Gen. Washington. His rank was surely equivalent to that of 
 a marshal of France, and he was always received in the French camps with the honors 
 accorded to a French marshal. 
 
 The inconsistency of his accepting a foreign title, or in any way acknowledging alle- 
 giance to a foreign monarch, while championing the principles of republican self-govern- 
 ment, is sufficiently obvious in itself to disprove the tradition. Washington, however, 
 
Charles Willson Peale. 
 
 disclaimed all right to the honor. In acknowledging the dedication of an address to him 
 in which he is termed "Marshal of France," he wrote, Jan. 31, 1785, "It behooves me to 
 correct a mistake in your printed address to the patrons of the fine arts. I am not a 
 marshal of France, nor do I hold any office under that government or any other what- 
 ever." 
 
 This declaration gives authority to the more generally accepted idea that the scarf 
 was a badge adopted by Washington July 3, 1775, when he took command at Cambridge. 
 He was unknown to the troops ; and in his orderly book of that date a blue sash is 
 mentioned as designating the commander-in-chief. 
 
 In 1779, while Peale was a representative in the Legislature of Pennsylvania, a por- 
 trait was ordered by that State, an account of which is found in "The Pennsylvania 
 Packet" of Feb. 11, 1779, in connection with the announcement of the general's presence 
 in Philadelphia. It. read as follows: — 
 
 " The Council of this State, being desirous of having his picture, requested his sitting for that 
 purpose, which he politely complied with, and a striking likeness was taken by Mr. Peale of this 
 city. The portrait is to be placed in the council-chamber. Don Juan Marrailes has ordered five 
 copies, of which four, we hear, are to be sent abroad." 
 
 This painting was engraved by Peale ; and the following year, in the same paper, 
 four advertisements of the print appeared at different dates, as follows : — 
 
 "The subscriber takes this method of informing the public that he has just finished a metzotinto 
 print, in poster size (14 inches by 10 inches, besides the margin), of his Excellency Gen. Wash- 
 ington, from the original picture belonging to the State of Pennsylvania. Shopkeepers, and persons 
 going to the West Indies, may be supplied at such a price as will afford a considerable profit to 
 them, by applying at the south-west corner of Lombard and Third Streets, Philadelphia. 
 
 "CHARLES WILLSON PEALE." 
 
 The portrait ordered for the State was totally destroyed in 1781 by some vandals 
 who broke into the council-chamber, and ruthlessly defaced it. beyond the hope of 
 restoration. Bailey's "Freeman's Journal," Sept. 12, 1781, with more fervor than elegance, 
 thus records the outrage : — 
 
 "Sept. 10. — Last night, a fit time for the sons of Lucifer to perpetuate the deeds of darkness, 
 one or more volunteers in the service of hell broke into the State-House in Philadelphia, and totally 
 defaced the picture of his Excellency, General Washington, and a curious engraving of the monument 
 of the patriotic General Montgomery, done in France in the most elegant manner. Every generous 
 bosom must swell with indignation at such atrocious proceedings. It is a matter of grief and sorrow- 
 ful reflection that any of the human race can be so abandoned as to insult men who are and have 
 been an honor to human nature ; who venture and have ventured their lives for the liberties of theii 
 
I 2 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 fellow-men. A being who carries such malice in his breast must be miserable beyond conception. 
 We need wish him no other punishment than his own feelings. 
 
 "'The motions of his spirit are black as night, 
 And his affection dark as Erebus.' " 
 
 Of those ordered by Don Juan, one was sent to the Spanish court, and another to 
 the island of Cuba. Several copies of the same picture were also made for persons in 
 this country. 
 
 One of Peale's most highly valued works is in Nassau Hall, Princeton College, New 
 Jersey; and its history illustrates the generous character of its great subject. During the 
 battle of Princeton a ball from one of Washington's cannon pierced the college building, 
 doing slight harm beyond the destruction of a portrait of George II. When the catas- 
 trophe was reported, Washington gave from his private purse fifty guineas to repair the 
 injury. This sum was devoted by the trustees of the institution to securing a portrait of 
 the general, by the soldier-artist, to replace that of the King. 
 
 The figure of Washington in this picture is represented upon the field of Princeton, 
 the battle still in progress. In his left hand, resting on his hip, he holds his chapean : 
 his right, partly uplifted, grasps his sword. A group of officers immediately back of 
 Washington support a dying general, — the gallant Hugh Mercer, a "bra Scot;" and in 
 the distance, through half-obscuring smoke, is seen Nassau Hall. When the building was 
 burned, in 1802, the painting was rescued, and is still in possession of the college. 
 
 The State of Maryland gave an order for a portrait of Washington commemorative 
 of the surrender of Cornwallis, to be placed in the Hall of the House of Delegates at 
 Annapolis. This picture was painted soon after that great event, and is conceded to 
 have been from life. In "The Annals of Annapolis" it is thus described: — 
 
 " From the walls of this room (the Hall of Delegates) is suspended a large picture presenting 
 a full-length likeness of Gen. Washington, attended by Gen. Lafayette and Col. Tilghman, his 
 aides-de-camp, the continental army passing in review. In his hands he holds the articles of 
 capitulation at Yorktown. The picture was painted by Charles Willson Peale in pursuance of a 
 resolution of the General Assembly of Maryland." 
 
 Immediately following this commission the artist executed a portrait for M. Girard, 
 the French ambassador, and a full-length for the Count de Rochambeau. 
 
 Among the pictures in the collection of the late Joseph Harrison of Philadelphia is 
 a bust-portrait, executed in 1783. It was bought by Mr. Harrison from the Peale 
 Gallery for fifty-five dollars ; and Benson J. Lossing says it is the last painted from life 
 by that artist. This opinion is opposed by several statements relative to later works. 
 The entry in Washington's diary, while he was attending the Constitutional Convention, 
 effectually controverts such a conclusion : — 
 
Charles Willson Peale. 
 
 13 
 
 " Tuesday July Jrd, 1/8/. — Sat before the meeting of the convention for Mr. Peale, who 
 wanted my picture to make a print or metzotinto by. 
 " Friday 6th. — Sat for Mr. Peale in the morning. 
 " Monday gth. — Sat for Mr. Peale in the morning." 
 
 This valuable pencil-sketch, so well authenticated by Washington as being from life, 
 was purchased from Mrs. Charles Augustus Smith of Philadelphia, and presented to the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania, March 9, 1868, by Messrs. Jay Cooke & Co., E. W. 
 Clark & Co., George W. Childs, W. V. McKean, A. E. Borie, C. F. Norton, J. G. Fell, 
 Charles H. Hutchinson, Stephen Colwell, Charles Magarge, William C. Houston, Isaac 
 Lea, James Weightman, Charles M. Morris, John A. McAllister, Atherton Blight, James 
 L. Claghorn, Joseph Carson, M.D., George B. Wood, Z. Locke, Thomas C. Hand, Fred- 
 erick Collins, Charles G. Lower, and R. Eddy. This drawing was retained by Peale, and 
 at his death became the property of his son Rembrandt, who disposed of it to Mr. Smith 
 about 1848. During the residence of the owner in Cincinnati, it was placed in a loan 
 exhibition, and noticed in "The Daily Enquirer," as "an original pencil-sketch of Washing- 
 ton by Charles Willson Peale, taken in 1777, the frame of which was made by a son of 
 Dr. Croley from the wood of the old elm-tree which stood in front of the Chew house 
 at Germantown." 
 
 Senate Document No. XXI. of* the Virginia Legislature of 1873 asserts, that in 
 1 784 Peale received an order for a full-length from Gov. Harrison of Virginia, for that 
 State, which was sent to France to aid Houdon in executing the statue he had been 
 commissioned to make. But the sculptor determined to see Washington in person, and 
 take a cast and measurements : he therefore came to America, disregarding the painting, 
 — if it ever reached him. Its fate is shrouded in mystery, and is still a matter of 
 interest. Although nowhere is it positively stated that this portrait was drawn from 
 life, yet the inference is clear that the Legislature intended that it should be ; and for 
 such an important purpose nothing less would have been acceptable. The official 
 document referred to says, — 
 
 "The letters of Gov. Harrison to Charles Willson Peale, dated 1st of July, 1784, and Nov. 20, 
 1784 (the former requesting Mr. Peale to draw a full-length portrait of Gen. Washington, and 
 ship it to France to the address of Mr. Jefferson, and the latter thanking Mr. Peale for his 
 prompt compliance with the request), and to Mr. Jefferson, July 20 and Nov. 12, 1784, relative to 
 the portrait drawn by Peale, — are not only unpublished, but seem to be unknown to many, 
 although they record the initial steps which were taken to procure the statue of Washington." 
 
 This document also declares, in reference to the portrait, that, "wherever it may be, 
 it is the property of Virginia ; and, as it was executed with all the skill of this eminent 
 artist, the inquiry is natural, 'What has become of it?'" 
 
14 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 In order to render the picture distinctively Virginian, Peale painted a background, 
 which he thus describes in a letter to Gov. Harrison : — 
 
 " Besides the view of York and Gloster, as mentioned in a former letter, I have introduced on 
 a near ground French and American officers with their colors displayed, and between them the 
 British with their colors cased. These figures seem to tell the story at first sight, which the more 
 distant could not." 
 
 A bust-portrait in uniform, by Charles Willson Peale, is in the State Library at 
 Richmond, Va. It was the property of Richard Kennon, a revolutionary officer, and a 
 personal friend of Washington. 
 
 Peale painted several bust-portraits of Washington as President, in black velvet coat, 
 — the dress which seems to belong to him in this office. Of these we have but meagre 
 record, and they are little known, as the military portraits were more popular for engrav- 
 ing. One is deposited in the National Museum, Philadelphia, and is the property of 
 Mr. Oswald Tilghman of Maryland. It was purchased by his father, Col. Tench Tilghman, 
 in 1840, from the Wilson family of Somerset County, Maryland, for whom it was painted. 
 
 A bust-portrait in 'uniform hung at Mount Vernon for many years. It was not 
 known what became of this picture, until it was traced through a photograph which was 
 sent from Germany to Mr. George W. Childs, on the back of which is written, — 
 
 To G. W. Childs. » • 
 
 The original of this was presented by Lady Washington to Mr. Conrad Van der Legen 
 of Crefeld. Shortly after the death of Washington, Mr. Van der Legen requested his agent, 
 Mr. Honninghous, who was then in Washington City, to apply to Lady Washington to have a copy 
 taken from a Washington portrait. Instead of replying to the request, Lady Washington ordered 
 the original of this photograph to be taken clown from the wall, and desired Mr. Honninghous to 
 present it in her name to Mr. Van der Legen. The house of Van der Legen did a very extensive 
 business in America at that time, and was well known. The picture is now in possession of 
 Mr. Henry Van der Legen of Crefeld, grandson of the original owner, who kindly allowed it to be 
 photographed, and presented me with some copies of the same. 
 
 From your friend 
 
 F. COAN. 
 
 Cologne, Feb. 7, 1870. 
 
 Mr. Frederic de Peyster of New York owns a full-length military portrait, cabinet size, 
 from the hand of Peale, which was presented by John Ouincy Adams to Carlo Giuseppe 
 Guglielmo Botta of Italy, author of the great work upon the Revolution, entitled " A His- 
 tory of the War of American Independence." The painting is an interesting souvenir, and 
 was returned to this country a short time since, all the correspondence establishing its 
 historic association being in possession of its present owner. It is framed in a narrow, 
 fluted gilt frame of the fashion of the last century; and the canvas is oval, being about 
 
Charles IV ills on Pcale. 
 
 15 
 
 two feet in width at the broadest part. The figure of Washington is gracefully drawn. 
 He is standing near his cream-colored charger, and in the right hand he holds his 
 chapeau. The cannon and scattered balls indicate a battle-ground, supposed to be Trenton. 
 
 The only bust-portrait of Washington of cabinet size, from the hand of Charles 
 Willson Peale, once belonged to Captain Williams of the Topographical Bureau, who 
 married Miss Peter, a great "grand-daughter of Mrs. Washington. This portrait in 1832 
 became the property of Judge Thurston of Kentucky, and descended to his daughter, 
 the late Mrs. Janette Thurston Powell. It is very brilliant in tone, and readily identified 
 as a work of Peale, though there was a tradition attributing it to Gilbert Stuart. It is 
 now in the possession of Admiral L. M. Powell, Washington. The late Dr. William K. 
 Gilbert of Philadelphia owned a portrait painted by Peale in 1795. It hung in the Mint 
 for nearly half a century, having been in possession of one of the officials. It is per- 
 fectly preserved, vivid in color, and lifelike in expression. 
 
 At a sitting given by Washington in 1795 to Rembrandt, son of the "elder Peale," 
 the latter made from life his last study of Washington. His brother James was also 
 permitted to be present. From sketches made at this time, James produced a full-length, 
 and Rembrandt painted his great picture. The circumstance of the President's granting 
 sittings to this trio of artists drew forth one of Stuart's witty sarcasms, related by himself 
 to Mr. Neagle: — 
 
 "I looked in to see how the old gentleman was getting along, and to my astonishment 1 
 found the general surrounded by the whole family. They were peeling him, sir. As I went away, 
 I met Mrs. Washington. "Madam," said I, "the general's in a perilous situation." — "How, sir?" 
 — "He is beset, madam, — no less than five on him at once: one aims at his eye, another at his 
 nose ; another is busy with his hair ; his mouth is attacked by a fourth ; and the fifth has him by 
 the shoulder. In fact, madam, there are five painters at him. You who know how he has suffered 
 when only attacked by one can judge of the horrors of the situation." 
 
 Stuart asserted that it was at his request that Gen. Washington, after sitting to him, 
 consented to sit once more for Mr. Peale. It appears incredible that an old comrade-in- 
 arms, one who had been associated with Washington in peace and in war, should have 
 to secure a favor through a comparative stranger ; and especially is this improbable in 
 connection with the fact that Washington was so generous of time to the artist's son. 
 The picture produced from this joint sitting is doubtless^ the last painted from life by 
 Charles Willson Peale, and became the property of the late Thomas J. Bryan, who 
 purchased it at the sale of the Peale Museum, and presented it to the New-York 
 Historical Society. 
 
 There is in the diplomatic reception-room at the Department of State, Washington, 
 a very inferior portrait by Charles Willson Peale. In the Department there is no attaina- 
 
1 6 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 ble record of it, save a bill for cleaning and repairing in 1840; but in a paper by Arthur 
 R. Stansbery, entitled " Recollections and Anecdotes of the Presidents of the United 
 States," which appeared in " Arthur's Home Gazette," is found a lengthy though frag- 
 mentary account of this portrait. John Ouincy Adams, when secretary of state, pur- 
 chased it, for the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, from a gentleman in Washington. 
 Poor as the painting is now considered, enthusiastic expressions of approval are quoted 
 by Stansbery from Thomas Law, William W. Seaton, Samuel Brent, and other prominent 
 citizens. Peale identified it as having been executed by himself, and " sold in Baltimore, 
 to the father of the owner's wife, a score of years ago," also expressing to the secretary 
 the gratification he would feel in this work finding secure haven as a government pos- 
 session. From the accumulated evidence of the excellence of this painting, the conclu- 
 sion is inevitable that it fell a victim to the destroyer designated repairing. 
 
 It is proper to record here three portraits which legitimately come in a list of Peale's 
 works They are attributed to Charles Peale Polk, a young Virginian who was a relative, 
 namesake, and pupil of Peale's ; and it is said that Polk painted only the figures, while 
 his master painted the heads. The likeness obtained in these portraits is a close rendering 
 of the Washington head according to the Houdon standard. 
 
 One is especially interesting because of its associations and the historic data that it 
 perpetuates. It descended from Arthur Lee to his nephew, Richard Henry Lee ; then to 
 his daughter, wife of Charles Lee, attorney-general under Washington and Adams ; and 
 is now owned by a grand-daughter of the latter, Mrs. Thomas Miller, Leesburg, Va. 
 It has never been out of the Lee family. It is a three-quarter picture in Continental 
 uniform, with three stars in the epaulets. His hand, holding a chapeau, rests on the hilt 
 of his sword. In the background on one side are Princeton and the college buildings ; 
 on the other, sentinels on duty at the camp, over which floats a flag, differing only in 
 form from the one finally adopted, — thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; and the 
 union, thirteen stars, white in a blue field. It bears the name " C s P. Polk, painter," and 
 was painted for Arthur Lee, commissioner to France, being sent to him while abroad. 
 Upon the back is this inscription : " This portrait will stand the unavoidable confinement 
 to London better than the other," indicating that two portraits in this style were painted. 
 Of the other is found no record. The second picture, marked " C s Polk," is a kitcat, which 
 was painted for, or purchased by, a gentleman on the James River, Virginia, and is now 
 owned by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The third is a likeness of considerable 
 merit, though deficient in coloring. It belonged to the Rev. Dr. Balmain, who was a chap- 
 lain in the Virginia line of the Continental army, and, after the Revolution, rector for forty 
 years of Frederick Parish, Va. It was in his possession for fifty years, and was often seen 
 and approved by Madison, Marshall, and other contemporaries of Washington. It descended 
 
Charles Willson Peak. 
 
 17 
 
 to a grand-nephew of the first owner, Mr. Edward F. Bruce of Winchester, Va., from 
 whom it was recently purchased by the Corcoran Gallery of Art. 
 
 On the 2 2d of February, 1800, on the occasion of the obsequies of Washington in 
 Philadelphia, among the mourning emblems displayed, " the transparency by Mr. C. W. 
 Peale in front of his museum, representing Gen. Washington of life-size, attracted greatest 
 attention, and drew a large concourse of spectators." 
 
 MINIATURES BY CHARLES WILLSON PEALE. 
 
 During his stay at Mount Vernon, Peale painted several miniatures of Washington, 
 as well as of other members of the household. An entry in Washington's account-book 
 of daily personal expenses, now in the Department of the Interior, is as follows : — 
 
 "May 30th, 1772. 
 
 By Mr. Peale drawing my Pict. ....... £\% \s. 
 
 " Miniature for Mrs. Washington . . . • . . . 13 
 
 " Ditto for Miss Custis 13 
 
 " Ditto for Mr. Custis 13 
 
 37-4- 
 
 One of Washington's miniatures was presented by him to his brother Charles, and 
 descended to his daughter Mildred. From her it fell to her husband's family, by whom it 
 was taken to Ireland. After many years it was returned to this country, and presented to 
 Washington's grand-nephew, Judge Charles Washington Ball of Leesburg, Va., in whose 
 possession it remains. It is a finely-executed work, and excellently preserved. Another of 
 these, ordered for the family, is now owned by W. W. Corcoran, who bought it from a 
 descendant of one of Washington's nephews. These miniatures are handsomely set in 
 heavy plain gold lockets, with a lock of Washington's hair in the back of each. Mr. Peale 
 took charge of the setting of these miniatures, in compliance with a request from Mrs. 
 Washington, as the following letters will show : — 
 
 New Winpsor, Dec. 26, 1780. 
 
 Sir, — I send my miniature pictures to you and request the favor of you to get them set for 
 me. I would have them as bracelets to wear round the wrists. The Pictures already set I beg you 
 to have cut the same size as the other two, and set alike, as I may make a pair of either of the 
 three pictures. The Diamonds may be set in a pin for the hair. I would have the three pictures 
 set exactly alike, and all the same size. If you have no crystals yourself, if they can be had in 
 the city, I beg you to get them for me. I would like to have them set neat and plain, and will be 
 much obliged to you to hurry the person that undertakes the doing of them, as I am very anxious 
 to get them soon. 
 
 I am Sir your most ob £ h'ble sv't 
 
 MARTHA WASHINGTON. 
 
 In the box, three miniatures, 2 half joes and small pieces of gold. 
 
1 8 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 I'milad* January 16, 17S1. 
 
 Dr. Madam, — The Jeweller promises me to have the bracelets done in a few days. I have 
 begged him to take the utmost pains to set them neatly. As no foreign glasses were to be had, 
 I have moulded some of the best glass I could find, and got a Lapidary to polish them ; which, I 
 hope, will not be inferior to those made abroad. I have cut the Pictures to one size, and mean to 
 go a little further than you arc pleased to direct — that is to have spare loopholes for occasional 
 use as a Locket, and the additional expense is inconsiderable. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 C. W. PEALE. 
 
 Mrs. Martha Washington. 
 
 Peale painted miniatures of both Gen. and Mrs. Washington during the year 1776. 
 
 There is now in Philadelphia a beautiful miniature on ivory, showing the blue scarf, 
 which was painted on the march from Germantown to Valley Forge. 
 
 Rembrandt Pcale relates, that, while his father was painting a miniature of the general 
 for Mrs. Washington in New Jersey,, Washington received the announcement of the sur- 
 render of Burgoyne ; but the sitting continued without interruption. 
 
 Several miniatures were painted by Peale in 1779, — one for the King of France, and 
 two for Lafayette. One of the latter was a full-length with the blue scarf ; and one, a 
 bust on copper plate. This was presented by Lafayette in 1823 to a niece, who many 
 years after gave it to a friend on the eve of her departure for America. It is now 
 owned by a lady in Washington. 
 
 A Peale miniature, belonging to the wife of Rev. William F. Brand, Emmonton, Md., 
 was painted for her grandfather, Col. Nathaniel Ramsay, a close personal friend of 
 Washington, and one of the heroes of Monmouth. This portrait has been attributed to 
 James Peale ; but it is of too early a date to have been his work, though Charles 
 Willson Peale painted few miniatures after he discovered his younger brother's talent for 
 this branch of art, generously surrendering his own orders for miniatures to his brother. 
 The work is on ivory, and of the same style and pose that distinguish Charles Willson 
 Pealc's first miniatures. The hair is in a queue ; and the face is replete with grave 
 thought, though more youthful than even the Arlington picture. The dress is military. 
 Over the waistcoat is the sash of blue ; and the epaulets are flat, as worn in the earlier 
 period of the Revolution. 
 
 Washington ordered of an unknown artist, probably James Peale, a miniature of Mrs. 
 Washington for his only surviving sister, Mrs. Fielding Lewis (Betty Washington). He 
 sent it to her Aug. 17, 1789, at Fredericksburg, Va., by the hands of a neighbor, Mr. 
 Sheaffe. In the same case was a smaller miniature of himself, painted by Peale during 
 the siege of Boston. It is in military costume, with the blue scarf of the commander- 
 in-chief. Tradition says he wore this upon his own person during the war as a means 
 
diaries Willson Peak. 19 
 
 of identification in the event of his death in battle. There is slight evidence that he 
 ever anticipated or feared so tragic an end ; and, if the story be true, the precaution 
 was doubtless suggested by his wife. 
 
 These miniatures arc painted on ivory, and are exquisitely rich in color. The one 
 of the general is cracked, but was probably in that condition when given as a tender 
 remembrance to his sister, so soon after his elevation to the presidency of the new republic. 
 
 A lock of Washington's hair, loosely laid in, surrounds his picture ; and it is, perhaps, 
 the only lock in existence showing the natural color, which is quite a dark brown, 
 though even then slightly intermingled with gray. Around Mrs. Washington's miniature 
 is a close, broad plait of " nut-brown hair," and the setting is of plain gold. Mrs. Wash- 
 ington appears much older than her husband. She was a few years his senior ; but it 
 must be remembered that this picture was taken fifteen years after that of the general. 
 The locket containing these miniatures descended through Mrs. Eleanor Carter to John 
 Patteson of Richmond, Va., who sold it to its present owner, Mr. William Fearing Gill 
 of Boston. It is temporarily deposited in the National Museum, Philadelphia. 
 
 Rembrandt Peale, in "The Crayon," 1857, says that another miniature, copied from 
 a portrait, was sent at the same time to Washington's sister-in-law. This probably is the 
 one referred to in a letter written by the artist from Philadelphia to Gen. Washington: — 
 
 "The miniature which you wrote for, some time past, I have now finished. It is copied from 
 the portrait which you did me the honor to sit for when last here ; and I hope the likeness will be 
 satisfactory to your sister, for I have taken much pains with it." 
 
 Charles Willson Peale made the first engraving of Washington published in this 
 country, having engraved several of his own portraits. A few. only of these early prints 
 are found, and are highly prized by collectors, not so much by reason of merit, as for 
 their rarity. 
 
 Mr. W. A. Whitman owned a panel-engraving made by Peale, which is inscribed : — 
 
 " His Excellency, G. Washington, Esq. LL.D. Late Commander-in Chief of the Armies of the 
 U. S. of America and President of the Convention of 1787." 
 
 This was doubtless made from the picture for which Washington gave the sittings 
 noted in his diary. The plate has been reproduced by John Sartain. In Independence 
 Hall is a similar engraving, which is labelled : — 
 
 "Proof engraving of Gen. George Washington, by C. W. Peale, 1787. After this one impres- 
 sion, the stone was broken. This remained in the Peale family." 
 
 The inscription differs slightly from the other, though it encircles the print also, and 
 reads : — 
 
 " His Excellency, G° Washington, Esq. Late Commander-in Chief of the Armies of the United 
 States of America. Painted and engraved by C. W. Peale in 1787." 
 
20 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 In justice to this artist, it should be said that no painter who has left a life-portrait 
 of Washington has been so inefficiently translated by engravers, or has had so many 
 liberties taken with his works. 
 
 One of the most interesting early engravings, known as the " black cravat picture," 
 was made by Sharp, " from an original." It appeared as a frontispiece to a rare old 
 book, written by C. H. Wharton, M.D., which bears the following labored title : — 
 
 "A 
 
 POETICAL EPISTLE 
 
 TO HIS EXCELLENCY 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esq. 
 
 Commander in Chief of the Armies of the United States of America 
 FROM 
 
 AN INHABITANT OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND 
 
 TO WHICH IS ANNEXED 
 
 A SHORT SKETCH 
 or 
 
 GENERAL WASHINGTON'S LIFE AND CHARACTER. 
 
 Annapolis. Printed 1779. 
 London. Reprinted for C. Dilly 1780. 
 
 PRICE HALF A CROWN. 
 
 Sold as a Subscription look for the relief of American Prisoners suffering 
 in the Jails of England." 
 
 Grotesque woodcuts of Peale's first portraits of Washington appeared in 1778 in two 
 almanacs issued for that year, one of which was called "The Weatherwise ; " the other, 
 " Bickerstaff's Almanac." 
 
NATHANIEL FULLERTON. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 N enthusiastic amateur artist of this name painted a profile cabinet portrait 
 of Washington from a sketch made while witnessing a review on Boston 
 Common in 1776. This picture was highly approved for its spirit, and has 
 been engraved by J. G. Smith. There were two portraits made from this 
 drawing by the young artist. 
 
 In 185 1 quite an interest was aroused in this portrait; and a pamphlet written by 
 Charles Fox was published, with certificates of citizens of Boston who had seen Washing- 
 ton as to the correctness of the likeness. It is undoubtedly worthy of approval, — so true, 
 indeed, that some critics have accredited it to the Quaker artist, Joseph Wright. They, 
 however, lose sight of the fact that Wright was not in America until several years after 
 the death of young Fullerton. Mr. Fox asserts it to have been executed by Fullerton, 
 and said he had it engraved, and issued the monograph " to rescue from oblivion a por- 
 trait, which, in the opinion of competent judges, is a remarkable likeness of the ' Father 
 of his Country.' " 
 
 Fullerton was an invalid at the time of its execution, and having gone to the West 
 Indies for his health, died there at an early age. He was one of the indignant Boston 
 boys who appealed to Gen. Gage to protect their snow forts from his soldiery. This offi- 
 cer gave respectful attention to their grievance ; and though somewhat startled by the 
 intrepid, outspoken patriotism of the urchins of " Boston town," he assured them that 
 their rights should be respected. The scene is perpetuated in a painting by Mr. Henry 
 Bacon, exhibited in Memorial Hall, Philadelphia, 1876, called "The Boston Boys and 
 General Gage, 1775." 
 
ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 
 
 VIRGINIA. 
 
 N equestrian portrait of Washington is claimed to have been painted from 
 life at a very early date by Alexander Campbell of Williamsburg, Va. As 
 the artist was unknown to Washington, it was doubtless painted from a 
 sketch made when the ambitious youth had seen Washington on parade. 
 No importance would have been attached to such a caricature, had it not been so early 
 and so widely published. It was reproduced by engraving about twenty times, and sold 
 extensively by speculators, before any other picture of Washington had become popularly 
 known. It is a lamentable fact that some of these engravers did their work well : there- 
 fore the distorted effigy is likely to survive. 
 
 A mezzotint of this portrait, published by C. Shepherd in London, 1775, maybe found 
 in the collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by those interested in seeing 
 the most grotesque rendering of the features and form of the illustrious Washington. 
 
 It was one of these prints that was presented to Mrs. Washington by the brilliant 
 and gifted Joseph Reed, for which Washington jocosely returned thanks in the following 
 letter from Cambridge, 1776: — 
 
 " Mrs. Washington desires I will thank you for the picture sent her. Mr. Campbell, whom I 
 never saw to my knowledge, has made a very formidable figure of the Commander-in-chief, giving 
 him a sufficient portion of terror in his countenance." 
 
 A grotesque woodcut which appeared on a "broadside" as an illustration to the 
 following verses might have been made after the head of Campbell's portrait. 
 
 SAW YE MY HERO GEORGE: 
 
 Lady Washington left Mount Vernon in June, 1778, in expectation of meeting her worthy companion George; on 
 the 28th of the same month, found her favourite engaged in the battle of Monmouth: She made the following observa- 
 tions. 
 
 Saw you my Hero — faw you my Hero, 
 
 Saw you my Hero George? 
 I've travel'd o'er the plain, and enquir'd of ev'ry fwain, 
 
 But no tidings could gain of my George. 
 
Alexander Campbell. 
 
 See Page 22. 
 
 Archibald Robertson. 
 
 See Page 60. 
 
A lex a nder Ca mftbelL 
 
 23 
 
 One quickly anfwer'd — I faw not your Hero, 
 
 I faw not your Hero George ; 
 But I'm told he's in the van, where the battle's juft began, 
 
 I muft haften my men to the charge. 
 
 Another replied — I faw your Hero, 
 
 I faw your Hero George ; 
 I faw him on the plain, with his fword drawn in his hand, 
 
 Protecting his men in the charge. 
 
 O'er hills and 'high mountains, o'er rivers and fountains, 
 
 Where the drums and trumpets founds alarms, 
 Heav'n give the angels charge, to protect my Hero George, 
 
 And return him fafe back to my arms ! 
 
 Hark ! the hoarfe thunder ! fhakes the earth's centre, 
 
 The groans and the clafhing of arms ; 
 Kind Heav'n prove a friend, and my Hero George defend, 
 
 Shield, protect, fecure him from harms ! 
 
 Balls, bombs and Iangrage — groans, death and carnage, 
 
 The hills and the caverns refound : 
 The fields are cover'd o'er with firearms of purple gore, 
 
 And the dead lie in heaps on the ground ! 
 
 But now the loud huzzas shout my Hero's praifes, 
 
 Victorious George they proclaim ! 
 Columbia now prepare ye, my love's triumphal car, 
 
 And let fame fhout my conqueror's name. 
 
 Hail mighty Hero ! — Columbia's Hero, 
 
 Who gave to America peace ; 
 Long may he live renown'd, and with brilliant honors crown'd, 
 
 Till complete in the manfions of bliss. 
 
 A copy of this broadside is on exhibition at the " Old South Church," Boston. 
 
PIERRE EUGENE DU SIMITIERE. 
 
 SWITZERLAND. 
 
 *7- 
 
 -1784. 
 
 HIS gentleman, who was a native of Geneva, Switzerland, was a dilettante, 
 delighting in art and nature alike. His cabinet of natural history, the 
 American Museum, was one of the greatest delights of Philadelphia an 
 hundred years ago. He was a man of social position, graceful culture, and 
 undoubted integrity, and was one of the first officers of the American Philosophical 
 Society.. His death in Philadelphia in 1784 was esteemed a severe loss to the city. 
 He painted one or more profile military portraits of Washington; but the only one known 
 to exist is now owned by Mr. J. P. McKean of Washington, D.C., whose wife inherited 
 it from her father, who purchased it with an artist's effects in Alexandria, Ya., soon after 
 the death of Washington. G. W. P. Custis considered it a good likeness, but did not 
 know to whom to attribute it ; although he was convinced that it was an original, and 
 testified to his recollection of the fact that at one time it hung at Mount Vernon. 
 
 There is no evidence that this painting was drawn from life, save the assertion on 
 the engravings by Prevost and Reading, which, if untrue, would doubtless have been 
 contradicted by a man of honor such as Du Simitiere. Only through these two engrav- 
 ings is it yet possible to identify the authorship of the portrait owned by Mr. McKean. 
 When exhibited at the Centennial, it was ascribed to Wertmuller ; but this mistake arose 
 from the fact that it was by a foreign artist. The age at which it was taken, its drawing, 
 and traits of coloring, in no way resemble those of the Swedish artist ; and these facts, 
 if there were no other evidence, would disprove the claim. Mr. McKean has published a 
 full-size colored lithograph of his portrait. 
 
 It is said that Du Simitiere made several miniatures ; but of these no trace has been 
 discovered. 
 
 In a "Diary of a French Officer, 1781," published in "The Magazine of American 
 History," May, 1880, appears this notice of a visit to Du Simitiere's museum: — 
 
 " I went to see a cabinet of natural history belonging to a private gentleman named M. Simi- 
 tiere. He is a Genevan, and has amused himself for a long time in collecting a number of 
 
Pierre Eugene Du Simitiere. 25 
 
 curiosities in minerals, shells, birds, and every thing of this kind. He has in his house the 
 clothing of different savage nations, arms, etc., which he had collected in his travels. I saw among 
 these interesting objects a bad pair of heavy boots, and I asked him laughingly if they were objects 
 of curiosity. He assured me that they attracted the attention of all Americans, who had never 
 seen but this single pair, and that, in consequence of the surprise they had excited, he had 
 ventured to pass them off for the boots of Charles XII. He showed me also a very fine collection 
 of engravings, and even pictures of his painting, but poor. He it is who has taken the portraits 
 of the different members of Congress, which are now engraved at Paris." 
 
 Portions of this historical collection of manuscripts and broadsides, twelve volumes 
 of valuable matter, are now owned by the Philadelphia Library Company. He made 
 drawings, for the purpose of publishing in sets the heads of distinguished men then 
 assembled in that city. In two of these groups is found a head of W ashington. None 
 of these originals, probably crude efforts, are known to have been preserved. The prints 
 were issued in London in 1783. 
 
 Du Simitiere was possessed of some inventive talent, as seen by a curious drawing 
 of a "New Electrical Machine," which appeared in 1779 in "The United States Magazine." 
 In 1776 he was selected to prepare designs for a national seal and for a medal commemo- 
 rative of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams, chairman of the committee 
 having the matter in charge, wrote to his wife, Aug. 14 of that year: — 
 
 "There is a gentleman here of French extraction, whose name is Du Simitiere, a painter by 
 profession, whose designs are very ingenious, and his drawings well executed. For the medal, he 
 proposes Liberty, with her spear and pilcus, leaning on Gen. Washington ; 1 the British fleet in 
 Boston harbor with all their sterns towards the town ; the American troops marching in. For the 
 seal, he proposes the arms of the several nations from whence America has been peopled, as Eng- 
 lish, Irish, Dutch, German, etc., each in a shield. On one side of them, Liberty with her pileus ; 
 on the other, a rifler in his uniform, with his rifle gun in one hand, and his tomahawk in the other. 
 This M. Du Simitiere is a very curious man. He has begun a collection of materials for a history 
 of this Revolution. He begins with the first advises of the tea ships. He cuts out of the news- 
 papers every scrap of intelligence, and every piece of speculation, and pastes it upon clean paper, 
 arranging them under the head of that State to which they belong, and intends to bind them up in 
 volumes. He has a list of every speculation and pamphlet concerning independence, and another 
 concerning forms of government." 
 
 The series of thirteen notables drawn by him were engraved by B. Reading, and 
 published, May, 1783, in a quarto volume (now rare), by William Richardson, London. 
 
 » Happily the committee's report was not acted upon. "The United States Diplomatic Medal" was in 1791 pro- 
 duced by Dupre in Paris through the order of Jefferson, secretary of state, and under superintendence of Dr. Franklin. 
 The beauty, use, and significance of this medal, appear to be ignored, though Director Linderman had it reproduced 
 in 1876. 
 
26 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 These were the heads of Washington, Steuben, Silas Deane, Joseph Reed, Gouverneur 
 Morris, Gen. Gates, John Jay, William H. Drayton, Henry Laurens, Charles Thomson, 
 Samuel Huntingdon, John Dickinson, and Benedict Arnold. 
 
 Du Simitiere did not, as foreign artists generally, enthusiastically espouse the Ameri- 
 can cause. "He was only 2. man of letters;" and, being drafted in 1777, he refused to 
 fight, upon the plea of non-residence, and was heavily fined. His prayer before the 
 " Supreme Executive Council," for remission of fine, is an amusing clause in the Penn- 
 sylvania archives. In "The Pennsylvania Packet" of the winter of 1783 the following 
 card appears : — 
 
 The Gentlemen & Ladies ftrangers to this city and their friends who are defirous to fee 
 the Curiofities it contains are requefted to take notice ; that to make it more convenient to them, 
 the fubfcribers Collection of Natural and Artificial Curiosities Paintings &c may be viewed every 
 day [Sunday excepted] between the hours of 11 and 12 in the forenoon and 3 and 4 in the after- 
 noon, during the winter season allowing one hour for each Company. Tickets to be had at the 
 fubfcribers house in Arch Street at the fourth door below Fourth, set at half a Dollar each for a 
 Company and One Dollar for a fingle perfon. 
 
 AMERICAN MUSEUM. 
 
 P. E. DU SIMITIERE. 
 
MISS DE HART. 
 
 NEW JERSEY. 
 
 ISS DE HART of Elizabeth, N.J., cut a good bust silhouette of Washington 
 in . uniform, when visiting Mount Vernon, in 1786, which was presented by 
 Mrs. Washington to Mrs. Duer, wife of the president of Columbia College. 
 In Washington's diary this young lady's visit is noted : — 
 
 "Thursday 26th I/S6. — About sundown, Mr. Mayo & his wife & Miss D'Hart in a Post- 
 Chaise & 4 came in. 
 
 Saturday 28th. — Mr. Mayo, his wife, and Miss D'Hart went away after breakfast." 
 
 An engraving, probably after Miss De Hart's picture, of that style of portraiture so 
 acceptable to our ancestors, was made in 1796, for a volume entitled "An Excursion to 
 the United States of North America in the Summer of i' 7 94. By Henry Wansey, F.A.S. 
 Salisbury, 1 796." 
 
LABATUT. 
 
 MONG the contributions to the Loan Exhibition in aid of the Society of 
 Decorative Art of New-York City, 1878, was a cabinet miniature on ivory, 
 made in 1782 by the French artist Labatut. This portrait, which remains in 
 its original leather frame, about six inches wide and seven long, was painted 
 by Washington's order, and presented by him to his friend Charles Cotesworth Pinckney 
 of South Carolina. It remained in his possession until his death, when it was purchased 
 by Mr. Watson of Charleston, and is now owned by his grand-daughter, Miss E. F. 
 Watson of New- York City. 
 
 ROBERT FULTON 
 1765-1815. 
 
 r is claimed that Fulton painted a portrait of Washington in 1782; but no 
 facts are found to support such an assertion, and no portrait has been dis- 
 covered. We conclude that the drawings he made of several patriotic events 
 in which Washington was more than once introduced may have been the 
 basis for such a statement. 
 
JACQUES LUC BARBIERE-WALBONNE. 
 
 FRANCE. 
 1769-18 — . 
 
 N the early days of the French Revolution Louis XVI. sent his celebrated 
 miniature-painter, Barbiere, to America, to secure a portrait of Washington, 
 and to present him with the badge of the order of Saint-Esprit. This painter 
 was a pupil of David, and famous for his military portraits. 
 Beside the miniature ordered by the monarch, the artist executed one for himself, 
 which was sold with his effects after his return to France, and was bought by C. Duhamel 
 of New Orleans. Tuckerman says, — 
 
 "It is large and unsymmetrical, like Wright's; yet it has much grace of attitude, and is striking 
 from its reflection of the illustrious subject in his prime, and with characteristic benevolence and 
 repose of expression." 
 
WILLIAM DUNLAP. 
 
 NEW JERSEY. 
 1766-1839. 
 
 ILLIAM DUNLAP was a native of New Jersey; and, though he never won 
 renown as an artist, he has strong claims upon our gratitude as one of the 
 earliest and most active promoters of the arts in this country. He was one 
 of the first to awaken an interest in the National Academy of Design, of 
 which he was vice-president. He is known as an author through his " History of the 
 American Theatre," and other works. For almost every thing we know of the feeble first 
 century of art in America we are indebted to the zeal and unflagging industry of Dunlap. 
 In that valuable and now rare book, " History of the Rise and Progress of the Arts of 
 Design in the United States," he has bequeathed to us biographical sketches of each 
 American painter, sculptor, and architect, with notices of their chief works, from Smibert 
 to Flagg. His style is easy, and his writings are considered impartial and trustworthy. 
 
 In submitting his portrait of Washington, it is only fair to say that he should not be 
 judged by such a work; as when it was executed he had never taken a lesson, though 
 he afterwards studied with Benjamin West. He made pastel portraits of both Gen. and 
 Mrs. Washington at headquarters, Rocky Hill, N.J., in the autumn of 1783. The favor 
 of sittings was granted to the boy-artist at the solicitation of Mr. Van Home, at whose 
 house Washington and his wife often visited, and to whom the youthful artist gave his 
 crude efforts, taking copies for himself. They were little valued, even by the artist him- 
 self; and a reproduction of the Washington portrait, recently published by Elias Dexter, 
 lias made this caricature familiar to collectors. We have been unable to gather any facts 
 concerning the original picture, save that, when engraved in 1868 by Robin, it was owned 
 by Dr. Samuel C. Lewis of New York. 
 
 Dunlap's pen was more expressive than his brush; and we introduce an enthusiastic 
 pen-sketch as compensation for his pencil-record of " the hero." He says, — 
 
 " Before I left Princeton for Rocky Hill, I saw for the first time the man of whom all men 
 spoke, whom all wished to see. It was accidental. It was a picture. No painter could have 
 
 3° 
 
William Dunlap. 
 
 3i 
 
 grouped a company of military horsemen better, or selected a background better suited for effect. 
 As I walked on the road leading from Princeton to Trenton alone (for I ever loved solitary rambles), 
 ascending a hill suddenly appeared a brilliant troop of cavaliers, mounting and gaining the summit 
 in my front. The clear autumnal sky behind them equally relieved the dark-blue uniforms, the buff 
 facings, and glittering military appendages. All were gallantly mounted, all were tall and graceful ; 
 but one towered above the rest, and I doubted not an instant that I saw the beloved hero. I 
 lifted my hat as I saw that his eye was turned to me ; and instantly every hat was raised, and every 
 eye fixed on me. They passed on, and I turned and gazed as at a passing vision. I had seen him. 
 Although all my life used to the 'pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war,' — to the gay 
 and gallant Englishman, the tartan'd Scot, and the embroidered German of every military grade, — 
 I still think the old blue-and-buff of Washington and his aides, their cocked hats worn sidelong, 
 with the Union cockade, their whole equipment as seen at that moment, was the most martial of 
 any thing I ever saw." 
 
JOSEPH WRIGHT. 
 
 NEW JERSEY. 
 1756-1793. 
 
 OSEPH WRIGHT, a native of Borden town, N.J., made several portraits in 
 oil of Gen. Washington ; also a crayon profile, and a small etching, which 
 are known to be from life. Perhaps no artist is less known or more to be 
 trusted than he ; for he not only had European advantages, but inherited 
 from his mother her talents and her Quaker fearlessness of expression. 
 
 He was the son of Joseph and Patience Lovell Wright, patriotic Quakers; Mrs. Wright 
 being especially distinguished for her courage in the cause of American independence. 
 She went to England after the death of her husband, taking her three children. Her 
 daughter became the wife of John Hoppner, the fine colorist and popular portrait-painter ; 
 and from him, as well as from Benjamin West, Joseph received instruction. Through his 
 mother, who had won the confidence of the royal family, the young artist gained permis- 
 sion to paint a portrait of George IV., then Prince of Wales, which naturally brought 
 him into prominence. His associations were mostly with Friends, who were proverbially 
 republican; and, when -he returned to the United States by way of Paris, he was provided 
 by Benjamin Franklin with a letter of introduction to Gen. Washington. This he pre- 
 sented at headquarters, Rocky Hill, near Princeton, where he was accorded sittings by 
 both Gen. and Mrs. Washington. Under these favorable circumstances it is believed he 
 painted the cabinet portrait owned by Francis Hopkinson, which has descended to his 
 great grand- daughter, Mrs. Annie Hopkinson Foggo of Philadelphia. 
 
 Wright certainly did not flatter his distinguished subject; and, though he doubtless 
 tried earnestly to make a faithful rendering, he was such an exceedingly nervous and 
 modest man, that he did not become sufficiently at ease with Washington to do him 
 justice. His later efforts are happier ; but this is stiff, awkward, and has no claim to artistic 
 merit, though so plain and unpretending that it impresses the beholder with its truth. The 
 dress is military, and the hair is cut short, different from the usual style of wearing it. 
 It is painted on a mahogany panel ; is in excellent condition ; and, though it has not the 
 signature of the artist, it is well authenticated, having never been out of the Hopkinson 
 
 3 2 
 
jfosepli Wright. 
 
 33 
 
 family. The best oil portrait of Washington by Wright was painted for the brilliant Mrs. 
 Powell of Philadelphia. This lady, nee Elizabeth Willing, was one of the most attractive 
 of the republican court, and on intimate terms with the President's family. When Wash- 
 ington retired from the presidency, she purchased his French writing-desk (now in pos- 
 session of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania) and his handsome carriage-horses, about 
 which he wrote her with all the pride he felt in a good horse. In a note from Col. Lear, 
 accompanying the writing-desk, it will be seen that she was the recipient of a souvenir 
 from Gen. Washington : — 
 
 " Mrs. Powell will also receive a pair of oval mirrors, brackets, and lamps, which the general 
 begs she will accept as a token of his respectful and affectionate remembrance. 
 "Thursday, March 9, 1797." 
 
 The Washington portrait descended to John Hare Powell of Newport, R.I., and is 
 still retained in the family. It is life-size, three-quarter length, military dress, with the 
 hand resting upon a sword. It bears the inscription, "J. Wright, 1784. Philadelphia.'" 
 The best description of this picture is given by Tuckerman, who says, — 
 
 "There is something at once inelegant and truthful in the impression it conveys: no attempt 
 is visible to modify the somewhat unsymmetrical torso, or to give artificial ease to the attitude. It 
 strikes the beholder as a most honest but wholly unembellished portrait, — one of those bold, faithful 
 imitations of nature whose very lack of ideal finish yields prima facie proof of authenticity. The 
 attitude is erect, the lips closed with determination, the eye clear and unfaltering, the hair shorter 
 than in any other portrait, and the nose so distinctly outlined and decided in its form as to claim 
 special notice. Perhaps no portrait of Washington bears such marks of genuine individuality without 
 a particle of artistic flattery. There is something honest in the mere look of the right hand : reso- 
 lution and great calmness are the predominant traits. The fastidious spectator might call it a daub, 
 while the discriminating would feel it must be a likeness. Such, it appears, was the general verdict 
 of Washington's contemporaries, many of the most distinguished of whom were constant visitors of 
 Mrs. Powell, in whose drawing-room this highly-valued picture of their revered friend occupied a 
 conspicuous place. Bushrod Washington, in particular, always spoke of it as the most literal similitude 
 of his great kinsman." 
 
 Tuckerman quotes Crawford the sculptor as having maintained that Wright's was the 
 only portrait of Washington which " literally represented his costume." We cannot agree 
 with him, because both Peale and Trumbull were very exact in this particular. Crawford 
 says, having critically examined the uniform preparatory to his own great work, he identified 
 in the picture the strands of the epaulet, the number of buttons, and the peculiar seals 
 and watch-key. He asserted that " a man so faithful to details, so devoted to authen- 
 ticity, was reliable in more essential things ; " and that by this portrait he justified himself 
 
34 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 in the departures from Stuart and from Houdon's Richmond statue which he had made in 
 his own equestrian statue at Richmond. 
 
 An original portrait of Washington, taken in Philadelphia in 1784 by Wright, was 
 presented to the Massachusetts Historical Society by Israel Thorndike. It is thus 
 described : — 
 
 "It is a half-length portrait in military dress, — blue coat and brass buttons, coat lined with 
 buff, buff waistcoat, white neck-cloth, ruffled shirt-bosom and lace cuffs, powdered hair, and epau- 
 lettes. The hilt of the sword is just seen, as grasped by the left hand. The portrait does not repre- 
 sent a handsome man." 
 
 In the same year he painted a portrait for presentation by Washington to the Count 
 de Solms. The order from Washington to Wright is found in this letter : — 
 
 Mount Vernon 10th Jan.'i7S4. 
 Sir, — When you have finished my portrait which is intended for the Count de Solms, I will 
 thank you for handing it to Mr. Robert Morris, who will forward it to the Count de Bruhl (Minister 
 from his Electoral Highness of Saxe at the Court of London), as the channel pointed out for the 
 conveyance of it. As the Count de Solms proposes to honour it with a place in his collection of 
 military characters, I am persuaded you will not be deficient in point of execution. Be so good as 
 to forward the cost of it to me, and I will remit the money. Let it (after Mr. Morris has seen it) 
 be carefully packed to prevent injury. 
 
 The payment of the artist is found noted in Washington's cash-book, May 15, 1784: — 
 
 "By Cash, paid Mr. Wright for draws my picture for the O de Solms. 40 D rs & half a John 
 £18. o. o." 
 
 This veteran Saxon soldier, commandant of the fortress of Konigstein, solicited it in 
 the language of an enthusiast, as shown by this original letter : — 
 
 Konigstein le 9 Juil. 1783. 
 
 General, — Le plus Grand des Guerriers merite du moins, de primer parmis ceux, qui ont 
 acquis a juste Titre la plus haute Reputation dans le metier des armes, avant qu'il aje paru sur le 
 Theatre de Mars. J'ai la collection tres bornee des Portraits de ce grands Hommes : le Prince 
 Eugene, Maurice de Saxe, Frederic le Grand, son Frerc Henri, Luidhon. J'ai servi avec tous ; sous 
 les Ordrcs du Troisieme, j'ai commande une Armee ; Vieillard plus que Septuagenaire j'attendrais ici 
 avec Indifference la fin commune a tous les Hommes, si Washington nc me faisait pas regretter la 
 vigueur de l'age des travaux ; Oui, Excellent Mortel, je viendrais des Bords de l'Elbe, vous rendre 
 mon hommage, vous admirer de pres ; mais puisque le Destin en a decide autrement, daignez dimi- 
 nuer en Partic ma douleur, de ne pourvoir pas vous contempler face a face. Accorder moi Votre 
 Portrait. J'espere obtenir cette faveur de Votre Complaisance, vertu inseparable des amcs qui con- 
 stituent les vrais Heros, comme vous. 
 
jfoscph Wright. 
 
 35 
 
 Que le meillcur Pinccau trace votre Immage, n'epargnes ni fraix ni soins, affin que j'obtienne 
 un Portrait fidel, et rcssemblant, — Portrait qui doit passer en fklei commis dans ma famille, j'y 
 ajoutcrai une prescription, affin que quiconque dc mon Nom ce vouera au metier des Armes, apprenne 
 que vous etes 1c plus parfait modele des guerriers les plus Illustres. Quant aux moynes de m'envoyer 
 ce cadcau pretieux il suffira, Mon General, que vous addressier la caisse a. Londres a Monsieur le 
 Comte de Briihl, Envoy Extraordinaire dc son altcsse Electorale de Saxc ; jc l'ai prcvenu, et il 
 remboursera avee la plus grande Reconnaissance de ma Parte, le Prix du Tableau et les fraix du 
 Transport. II faut bien que vous sachier aussi, qui est le vieux Soudart, qui vous importune. Et 
 bien, e'est Le Comte Solms, General d'Infanterie au service de Saxe — Lieutenant General d'lnfan- 
 terie au service de S. M. tres Chretienne, — Commandant de la forteresse de Konigstein, — Com- 
 mandeur des ordres du Seraphin et de l'Epee de Suede, et le plus sincere admiratcur de l'lllustre 
 Washington. 
 
 The translation, it will be observed, is as peculiar to the times as the original. 
 
 Konigstein, 9 July, 1783. 
 
 General, — The Greatest of Warriors merits at least to be placed among those who acquired 
 the highest Reputation in the profession of arms, before he appeared on the Theatre of Mars. I 
 have a small collection of Portraits of these great Men, — Prince Eugene, Maurice of Saxe, Frederic 
 the Great, his Brother, Henry of Luidhon. I have served with all ; under the Orders of the Third 
 I have commanded an Army. When upwards of seventy, I should wait here with Indifference the 
 common end of all Men, if WasJiington did not make me regret that vigour of age in which I served. 
 
 Yes, Excellent Mortal, I would come from the Borders of the Elbe to render you my hom- 
 mage ; — to admire you at a less distance, — but since Fate has decided otherwise, let me beg you 
 to alleviate the pain I feel in not being able to contemplate you face to face. 
 
 Grant me Your Picture. I hope to obtain this favour from that Complaisance, — a virtue which 
 is ever inseparable from the profession of arms, and which constitutes the true Hero like you. Let 
 the best Pencil trace your immage, — let no pains or cost be spared to favour me with the most 
 faithfull Likeness. 
 
 The portrait will remain in my family ; and I will add an inscription, that whoever of my 
 family may hereafter acknowledge the profession of arms, may learn that you are the most perfect 
 model of the most Illustrious warriors. 
 
 With respect to the means of sending me this precious picture, it will be sufficient, my 
 General, if you address it to Mons r le Count de Briihl, Envoy Extraordinary from his Electoral 
 Highness of Saxe. I have given him the necessary information, that he may reimburse the expence, 
 with the greatest Acknowledgments on my Part. 
 
 " It is necessary you should know who is the old Soudart that now importunes you. It is 
 the Count of Solms, General of Infantry in the service of Saxe, — Lieutenant General of Infantry in 
 the service of H. M. C. Majesty, — Commandant of the Fortress of Konigstein, — Commander of the 
 orders of Seraphin, and of the sword of Sweden, — and the most sincere admirer of the Illustrious 
 Washington. 
 
36 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 The portrait was shipped to the count, according to direction, in care of Robert 
 Morris, by way of Paris ; and while in that city was inspected and approved by Jefferson 
 and other distinguished Americans 
 
 The "old Soudart" thus acknowledged its receipt: — 
 
 Sir, — I owe you this satisfaction, — the more complete, that I have tried it for a long time. 
 
 My General and my Hero, — I have just received your picture, and I am entirely taken up to 
 give it a sufficient embellishment by placing it between the King of Prussia and his illustrious 
 brother Henry. You see that this is a trio very harmonical. I would willingly have thanked you 
 for your great complaisance ; but I dare not, as I could not express myself in proportion to the 
 thanks that is due. 
 
 It must be that the picture resembles, for I regard it as the greatest ornament of my fortress. 
 I shew it to all strangers, amongst whom some are French and some are English. Many have had 
 the happiness of being acquainted with you. 
 
 I am with the greatest respect, Your Excellency's most obedient servant, 
 
 LE COMTE DE SOLMS. 
 
 De la Fortress de Konigstein en Saxe, 4 Aug. 17S5. 
 
 I must yet inform you, that for to complete my happiness, the picture of your Excellency arrived 
 in Saxe upon my birthday. 
 
 The portrait owned by William Menzies of New York is characterized by much 
 smoother lines and more genial treatment than other works of this artist. There is also 
 a departure in the matter of dress. 
 
 An engraving of it appeared in 1867 as a frontispiece to a little book entitled "Ad- 
 dresses of the City of New York to George Washington, with His Replies." It was 
 engraved by J. A. O'Neill. " From an original contemporary Picture in the possession of 
 William Menzies, Esq. Private Plate T 
 
 An interesting likeness, known to many as the " Goodhue portrait," is in possession 
 of David Nichols of Salem, Mass. It is a clearly drawn crayon profile colored in India 
 ink, and takes its name from one of Washington's venerable contemporaries, whose indorse- 
 ment is written on it in these words : — 
 
 This was done in New York in 1790, and acknowledged by all to be a very strong likeness. 
 
 B. GOODHUE 
 
 U. S. Senator from Mass. 
 
 The owner says, that, when Washington was on his Eastern tour in 1789, he was 
 everywhere requested to have his portrait taken. The town of Salem, by a committee of 
 citizens, applied for the favor. The town was then fencing in a " common," and wished 
 a profile portrait of Washington to be copied in marble or wood, and placed as an orna- 
 ment on the keystone of the arch above the grand entrance. 
 
yoseph Wright 
 
 37 
 
 Washington's reply to these various appeals was, that he would comply when he 
 returned to New York, " where Mr. Trumbull or some other good artist could be engaged." 
 
 In the following year the crayon profile was sent through senator Goodhue, then in 
 Congress in New York, to his nephew, a Mr. Proctor of Salem, who was one of the 
 committee. The sketch was highly approved, and remained in the hands of Mr. Proctor. 
 
 About 1 86 1 his daughter, Mrs. David Nichols, in looking through an old closet, 
 found the picture, carefully rolled, and labelled in her father's writing; and in 1862 
 Mr. Nichols published it extensively. 
 
 Senator Goodhue unhappily neglected to mention the artist's name ; but the cor- 
 rectness and strength of the drawing soon attracted attention, and there was much 
 speculation as to the author. 
 
 Josiah Ouincy was greatly pleased with it, writing an autograph letter in his ninety- 
 third year expressive of his pleasure in finding so correct a rendering of the man who 
 had his highest admiration. 
 
 It has been accredited to St. Memin ; but that is impossible for two reasons : firstly, 
 it was drawn about four years before that charming artist was in New York ; and, 
 secondly, it is not at all in his style, for, whomsoever his pencil delineated, he would 
 be certain to introduce something of a remembrance of " la belle France." 
 
 This profile is from the hand of Joseph Wright, one of the truest and strongest 
 artists that America ever produced. It is severely plain and austere, — a profile such as 
 could only have been drawn by the earnest young Quaker, who naturally made a Friend 
 of the grave commander. 
 
 The time indicated by senator Goodhue is near that of Wright's appointment as 
 engraver at the Mint ; and it is quite presumable, that, in fulfilling his promise to the 
 good people of Salem, Washington should have selected this artist. It is undeniably his 
 most valuable portrait of Washington, and it is greatly to be regretted that it does not 
 bear his signature. 
 
 Dunlap says Wright made an admirable profile of Washington, and there have been 
 many conjectures concerning the whereabouts of so valuable a sketch. Happily such is 
 the individuality of Wright's pencil, that the drawing most clearly testifies of itself to 
 those who have given attention to the different styles of the score of artists who have 
 drawn and painted the features of Washington. 
 
 Wright desired a picture of Washington for himself, and made application to the 
 President for a sitting, which, upon plea of pressing cares of state, was refused. He 
 would not apply a second time, but arranged with the owner of a canopied pew in 
 Trinity Chapel, New York, for a seat for several consecutive Sundays, when he made a 
 careful etching of the head of Washington, who was an attendant at the services. This 
 
38 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 little picture has done more for the fame of the artist, and has been more frequently 
 copied, than any of his portraits of Washington. It is dignified, serene, artistic. 
 
 Wright reproduced this etching upon small cards, which were eagerly sought, and 
 highly prized. These cJiefs-d'ceuvres are exceedingly rare, and the Goodhue portrait is 
 fully corroborated by them. 
 
 Soon after the execution of the stolen portrait, Wright was appointed by the first 
 President first engraver of the United-States Mint. He made a design for a cent in 
 1792. On the obverse, "it represents an eagle standing on the half of a globe, holding 
 in his beak a shield with thirteen stripes." For the reverse several designs were drawn ; 
 among them a profile of the President. They were all rejected ; the last, because 
 Washington refused to allow his head to appear upon a coin. This act, though appar- 
 ently trivial, is not so much so as might at first appear. It was prompted by that jealous 
 and protective care which Washington felt for the infant republic, and it has become the 
 unwritten law of the land, that none but an ideal head shall be represented on United- 
 States coin ; so that, whatever spirit of usurpation may hereafter arise in this nation, it 
 can never be said, " Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's." 
 
 Wright cut a die of Washington's head, which was declared to be an exceedingly 
 faithful likeness. After a few impressions, the die was broken ; but the portrait has been 
 preserved by an engraving on copper, made from one of the impressions, which 
 engraving appears in a broadside edition of Washington's " Farewell Address," pub- 
 lished in 1 796. 
 
 A cameo belonging to one of the Washington family, Mrs. Ella Bassett Washington, 
 is thought to have been his work. 
 
 Mr. Wright and his wife died within a few days of each other, during the yellow- 
 fever scourge of 1793, in Philadelphia. 
 
 Engravers, in reproducing Wright's Washington, have generally selected his etchings ; 
 though the portrait sent abroad was several times engraved by German and English 
 artists. His work as a sculptor will be noted in connection with plastic portraits. 
 
ROBERT EDGE PINE. 
 
 ENGLAND. 
 
 1742-1788. 
 
 HIS artist was the son of the celebrated engraver, John Pine. He came to 
 this country, being in active sympathy with its principles, imbued with the 
 ambition of becoming its historical painter. He was of the school of Sir 
 Joshua Reynolds ; and Edwards, in his " Anecdotes of Painters," says, " He 
 was considered among the best colorists of his time." He was a precocious artist, having 
 received at the age of eighteen the prize of one hundred guineas offered by the Society 
 for the Encouragement of Arts for a painting of any English historical event. He chose 
 the surrender of Calais, and produced a fine picture, which Aliamet, the noted French 
 engraver of marine paintings, has rendered in his happiest style. , 
 
 Pine had made his residence in London unpleasant by his republican sentiments and 
 the fearless utterance of them ; and upon his arrival in Philadelphia he was cordially 
 received, as it was conceded that he had a certain claim upon all prominent Americans. 
 He and his wife were of remarkably diminutive stature ; and, their daughters being still 
 smaller, " the little family " became the objects of much interest. 
 
 In pursuance of his plan for a great historical work, Mr. Pine proceeded at once to 
 make portraits from life of such distinguished citizens as he met ; and visited Annapolis 
 with the same end in view. In 1785 he went from that city to Mount Vernon, where he 
 remained three weeks. He was hospitably entertained, and painted portraits of the general, 
 Mrs. Washington, and her two grandchildren. These, like his other efforts, were soft rather 
 than vivid in coloring, and somewhat wanting in force. 
 
 Pine painted two portraits of Washington at this time, — one for Francis Hopkinson, 
 and one which he retained. The latter, probably the first work, was purchased by Henry 
 Brevoort at Montreal in 18 17, and is now in the possession of his son, J. Carson Brevoort 
 of Brooklyn, N.Y. The importance of this original is increased by the fact that it was the 
 artist's own property, and after several years was retouched by him, as will appear by this 
 note in Washington's diary, entered while attending the Constitutional Convention in 
 Philadelphia : — 
 
 39 
 
_j.o Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 "July, lySj. — Sat this morning to Mr. Pine, who wanted to correct his port, of me. 
 "Sept., 1787. — In convention. Dined at the President's, and took tea at Mr. Pine's." 
 
 This portrait of Washington possesses a pleasing - gentleness, and presents neither the 
 warrior nor the statesman, but only "a gentleman of the old school," mild, congenial, and 
 benevolent. The mouth is sensitive, the eyes kind, the broad brow un furrowed. The 
 dress, though military, does not suggest command. His hand rests on a cane, probably 
 the one but recently sent him by Louis XVI. ; and, what is certainly unusual, a gem 
 sparkles in the plain cambric shirt-ruffle. It is, more than any other, the Washington of 
 Mount Vernon, being painted while for a short period he enjoyed in this well-beloved 
 home the retirement which linked his two great labors, — the Field and the State. 
 
 We regret that we have not been able to trace the Hopkinson portrait, and should be 
 gratified to hear of its possession by some descendant of the patriotic author of " Hail, 
 Columbia ! " 
 
 No record of Mr. Pine will be complete without introducing Washington's reply to 
 Mr. Hopkinson when that gentleman requested the favor of sittings for the artist. The 
 amiability of the great chief was sorely tested by the frequent demands of this character, 
 as he records of himself in this oft-quoted letter of May 16, 1785 : — 
 
 " ' In for a penny, in for a pound,' is an old adage. I am so hackneyed to the touches of the 
 Painter's pencil, that I am now altogether at their beck, and sit, like Patience on a monument, whilst 
 they are delineating the lines of my face. It is a proof, among many others, of what habit and 
 custom may effect. At first I was as impatient at the request, and as restive under the operation, 
 as a colt is of the saddle. The next time I submitted very reluctantly, but with less flouncing. 
 Now no dray-horse moves more readily to the thill, than I to the Painter's Chair. It may easily be 
 conceived, therefore, that I yielded a ready obedience to your request, and to the views of Mr. Pine. 
 Letters from England, recommendatory of this Gentleman, came to my hand previous to his arrival 
 in America, not only as an Artist of acknowledged eminence, but as one who had discovered a 
 friendly disposition towards this country, for which, it seems he had been marked." 
 
 Washington, in an unpublished diary, mentions the artist in these words: — 
 
 "1785. April 28tJi, Thursday. — To Dinner Mr. Pine, a pretty eminent Portrait & Historical 
 Painter arrived in order to take my picture from the life & to place it in the Historical pieces he 
 was about to draw. This Gentleman stands in good estimation as a Painter in England ; comes 
 recommended to me from Col° Fairfax, Mr. Morris, Gov r Dickenson, Mr. Hopkinson and others. . . . 
 
 " IJ85. May 19th, Tliursday. — Mr. Pine left this (on his return to Philadelphia,) in my Phaeton, 
 which was to carry him to Annapolis." 
 
 When Mr. Pine saw Gen. Washington in Philadelphia two years later, he presented 
 him with a very rare book, a quarto volume, entitled " A Representation of the Cloathing 
 
Robert Edge Pine. 
 
 See Page 39. 
 
Robert Edge Pijie. 41 
 
 of Mis Majesty's Household, and of all the forces of the Establishments of Great Britain 
 and Ireland, 1742." 
 
 It has also this ornamental manuscript title : " Description of the Cloathing of His 
 Majesty's bands of Gentlemen Pensioners, Yeomen of the Guards, and Regiments of Foot 
 Guards, Foot Marines, and Invalids. Of the Establishment of Great Britain and Ireland. 
 Anno MDCCXLII." 
 
 This book is now in the library at Albany, N.Y. There are one hundred and one 
 engraved and colored prints of British uniforms ; and every print is accompanied with 
 a page in manuscript, containing the names of the series of commanding officers of each 
 regiment. The following paper is pasted into the volume : — 
 
 " This work was executed by order of his late Royal Highness, William, Duke of Cumberland, 
 and a few setts given to the most illustrious characters in Europe, after which the plates were 
 destroyed. His Royal Highness having been pleased to give this sett to the late John Pine, who 
 engraved it, his son, Robert Edge Pine, has now the honour of presenting it to His Excellency, 
 General Washington. 
 
 "Philadelphia, 17th Sep. 1787." 
 
 It descended from Bushrod Washington — to whom it was given by the general — 
 to his nephew, George Custis Washington, who gave it to his son Lewis, and, with 
 other valuable relics, was purchased by the State of New York for the State Library, in 
 1 87 1, from Mrs. Ella Bassett Washington, widow of Lewis Washington of Belle Air, 
 Hallto'wn, near Harper's Ferry, W. Va. They were deposited in the library in 1874. 
 
 The portrait painted for Mr. Hopkinson was engraved by Longacre, for the " Ameri- 
 can Portrait Gallery ; " and the one owned by Mr. Brevoort was engraved by H. B. Hall, 
 for Irving's "Life of Washington." These are the only two engravers who have repro- 
 duced Pine's Washington. 
 
 The following card appeared in "The Pennsylvania Packet," Nov. 15, 1784: — 
 
 ' "MR. PINE 
 
 Being honored by the ufe of a commodous apartment in the State-houfe, for the purpofe of 
 painting the most illuftrious fsenes in the late revolution, hopes that thofe defirous of feeing his 
 pictures will not difapprov e of contributing one quarter of a dollar on entrance, in order to be accom- 
 modated with proper attendance, fires and defcriptive catalogue of the Paintings. N. B. Attendance 
 will be of the fide door of the Congress chamber every morning, except Sunday, at II. o'clock. To 
 open to morrow." 
 
 Again Dec. 1 : — 
 
 "The feffion of the Supreme Court now being over Mr. Pines Pictures are replacing in the Con- 
 grefs Chamber of the State-Houfe, and may be feen after the hour of 11, as ufual." 
 
JAMES PEALE. 
 
 MARYLAND. 
 1749-1831. 
 
 BROTHER and pupil of the " Elder Peale ; " painted a very beautiful 
 original miniature on ivory, for a snuff-box, in 1788. The sketch was made 
 while he was present at a sitting given by Washington to Charles Willson 
 Peale, who, when his younger brother succeeded so well in this effort, 
 would take no more orders for miniatures, but directed to him all patrons. 
 
 This first portrait is now owned by the artillery corps of the Washington Grays, 
 Philadelphia, from whose secretary the following facts were obtained : The family of 
 Rembrandt Peale, to whom it belonged, proposed in 1842 to part with this miniature, 
 and a raffle for its disposition was attempted by the artists of Philadelphia ; but, by a 
 joint action of the officers of the Washington Grays, all the chances were secured by 
 them, and it became the property of that organization. The miniature was then placed 
 within a double case of gold, which also contained a lock of Washington's hair. Eor a 
 time the corps honored the successful marksman at their annual target-practice by 
 intrusting this relic to his keeping ; but of late they have wisely withheld it from this 
 risk of loss or injur)', and it is now deposited in a bank safety- vault. 
 
 James Peale also painted a two-thirds length from life for David C. Claypoole of 
 Philadelphia, editor of "The Daily Advertiser," the journal chosen by Washington to 
 publish his Farewell Address. In this picture Washington is represented in the uniform 
 of commander-in-chief; and in the background stands a groom holding a black horse. 
 The form is well drawn, the face serene and dignified, the costume truly rendered ; 
 and it is altogether a pleasing production. At the death of Mr. Claypoole it was 
 purchased, with the original manuscript of the Address (which Mr. Claypoole by Wash- 
 ington's permission had retained), by James Lenox, and is in the collection founded by 
 him in the city of New York. It is known as the "Claypoole Picture," and has been 
 beautifully engraved by John Sartain as a frontispiece to the reprint of the Address, 
 printed in 1850 by Mr. Lenox for private circulation. 
 42 
 
James Peale. 
 
 See Page 42 
 
jfames Peale. 43 
 
 A portrait of Washington as commander-in-chief, painted by James Peale in 1795, 
 hangs above the doorway in Independence Hall : below afe facsimiles of our first 
 revolutionary flags. This is a life-study, and is probably the picture rather ambitiously 
 catalogued for an exhibition in Philadelphia in 1 8 14, as "A full-length portrait of 
 Washington, and a view of the battle of Trenton." James Peale shared the last sitting 
 which was given his brother, and afterwards obtained for himself three hours with 
 Washington. 
 
 The only other engraver who reproduced James Peale's portrait was H. B. Hall, 
 who made a private plate of the first miniature. 
 
EDWARD SAVAGE. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 1761-1817. 
 
 DWARD SAVAGE was born at Princeton in the "old Bay State." He was 
 a goldsmith until after his marriage, when he became interested in art, and 
 finally adopted the professions of portrait-painting and engraving. He studied 
 for a time with West, and spent some months in Italy. He was never a 
 superior artist; but his three portraits of Washington compare favorably with the works 
 of those having more reputation and greater pretension, giving a truthful, if not flattering, 
 rendering of his subject. He succeeded better in his likeness of Gen. Knox than in any 
 he painted of Washington. The latter have been severely criticised by some, while greatly 
 admired by others. President Josiah Ouincy of Harvard College remarked, only a short 
 time before his death, that the portrait by Savage owned by the college was the "best 
 likeness of Washington in existence." The prejudiced and apparently vindictive record of 
 Savage given by Dunlap cannot be accepted, as the assertions of that historian are con- 
 tradicted by dates. 
 
 Aside from portraits, Savage ventured very little into the domain of art. One of 
 his allegorical paintings — engraved by himself, and published in Philadelphia in 1796 — 
 represents Liberty, as the goddess of youth, supporting the American eagle, as an emblem 
 of the new nationality. Mr. Savage lived for a number of years in Philadelphia, where he 
 painted Washington from life several times during the year 1790. The first portrait was 
 of cabinet size, which he retained. It is now in possession of his grand-daughters, who 
 are artists living in Fitchburg, Mass. This painting was recently on exhibition at the 
 Old South Church in Boston, and is fresh in color and in excellent preservation. The 
 artist's own engraving made for the book entitled "Washington's Monuments of Patriot- 
 ism," 1800, was doubtless after this first portrait. 
 
 He painted a second portrait of the general, and one of Mrs. Washington, for John 
 Adams. These have descended to Charles Francis Adams, and hang in the family mansion 
 at Ouincy. Washington made a note of having sat for this picture "at the request of 
 Mr. Adams." 
 44 
 
Edward Savage. 
 
 Sec Page 45. 
 
Edward Savage. 
 
 45 
 
 A third and more familiar canvas was presented by the artist to Harvard College, foi 
 the Philosophical Chamber. It is now conspicuous on the south wall of the dining-hall, 
 Memorial Building. Its originality is abundantly established by the following entries in 
 Washington's diary : — 
 
 "Monday, 21 st (Dec. 1789). — Sat from ten to one o'clock for a Mr. Savage, to draw my Por- 
 trait for the University of Cambridge, in the State of Massachusetts, at the request of the President 
 and Governors of the said University. 
 
 " Monday, 28th. — Sat all the forenoon for Mr. Savage, who was taking my portrait. 
 
 " Wednesday, 6tk (J-an? , Ijqo). — Sat from half after 8 o'clock till 10, for the portrait painter, 
 Mr. Savage, to finish the picture of me which he had begun for the University of Cambridge." 
 
 The portrait is thus designated in the catalogue of the Harvard collection : — 
 
 "No. 4. Geo. Washington, b. 1732 d. 1799. — LL.D. 1776. Artist Edward Savage, 1790. — 
 Prcsdt. United States 1 789-1 797. First LL.D. of Harvard College." 
 
 The diploma conferring the degree was worded thus : — 
 
 "The Corporation of Harvard College, in Cambridge, in New England, constituted and created 
 the aforesaid Gentleman, George Washington, who merits the highest honor, Doctor of Laws, — the 
 Law of Nature and Nations, and the Civil Law." 
 
 In the college record, Aug. 30, 1 79 1 , is found the following recognition of this gift: — 
 
 " Voted, That the thanks of this corporation be given to Mr. Edward Savage for his polite 
 and generous attention to this University, in painting a portrait of the President of the United 
 States, taken by him from the life ; and that Mr. Savage's brother be requested to transmit to him 
 this vote." 
 
 The portrait shows the " Order of the Cincinnati," a badge worn by members of the 
 Society of the Cincinnati, of which Washington was the first president. The badge is 
 described in section 14 of the by-laws of the society as follows: — 
 
 "The Society shall have an Order which shall be, a bald eagle of gold bearing on its breast 
 the emblems hereafter described, suspended by a deep blue ribbon, edged with white, descriptive of 
 the Union of America and France. The principal figure, Cincinnatus ; three Senators presenting 
 him with a sword and other military ensigns. On a field in the background, his wife, standing in 
 the door of their cottage ; near it, a plow and other implements of husbandry. Round the whole, 
 'omnia reliquit servare rcmpublicam.' On the reverse, sun rising; a city with open gates, and 
 vessels entering the ports ; Fame crowning Cincinnatus with a wreath inscribed ' Virtnte preminens. 1 
 Below, hands joined, supporting a heart, with the motto, ' esto perpetual Round the whole, Societas 
 Cincinnatorium, Instituta A.D. 1783." 
 
46 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 The order worn by Washington, and the same shown in the Harvard-College portrait, 
 is in possession of Major Ben : Perley Poore of Massachusetts. 
 
 Another order, presented to Washington by the French officers in the Continental 
 army, was of the most costly and elegant description. The eagle was composed of diamonds, 
 with an amethyst beak ; the olive-wreath, of emeralds with berries of rubies ; and above 
 the eagle were military emblems, — cannon, drums, and flags, — studded with diamonds. 
 The blue-and-white ribbon was drawn through a diamond clasp, from which the order was 
 suspended. At Washington's death this order was given to the Society of the Cincinnati, 
 to be worn by the president thereof, and is now in possession of the presiding officer, 
 Hon. Hamilton Fish of New York. 
 
 Savage painted full size — probably from life, as he had opportunities fordoing so — 
 the well-known " Family Group at Mount Vernon," which was long familiar to the visitors 
 at the New- York Museum, which this artist established. For many years this composition 
 was thought to have been destroyed by fire in New York. It is, however, in the gallery 
 of the Boston Museum, placed immediately over the entrance to the theatre, where it has 
 been for two generations. The painting is in a fair state of preservation ; and the owner, 
 Mr. Moses Kimball, says, — 
 
 "It came into my possession in 1840, with the collection of the New England Museum. We 
 understood that Savage painted it for a gallery he then had, which was located, as I have been told, 
 in Boylston Hall, over the Boylston Market, corner of Boylston and Washington Streets. It was 
 eventually merged with the ' New England Museum and Gallery of Fine Arts.' " 
 
 Washington, in uniform, is seated by a table, on which is spread the plan of the 
 " Capital City ; " and his arm rests on the shoulder of his adopted son. Mrs. Washington 
 sits opposite, and points with her fan to the chart. By her side is Nelly Custis ; and 
 Billy Lee, the well-known colored servant, is just entering a door at the back. It is a 
 very interesting domestic scene : the group is seated on the portico, and the broad Poto- 
 mac is seen in the background. The portraits of both the General and Mrs. Washington 
 are strong and uncompromising, rather than flattering ; while the satin robe of the lady is 
 given with a delicacy that challenges noted painters of drapery. An engraving made by 
 the artist of this group was extensively published. It bears this quaint inscription : — 
 
 "The Washington family — George Washington, his Lady, and her two grandchildren by the 
 
 name of Custis. Painted and engraved by E. Savage." 
 
 The plate is ascribed by some to David Edwin, who was associated with Savage ; but 
 we think this unjust to both artists. Edwin, who was a famous story-teller, related to 
 John Sartain an incident concerning the painting, which indicates that the plate was com- 
 
Edward Savage. 4 7 
 
 mcnced some years before the print was published, which was not until 1798. Mr. Sartain, 
 who, supposing the painting- to have been destroyed, reproduced the plate, says, — 
 
 " I only know that the engraving was really copied from a painting by a humorous description 
 that David Edwin gave me of a journey from Philadelphia to Burlington, N.J., in an open row-boat, 
 with that troublesome picture along. The plate was in progress here in Philadelphia, when, the yellow- 
 fever breaking out, Savage and company departed for Burlington by way of the river. He would 
 not have the canvas taken off the stretcher, and rolled ; and it was large enough to be almost unman- 
 ageable when the wind blew. It was one of the oddest things imaginable to see and hear Edwin 
 describe and act his skilful holding of the canvas so as to keep it edgewise to the wind with exact 
 nicety. Then his energetic struggles with it when the wind caught either side, etc." 
 
 Mr. Sartain has reproduced the plate in his happy manner. 
 
 In Mrs. Washington's will is a clause bequeathing " to Eleanor Parke Lewis a print 
 of the Washington family in a box in the garret." Another of these engravings belonged 
 to Mrs. Martha Peter, and remains in the family at Tudor Place, Georgetown. A third, 
 now owned by Mrs. Anna S. Walton of Fairfax County, Virginia, has this inscription on 
 the back : " Presented to Mrs. Elizabeth Washington by George Washington Parke Custis, 
 July 4, 1802." Washington mentions this lady in his will as " Elizabeth Washington of 
 Hayfield," to whom he bequeathed a mourning ring of the value of one hundred dollars. 
 This practical lady purchased a rather plain memorial ring, but with the residue of the 
 legacy had a miniature painted from one of Washington's approved portraits ; which relic, 
 as well as the ring, remains in her family. Mrs. Washington also says in her will, " I 
 give and bequeath to my neighbor, Mrs Elizabeth Washington, five guineas, to get some- 
 thing in remembrance of me." 
 
 Savage made five plates of his own portraits of Washington. About fifteen engravings 
 were made by other artists, from Savage, before 1800 ; and none are found since that date 
 until 1865, when Buttre and O'Neill each made a plate, or a reproduction of Savage's 
 own engraving of the Harvard portrait. These were published in two different editions 
 of " Washingtoniana." 
 
MADAME DE BREHAN. 
 
 FRANCE. 
 
 HIS lady came to America with her brother, Count de Moustier, French 
 minister to the United States. She was a woman of rare native gifts and 
 hT^P^I varied culture, possessing skill and taste in drawing, in which accomplishment 
 she delighted. This charming French woman felt great enthusiasm for the 
 American hero, and made her first miniature of him from memory in 1787, as proven by 
 a copy in the possession of a grand-daughter of Mrs. Washington. The record written 
 on the back is as follows : — 
 
 "From a cameo painted in white and blue by the Marchioness de Breant, 1787, accompanied 
 by an inscription, the translation of which is, 'Avenger of his country's wrongs — his prudence freed 
 her from tyrants, and the respected arm which conquered the independence for an oppressed people, 
 under the protection of Law maintains Liberty! a. Paris.'" 
 
 Count de Moustier and his sister were at Mount Vernon during the autumn of 1788, 
 when they were entertained with the consideration due to their rank. Washington at that 
 time gave her an opportunity to draw a miniature from life; which picture she presented 
 to Mrs. Washington, making a duplicate for herself. Mrs. Washington gave this miniature 
 to Eleanor Custis, and it is thus described by its present owner : — 
 
 "A profile, painted in white on a drab-colored ground, representing Washington crowned by a 
 laurel wreath. On the reverse is a profile likeness of Nelly Custis with a ribbon around the hair, 
 — a girl of eleven years." 
 
 This record is found in Washington's diary : — 
 
 "Saturday, Oct. 3rd, 1788. — About two o'clock sat for Madame de Brehan (Brienne) to complete 
 a profile miniature of me which she had begun from memory, and which she had made exceedingly 
 like the original." 
 
 Of this miniature Madame de Brehan made several copies, one of which was given to 
 
 Mrs. Bingham in 1791. Another, sent to Paris, was engraved, and bears this inscription: 
 
 "Grave d'apres le Camee, peint par M me la Marquise de Breant, par A. F. Seraent, 1790." 
 48 
 
Madame de Brehan. 49 
 
 She sent to Washington, through her brother, a number of impressions from this plate, 
 
 i 
 
 which he presented to his lady friends with his autograph. One of these prints, with the 
 inscription, "The President's compliments accompany the enclosed to Mrs. Morris," was a 
 few years ago presented by a member of the Morris family to Gen. George B. McClellan. 
 It has been exquisitely reproduced in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing of the United 
 States Treasury Department by Charles Burt. 
 
 On the back of another, which Washington presented to Mrs. Gen. Stuart, he wrote, — 
 
 "Not for the representation or the value, but because it is the production of a fair lady, the 
 President takes the liberty of presenting the enclosed, with his best regards, to Mrs. Stuart, praying 
 her acceptance of it. 
 
 "Wednesday, 16th Mar. 1795." 
 
 This souvenir passed into the possession of Dr. Hosack of New York, by whose 
 family it is now owned. 
 
 Madame de Brehan also painted, on copper, the profile heads of Washington and 
 Lafayette in medallion form, which she presented to Washington. They were for a number 
 of years in the Arlington Collection, and are now owned by some member of the family. 
 Benson J. Losing had a woodcut made from them for his " Mount Vernon and its Asso- 
 ciations." Her portraits were always made in profile, with the head sometimes laureated. 
 The pose is rather stiff, the expression amiable, the lines delicate, yet so firmly drawn that 
 they were especially adapted to medallic engraving. The medal presenting the profiles of 
 Washington, Lafayette, and Rochambeau, was after her drawing. 
 
 The marchioness seems to have been a lady of enviable energy. In one of the jour- 
 nals of the time is a notice of her journey to Mount Vernon from New Hampshire by way 
 of Fort Schuyler, where she witnessed the novel scene of an Indian treaty. 
 
 In another notice of her, we find that on the evening of April 30, 1789, she 
 displayed her skill as an artist by handsome decorations on the front of the French 
 minister's mansion. These were in honor of Washington's first inauguration, and con- 
 sisted of large historical scenes in the nation's short life, with sketches indicative of its 
 present prosperity, and allegorical compositions foreshadowing its future glory. 
 
 An engraving of Madame de Brehan's cameo, by Roger, bears this inscription : — 
 
 "George Washington ne en Virginie le 11 Fevrier 1732. Grave d'apres le camee peint par 
 Madame de Brehan a New York en 1789. Dirige par P. F. Tardieu. Grave par Roger." 
 
 It appears in a book entitled " Voyage dans La Haute Pensylvanie et dans L'Etat 
 de New York, Par tin Membre adoptif de la Nation O'Neida. Traduit et publie par 
 l'auteur des Lettres D'un cultivateur Americain." Paris, 1801. The real author was Hector 
 St. John de Crevecceur. 
 
ADOLPH ULRIC WERTMULLER. 
 
 SWEDEN. 
 1750-1811. 
 
 HIS accomplished artist, having met with severe financial reverses in his own 
 country, emigrated to the United States in 1794. He had been the 
 recipient of distinguished honors from the art-world of his native city, 
 Stockholm, and also of Paris. He was a devoted art-student ; and his taste 
 was improved by personal association with the highest circles of culture in Europe. 
 
 He was not long content in the New World, although socially courted, and after a 
 year or two returned to Sweden. Renewed misfortunes again drove him to America ; and 
 he finally became a citizen, and married, at Wilmington, Del., a grand-daughter of 
 Hesselius, pastor of the first Swedish church in that city. 
 
 During his first visit here he made several portraits of Washington from life. No 
 record of the sittings is found, but the originality of the works cannot be successfully 
 questioned. Though from the pencil of a superior artist, they have not been classed 
 among the most approved efforts. The execution is exquisite ; but as the painter 
 belonged to that ideal French school which refused the truth in view, seeking something 
 higher, he never could have attained eminence in portraiture. To the grave and 
 unassuming Washington he gave the air cf an accomplished courtier. Wertmuller 
 retained his first portrait for some time, and then presented it to Mr. Cazenove of 
 Switzerland. In a generation or two it was purchased in that country from the owner's 
 descendants, and came into the possession of Charles Augustus Davis, author of " The 
 Life and Writings of Major Jack Downing of Downingsville, away down East in the State 
 of Maine," etc. 
 
 This work, as every other rendering of the well-beloved man, had ardent admirers ; 
 and Mr. Davis records that Mr. Meredith of Baltimore, on seeing Wertmuller's portrait 
 for the first time, in 1856 (although he had never heard of it), was immediately attracted 
 towards it, and, approaching, said, "Where does this come from?" and, gazing intently, 
 added, " I never before saw a picture of Washington that so forcibly brings back to my 
 memory what I retain there of Washington as he appeared for a whole season in church, 
 5° 
 
Ulric Wertmuller. 
 
 See Page 50. 
 
3 
 
Adolph Ulric Werimiiller. 5 i 
 
 our pew being next to his in Philadelphia." Then he proceeded to detail what he 
 considered as defects in other portraits ; all being resemblances in this or that feature, 
 " but none so lifelike as this." 
 
 One of the stereotyped criticisms on this painting is in regard to the lace frill of 
 the shirt, it being affirmed that Washington never wore lace ; but an anecdote related by 
 Miss Stuart shows that Wertmuller took no privilege in thus portraying the costume. 
 It appears that Stuart asked Mrs. Washington for a piece of lace such as her husband 
 wore, wishing it to paint from. She gave him a frill of linen bordered with lace, telling 
 him to " keep it, as it might be of use to him in other pictures." When Rembrandt 
 Peale, in his lecture on the " Portraits of Washington," was hypercritical upon the lace 
 frill introduced by Stuart, the artist's daughter significantly sent him a piece of this same 
 lace, with a'n account of the circumstance. 
 
 Another portrait, cabinet size, by this artist, though the rendering is more dignified 
 and the costume military, was in 1795 presented by Washington to his friend Baron Von 
 Warhendorff, and by that gentleman was given to Monsieur La Grande, who gave it to 
 Cornelius Bogart. It is now in possession of the widow of Dr. Bogart of New York. 
 "The Union," Washington, March, 1853, says of this painting, "Our attention has been 
 called to a portrait of Washington now on exhibition in the rotunda of the Capitol, which 
 purports to possess much interest as a work of art." A third by Wertmuller, was in Paris as 
 late as 1858, where a copy was made by Mrs. Archer Anderson of Richmond. A fourth has 
 been purchased by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, where it was deposited some years 
 since by Mr. Jasper Green, grandson of the first owner, Amos Slaymaker, to whom the artist 
 gave it. The full name, "Adolph Ulric Wertmuller," is inscribed upon it, with the date 1795. 
 
 Another bust-portrait was executed in 1797, and presented to Mrs. Laurence Lewis. 
 This work was purchased from her grandchildren by the United-States Government (1878), 
 with other relics, by provision of an Act of Congress, and has been placed in the 
 custody of the Secretary of the Interior. It is asserted by her family that Mrs. Lewis 
 (Nelly Custis) prized this portrait as an admirable representation of Washington at the 
 time it was painted. In an article copied by " The National Intelligencer," Nov. 17, 1857, 
 from the Washington correspondence of "The New-York Times," an original portrait of 
 Washington is described, which is attributed to Wertmuller. Referring to an assertion by 
 a contemporary, that Wertmuller did paint such a portrait, this inquiry is made: "If the 
 picture described is not Wertmuller's, where is that artist's work ? " which inquiry is 
 answered by the ownership of the portrait by the Lewis family, it being the same one 
 sold to the United States. This picture alluded to in "The Intelligencer" is in the office 
 of the Secretary of the Interior. 
 
 Another portrait by Wertmuller was bought at a public auction in Washington by 
 
52 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Mr. Benjamin F. Beale. It is a full-size bust, and in each particular is a close following 
 of the one owned by Mr. Davis. No history of the painting was attainable. 
 
 H. B. Hall made a beautiful engraving of the WertmLiller in the possession of Mr. 
 Davis for Tuckerman's " Portraits of Washington ; " and Buttre executed one of the military 
 portrait. These are the only two engravings of Wertmuller's Washington published in 
 America. 
 
 We introduce a dramatic account which was published in " The National Intelligencer," 
 and gives the recollections of an old gentleman upon the personal appearance of Wash- 
 ington. These remarks were called forth by the Wertmuller portrait : — 
 
 "I saw this remarkable man four times. It was in the month of November, 1798, I first 
 beheld the Father of his Country. It was very cold, the north-west wind blowing down the Potomac 
 at Georgetown, D.C. A troop of light horse from Alexandria escorted him to the western bank of 
 the river. The waves ran high, and the boat which brought him over seemed to labor considerably. 
 Several thousand people greeted his arrival with swelling hearts and joyful countenances. The military 
 were drawn up in a long line to receive him : the officers, dressed in regimentals, did him homage. 
 I was so fortunate as to walk by his side, and had a full view of him. Although only about ten 
 years of age, the impression his person and manner made on me is now perfectly revived. He was 
 six feet and one inch high, broad and athletic, with very large limbs, entirely erect, and without the 
 slightest tendency to stooping ; his hair was white, and tied with a silk string ; his countenance 
 lofty, masculine, and contemplative ; his eye light gray. He was dressed in the clothes of a citizen, 
 and over these a blue surtout of the finest cloth. His weight must have been two hundred and thirty 
 pounds, with no superfluous flesh : all was bone and sinew, and he walked like a soldier. Whoever 
 has seen in the Patent Office at Washington the dress he wore when resigning his commission as 
 commander-in-chief, in December, 1783, at once perceives how large and magnificent was his frame. 
 During the parade something at a distance attracted his attention. His eye was instantaneously 
 lighted up as with a lightning's flash. At this moment I see its marvellous animation, its glowing 
 fire, exhibiting strong passion controlled by deliberate reason. 
 
 "In the summer of 1799 I again saw the chief. He rode a purely white horse, seventeen hands 
 high, well proportioned, of high spirit : he almost seemed conscious that he bore on his back the 
 Father of his Country. He reminded me of the horse whose neck is clothed with thunder. I have 
 seen some highly accomplished riders ; but none of them approached Washington : he was perfect in 
 this respect. Behind him, at the distance of perhaps forty yards, came Billy Lee, his body-servant, 
 who had perilled his life in many a field, beginning on the heights of Boston in 1775, and ending 
 in 1 78 1, when Cornwallis surrendered, and the captive army with irrepressible chagrin laid clown 
 their arms at Yorktown. Billy rode a cream-colored horse of the finest form ; and his old revolu- 
 tionary cocked hat indicated that its owner had often heard the roar of cannon and small-arms, and 
 encountered many trying scenes. Billy was a dark mulatto. His master speaks highly of him in 
 his will, and provides for his support. 
 
 "A few months before his death I beheld this extraordinary man for the last time. He stopped 
 
A dolph U Iric W ertm tiller. 
 
 53 
 
 at the tavern opposite the Presbyterian Church in Bridge Street, Georgetown. At that time a regi- 
 ment of soldiers was stationed in their tents on the banks of Rock Creek, and frequently attended 
 Dr. Balch's church, dressed in their costume, and powdered after the Revolutionary fashion. I attended 
 their parade almost every day ; and on one of these occasions I recognized Washington riding on 
 horseback, unaccompanied by any one. He was going out to see his houses on Capitol Hill, as I 
 supposed. They were burnt by the British in 1814. My youthful eye was riveted on him until he 
 disappeared, and that forever. I was surprised that he did not once look at the parade : so far as 
 I could discover, on the contrary, he appeared indifferent to the whole scene. It has been my 
 privilege to sec the best likenesses of the chief. The one of all others most resembling him is that 
 prefixed to the first volume of Irving's 1 Life of Washington.' All the rest wanted the animation 
 I perceived in his features." 
 
 Wertmiiller painted a portrait of Maria Antoinette, by order of the King of Sweden, 
 which is a work full of character and beauty. He had a creative pencil, and was distin- 
 guished for his wonderfully vivid coloring. An example of his perfection in these traits 
 is given by his " Danae," the first study and a finished head of which are in the gallery 
 of Mr. J. C. McGuire of Washington, D.C. When "Danae" was first exhibited in the 
 United States, a great indignation was expressed, the nude in art being violently rejected 
 by the general taste. The criticisms of the day show an array of virtuous remonstrance, 
 of which the florid quotation given by Dunlap is a fair sample : — 
 
 " His Danae is his greatest and most splendid production. It is indeed his great work ; and 
 for that very reason it is, on every account, to be regretted, that, both in the subject and the style 
 of execution, it offends alike against pure taste and the morality of the art. As in literature, so 
 also in the other productions of cultivated genius, the connection between a corrupted moral taste 
 and an unchaste, false style, is so strong, that, did not frequent experience teach otherwise, one would 
 think it impossible that an artist who feels the dignity, and aspires to the perfection, of the noble 
 art which he loves, could ever stoop to the pollution of that art and the debasement of his own 
 powers." 
 
 Something of a revulsion in public sentiment is evidenced by the fact, that, at a 
 sale of Wertmuller's paintings shortly after his death, a small copy of this picture brought 
 five hundred dollars, and the original was afterwards sold in New York for fifteen hundred 
 dollars. 
 
CHRISTIAN GULAGER. 
 
 DENMARK. 
 1762-1827. 
 
 HIS artist gave early promise of more success than he attained. At the age 
 of seventeen he won the prize medal for drawing and painting at the 
 Royal Academy at Copenhagen, which insured the privilege of three years 
 foreign travel at the King's expense. He visited St. Thomas, of which 
 island his uncle was then governor. His family expected him to return to Denmark ; 
 but about the close of the Revolution he went to Boston, where he married a widow, an 
 amiable and gentle lady, who after his death resided in Philadelphia, where she was 
 long remembered for her gracious and courtly manner. 
 
 Glilager's inheritance, was ample, but he seems to have been exceedingly generous 
 and habitually improvident. In consequence, he became reduced, but retained a proud 
 spirit of independence, and once resented a proposal from Stuart to paint draperies for 
 him. We cannot take the liberty of calling Giilager " an adventurous limner," though, in 
 the straits of fortune, he availed himself of his varied accomplishments for support. 
 
 He opened in Boston a free museum of paintings and curiosities, which became a 
 fashionable resort. He painted portraits, theatrical scenery, signs, and birds. He was so 
 successful in portraying the national bird, that among painters he was called the " Father 
 of the Eagle." One of the most celebrated is an eagle supporting with the talons of 
 one foot a heart-shaped shield with the national stripes upon it: the other foot grasps 
 a bundle of loose darts and an olive-branch. The whole is surrounded by a dark cloud, 
 the upper part of which is irradiated by a halo of glory, and below, is riven by lightning. 
 
 Giilager first sketched Washington by stealth, when he sat in King's Chapel, Boston, 
 Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1789. Application had been made to the President by a deputation of 
 ladies, led by Mrs. Hancock, to allow his portrait to be taken while in Boston, for 
 Faneuil Hall. The application of the Boston committee is thus noted in Washington's diary, 
 October, 1 789 : — 
 
 TJiursday 2~ th . — I dined at a large and elegant dinner at Faniuel Hall given by the Govenor 
 and spent the evening at my lodgings. When the committee from the town presented their address 
 54 
 
/ 
 
 C H R ! ST IAN G U t ,A< IKK. 
 Sec Pa,i(t' 56. 
 
CJiristian Git lager. 
 
 55 
 
 it was accompanied with a request (on behalf they said of the ladies) that I would have my picture 
 taken for the Mall, others might be copied from it for the use of their respective families. As all 
 the next day was assigned to serious purposes, and I was engaged to leave town on Thursday, early, 
 I informed them of the impracticability of doing this, but that would have it down when I returned 
 to New York if there was a good painter there, or by Mr. Trumbull should he arrive and send it 
 to them." 
 
 He excused himself from compliance, giving the same reply as to the committee from 
 Salem who had preferred a like request ; viz., that he would have " Mr. Trumbull or other 
 good artist draw it for them." There was much disappointment at this refusal ; and GUlager, 
 wishing to secure a likeness, applied to Dr. Jeremy Belknap, who granted the favor of so 
 placing the artist " in a pew behind the pulpit," that he could obtain the best view of the 
 distinguished guest. 
 
 The occasion was that of an entertainment to raise funds for the building of a 
 portico for the church. An oratorio was given, which had been delayed in anticipation 
 of Washington's visit. A descriptive account says he " was dressed in a black velvet 
 suit, and gave Jive guineas towards the object '." 
 
 The oratorio was preluded by the singing of an ode in honor of Washington. This 
 original effort, more earnest than elegant, began thus : — 
 
 " Great Washington the hero's come ! 
 Each heart, exulting, hears the sound. 
 Thousands to their deliverer throng, 
 And shout him welcome all around. 
 Now in full chorus join the song, 
 And shout aloud, ' Great Washington ! ' " 
 
 In an address delivered by the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop at the opening of 
 the Musical Festival in Boston, May 21, 1857, he refers to the entertainment in King's 
 Chapel, saying, " Of all oratorios or concerts which Boston has ever witnessed, I think 
 this is the one we should all have preferred the privilege of attending." He quotes a 
 second ode, introduced upon the omission of a part of the programme : — 
 
 "Welcome, thrice welcome, to the spot 
 Where once thy conquering banners waved 1 
 Oh, never be thy praise forgot 
 By those thy matchless valor saved ! 
 
 " Thy glory beams to Eastern skies : 
 See ! Europe shares the sacred flame ; 
 And hosts of patriot heroes rise 
 To emulate thy glorious name. 
 
56 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 " Labor awhile suspends his toil 
 His debt of gratitude to pay ; 
 And Friendship wears a brighter smile ; 
 And Music breathes a sweeter lay. 
 
 " May health and joy a wreath intwine, 
 And guard thee through this scene of strife, 
 Till seraphs shall to thee assign 
 A wreath of everlasting life." 
 
 The orator, after quoting the above, refers to Giilager's painting as one which will 
 " have something of peculiar interest in the musical world as the Boston Oratorio Portrait 
 of Washington." 
 
 The sketch taken in church, though pronounced by Dr. Belknap " not a bad one," 
 was thrown aside after Giilager secured a sitting by consent of the general. The taking 
 of this picture is thus recorded in Washington's diary, Nov. 3, 1789, Portsmouth, N.H. : — 
 
 " Sat two hours in the forenoon to M. painter of Boston, at the request of Mr. Brick 
 
 (Samuel Breck) of that place, who wrote to Major Jackson that it was the earnest wish of many of 
 the inhabitants of that town that he might be indulged." 
 
 This work must have been worthy of consideration, as it was approved by those who 
 had seen Washington so recently. The manner in which it was disposed of is thus 
 related : " Some Boston gentlemen, who thought the painter should be rewarded, made 
 a raffle to raise a sum sufficient to purchase this picture. It fell to Daniel Sargent, jun., 
 who presented it to Dr. Belknap." It is now owned by a grand-daughter of this eminent 
 antiquarian, Mrs. Arthur Codman of Bristol, R.I. In 1858, when in possession of the 
 lady's father, Edward Belknap, Esq., a beautiful line engraving was made of it by William 
 E. Marshall, which appeared in the " Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society," 
 1855-58. 
 
 This history of the portrait was furnished to the late George Ticknor by Miss 
 Elizabeth Belknap, who inherited it from her father, and distinctly remembered all the 
 circumstances of its presentation to him. 
 
 The portrait is a bust in the costume of a civilian. The head is very stiffly drawn, 
 the eyes are light brown, and the expression mild. It is in a good state of preservation. 
 
 Giilager must have finished the first sketch, and taken it with him to New York ; for 
 in no other way can we account for a portrait by this artist, which attracted considerable 
 attention in that city on the centennial anniversary of Washington's birth, Ecb. 22, 1832. 
 It was exhibited at the store of Mr. A. Paff, a picture-dealer well known in New York in 
 the beginning of the century, who had procured it from the artist with an assurance of its 
 
Christian Giilager. 5 7 
 
 originality. Paff afterwards disposed of it to a hair-dresser named Saunders, who, wishing 
 to return to England, offered it for sale ; Mr. Paff publishing in " The Courier and En- 
 quirer " of May 9, 1838, a certificate, from which these extracts are made: — 
 
 "This portrait was my property for upwards of twenty years, and may be fresh in the memory 
 of a great many, as it was exhibited on the outside of my door every Fourth of July during that 
 period. . . . Mr. Saunders holds a certificate of its originality from the pencil of Christian Giilager, 
 — an artist equal, and in some respects superior, to Stuart, — in which it is said to have been taken 
 in two sittings while the general was on his last visit to Boston, and was at that time pronounced by 
 the intimate friends of General Washington to be an excellent likeness." 
 
 Another notice relating to it appeared in "The Evening Star" of the following day: — 
 
 "An Original Portrait of Washington. — Many persons must have recollected a beautiful 
 picture of Washington, exhibiting for years at Saunders' Divan in Broadway. ... It is with great 
 regret we learn that Saunders, who, after so long and undisputed an empire over our heads as the 
 most scientific of hair-dressers, is about to leave us to reside in his native country, England, and 
 makes the regret at his absence enhanced by carrying off with him the fine painting alluded to. 
 . . . Among those who bore testimony as to its being an excellent and faithful likeness was the late 
 General Morton, who knew General Washington intimately." 
 
 That Saunders , did not find a purchaser is inferred by an article highly eulogistic of 
 a Washington portrait by Giilager, which shortly afterwards appeared in " The London 
 True Sun." 
 
 A portrait of Washington by Giilager is said to have been destroyed at a fire in New- 
 York City. If this is so, it was probably a copy made from his first sketch. 
 
ARCHIBALD ROBERTSON. 
 
 SCOTLAND. 
 
 1765-1835. 
 
 (^ w^v, [HEN the thirteen States were bound into a nation by the adoption of the 
 Federal Constitution, the sympathy and interest of Europe were practically 
 expressed in all useful and educational avenues. Among the eminent teachers 
 who came to reside in the " infant States," as they were affectionately termed, 
 was Dr. James Kemp of Marischal College, Aberdeen. At the suggestion of Chancellor 
 Livingston and others, Dr. Kemp wrote to his friend, Rev. Dr. Gordon of King's College, 
 Old Aberdeen, asking him to procure the services of a suitable professor of the arts of 
 design. In compliance, an offer was made to Archibald Robertson, a young artist of 
 Aberdeen. He had studied with Reynolds and West, attracting attention at the court 
 of St. James, where his paintings of scenes from Ossian were particularly approved ; and, 
 though not yet thirty, he was called the " Reynolds of Scotland." 
 
 When it became known that he intended to remove to America, the Earl of Buchan 
 requested an interview with him at Edinburgh, and gave him a letter of introduction to 
 President Washington ; also intrusting to him the famous " Wallace Box," accompanied 
 with a request that the artist should be permitted to paint a portrait of Washington for 
 the earl. 
 
 Robertson reached New York on the 2d of October, 1 79 1 , and was soon followed by 
 his two brothers, Andrew and Alexander. They opened a school and studio at 79 Liberty 
 Street ; and for forty years these Scotch artists gave conscientious instruction and lectures 
 on painting, sculpture, engraving, and architecture. Their work was of inestimable advan- 
 tage in directing the tastes of the metropolis ; and one of their most gifted pupils was John 
 Vanderlyn. 
 
 From manuscript kindly furnished by the family of the artist, we quote an interesting 
 description of his first interview with President Washington in Philadelphia : — 
 
 " Although familiarly accustomed to intimate intercourse with those of the highest rank and 
 station in my native country, I never experienced the same feelings as I did on my first introduction 
 to the American Hero. The excitation in the mind of the stranger was evidently obvious to Wash- 
 
 58 
 
Archibald Robertson. 
 
 59 
 
 ington ; for, from his ordinary cold and distant address, he declined into the most easy and familiar 
 intercourse in conversation, with a view to disembarrass his visitor from the agitation excited by the 
 presence of a man whose exalted character had impressed him with the highest sentiments of respect 
 and veneration for such lofty virtue." 
 
 The President introduced the artist to Mrs. Washington and her grandchildren, and 
 his admiration for " Lady Washington " is expressed in no measured terms. An invita- 
 tion to a family dinner followed ; at which the artist says that the general, anxious to 
 familiarize his guest, " engrossed most of the conversation at the table, and so delighted 
 the company with humorous anecdotes, that he repeatedly set the table in a roar of 
 laughter." In his account of the dinner, Mr. Robertson gave a diagram of the table, 
 which shows that the party was composed of " Gen. Washington, Lady Washington, 
 Mrs. Gen. Green, Miss Helmer Custis (afterwards Mrs. Lewis), Archibald Robertson, 
 Major Jackson (the general's private secretary), Col. John Trumbull, Col. Tobias Lear (the 
 general's public secretary)." 
 
 "The dinner, served at three o'clock in the afternoon, was plain, but suitable for a family in 
 genteel and comfortable circumstances. There was nothing specially remarkable at the table, unless 
 it may be that the General and Mrs. Washington sat side by side, he on the right of his lady ; the 
 gentlemen on his right hand, and the ladies on his left. It being on Saturday, the first course was 
 mostly of Eastern cod, and other fresh fish. A few glasses of wine were drank during the dinner, 
 with other beverage. The whole closed with a few glasses of sparkling champagne in about three- 
 quarters of an hour, when the General and Col. Lear retired, leaving the ladies in high glee about 
 Lord Buchan and the Wallace Box." 
 
 When Robertson was ready to execute his commission for the earl, he spent six 
 weeks at the executive mansion. He deemed it advisable (it having been left to his own 
 discretion) to make his first attempt in miniature on ivory, and in water-colors. At the 
 same time he painted a miniature of Mrs. Washington. These he retained, leaving them 
 " to remain in his family as an heir-loom, and memorial of his veneration for the great 
 and successful champion of American liberty." They have descended to his grand- 
 daughters, Mrs. C. W. Darling of Utica, N. Y., and Mrs. S. M. Mygatt of New- York 
 City, and are remarkable for their beauty and finish as works of art, and are considered 
 as among the finest efforts of this distinguished artist. After succeeding so happily in 
 miniature, Robertson painted a large portrait in oil, corresponding in size to those of a 
 collection of portraits of the most celebrated characters in liberal principles and in useful 
 literature, in the possession of Lord Buchan at Dryburgh Abbey. When finished, the 
 portrait received Washington's approval, and was sent to Scotland in April, 1792, in care 
 of Col. Lear, being welcomed with cordial approbation by Lord Buchan. 
 
60 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Robertson also painted in oil; on a slab of marble nine by twelve inches, a cabinet- 
 miniature of Washington, at his request, while staying at the President's mansion. " It is 
 a half-length, three-quarters view, coat of snuff-color, with an exuberance of shirt-ruffle." 
 The loss of his teeth is apparent, but given in more delicate lines than by Stuart ; 
 while the eyes, like those of Stuart's portraits, look directly at the spectator. This is 
 a highly-finished work, and appears as soft as if on ivory. It is now owned by Mrs. M. 
 M. Craft of New- York City, daughter of the artist, and is the portrait thus noted in 
 Trumbull's list: "Robertson, 1792, painted one, in his own possession, 79 Liberty Street, 
 New York." Two other miniatures of Washington were painted from life by Robertson 
 as late as 1796. One belongs to Edmund Law Rogers of Baltimore, having descended 
 to him from his grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Parke Law, who married a son of Lord 
 Ellenborough. The head is in half-profile, and drawn with exceeding skill. The dress is 
 the Continental uniform, the hair powdered and worn in a queue, and the ribbon tying it 
 is visible over the right shoulder. The colors are so fresh and beautiful, that it might 
 have been painted within the present year. It is in a massive gold locket about four 
 inches long. On the back, within a rich border of blue enamel, is a medallion surrounded 
 with diamonds. The medallion contains interwoven locks of the hair of Gen. and Mrs. 
 Washington. 
 
 The other — differing from the former in size (being a trifle smaller), and in the 
 jewels of its setting, which are pearls — was inherited from Mrs. Martha Peter by her 
 daughter, Mrs. Beverly Kennon. 
 
 These miniatures, superb relics of Washington, were wedding-gifts presented by him 
 to his wife's grand-daughters. One of the young ladies, writing to Washington to inform 
 him of her approaching marriage, said, " It is the dearest wish of my heart to have your 
 miniature taken expressly for me." Washington replied that he would gladly comply with 
 her request ; but he doubted that it was " the dearest wish of a young maiden on the 
 eve of her marriage to possess an old gentleman's picture." 
 
 Robertson, like other artists, could not lose his nationality, and his rendering of 
 Washington is of a decided Scotch type. The following extract from an article written 
 from the American Academy of Fine Arts in 1824 indicates the esteem in which his 
 portraits were held by his contemporaries. 
 
 " If we wish to behold Washington when he began to wane, in his latter years, when he had 
 lost his teeth, but with full vivacity and vigor of eye, looking at the spectator, we must behold 
 Robertson's portrait of him." 
 
 Col. John Trumbull, at the date of the publication of this article, was president of 
 this institution ; and this probably was his own opinion so generously expressed. Robert- 
 
Archibald Robertson. 
 
 son's portraits of Washington have been engraved by only a few artists, and on small 
 plates. In 1794-96 and 1818 they were published abroad; but only one has been issued 
 in this country, and that was published by Elias Dexter in 1866. 
 
 With the exception of Wright, no artist deserving recognition who painted Wash- 
 ington is so little known as Robertson. 
 
 The " Wallace Box," before alluded to, sent to Washington by the Earl of Buchan, 
 was given, not alone as a courtesy from the Scotch noble, but was a compliment by the 
 Liberals of Europe to the man who had succeeded in establishing a representative civil 
 government. This memorial of the "Washington of Scotland" was presented Jan. 4, 1 79 1 , 
 and attracted a great deal of interest at the time. " Its size was about four inches long, 
 three inches broad, and two inches deep. It was constructed from six pieces of the ' heart 
 of the oak ' which sheltered Sir William Wallace after the battle of Falkirk. It was one- 
 eighth of an inch thick, finely polished outside, and the whole united by an elegant silver 
 binding. A silver plate bore this inscription : ' Presented by the Goldsmiths of Edinburgh 
 to David Stuart Erskine, Earl of Buchan, with the freedom of their corporation, by their 
 Deacon, 1 79 r ." 
 
 The following letter accompanied the gift : — 
 
 Dryburgh Abbey, June 28, 1791. 
 
 Sir, — I had the honor to receive your Excellency's letter relating to the advertisement of Dr. 
 Anderson's periodical publication in the " Gazette " of the United States ; which attention to my 
 recommendation I feel very sensibly, and return you my grateful acknowledgments. In the twenty- 
 first number of that literary miscellany I inserted a monitory paper respecting America, which I 
 flatter myself may, if attended to on the other side of the Atlantic, be productive of good conse- 
 quences. To use your own emphatic words, "May that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, 
 who presides in the councils of nations, and whose providential aid can supply every human defect," 
 consecrate the liberties and happiness of the American people, — a government instituted by them- 
 selves for public and private security upon the basis of law, and equal administration of justice, 
 preserving to every individual as much civil and political freedom as is consistent with the safety of 
 the nation ; and may He be pleased to continue your life and strength as long as you can be in any- 
 way useful to your country. 
 
 I have intrusted this sheet, enclosed in a box made of the oak that sheltered our great Sir 
 William Wallace after the battle of Falkirk, to Mr. Robertson of Aberdeen, with the hope of his 
 having the honor of delivering it into your hands, recommending him as an able artist. 
 
 This box was presented to me by the Goldsmith's Company at Edinburgh, of whom, feeling my 
 own unworthiness to receive this magnificently significant present, I requested and obtained leave 
 to make it over to the man in the world to whom I thought it most justly due. Into your hands 
 I commit it, requesting of you to pass it, in the event of your decease, to the man in your country 
 
62 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 who shall appear to your judgment to merit it best upon the same considerations that have induced 
 me to send it to your Excellency. 
 
 I am with the highest esteem sir, 
 
 Your Excellency's most obedient and obliged humble servant, 
 
 BUCHAN. 
 
 Gen. Washington, President of the United States of America. 
 
 P.S. — I beg your Excellency will have the goodness to send me your portrait, that I may place 
 it among those I most honor, and I would wish it from the pencil of Mr. Robertson. I beg leave 
 to recommend him to your confidence, as he has been mentioned to me favorably by my worthy 
 friend, Professor Ogilvie of King's College, Aberdeen. 
 
 Gen. Washington returned this reply : — 
 
 Philadelphia, May i, 1792. 
 
 My Lord, — I should have had the honor of acknowledging sooner the receipt of your letter 
 of the 28th of June last, had I not concluded to defer doing it till I could announce to you the 
 transmission of my portrait, which has just been finished by Mr. Robertson of New York, who has 
 also undertaken to forward it. The manner of the execution of it does no discredit to the artist, of 
 whose skill favorable mention has been made to me. 
 
 I was further induced to intrust the execution to Mr. Robertson from his having informed me 
 that he had drawn others for your lordship, and knew the size which best suited your collection. 
 
 I accept with sensibility and with satisfaction the significant present of the box which accom- 
 panied your lordship's letter. In yielding the tribute due from every lover of mankind to the patri- 
 otic and heroic virtues of which it is commemorative, I estimate as I ought the additional value 
 which it derives from the hand that sent it, and my obligation for the sentiments that induced the 
 transfer. 
 
 I will, however, ask that you exempt me from compliance with the request relating to its eventual 
 destination. In an attempt to execute your wish in this particular, I should feel embarrassment from 
 a just comparison of relative pretensions, and fear to risk injustice by so marked a preference. 
 
 With sentiments of truest esteem and consideration, 
 
 I remain your lordship's most obedient servant, 
 
 G. WASHINGTON". 
 
 Earl of Buchan. 
 
 After the death of Washington, the box was returned in accordance with this request 
 found in his will: — 
 
 "To the Earl of Buchan I recommit 'the box made of the oak that sheltered the brave Sir 
 William Wallace after the battle of Falkirk,' presented to me by his lordship in terms too flattering 
 for me to repeat, with a request ' to pass it, in the event of my decease, to the man in my country 
 
Archibald Robertson. 
 
 63 
 
 who should appear to merit it best, upon the same conditions that have induced him to send it to 
 me.' Whether easy or not to select the man who might comport with his lordship's opinion in this 
 respect is not for me to say ; but conceiving that no disposition of this valuable curiosity can be 
 more eligible than the recommitment of it to his own cabinet, agreeably to the original design of 
 the Goldsmith's Company of Edinburgh, who presented it to him, and at his request consented that 
 it should be transferred to me, I do give and bequeath the same to his lordship, — and in case of 
 his decease to his heir, — with my grateful thanks for the distinguished honor of presenting it to 
 me, and more especially for the favorable sentiments with which he accompanied it." 
 
 Buchan again sent the box to America, this time by the hands of Dr. Nathaniel 
 Chapman of Alexandria, Va. Just before his departure he was entertained by the earl at 
 a public breakfast on Washington's birthday, when the souvenir was delivered to him, with 
 the request that he would present it to Dr. Benjamin Rush. A letter from that gentleman 
 to the donor further explains : — 
 
 Philadelphia, Oct. 22, 1806. 
 
 My Lord, — I have been kept from answering your lordship's polite letter by Dr. Chapman by 
 a most unpleasant event. On his way from New York to Philadelphia his trunk was stolen from 
 the external and back part of a stage-wagon, and with it the present of the ancient and very esti- 
 mable box you intended for me. In hopes that an advertisement, or the lapse of a year or two, 
 would bring it to light, and place it in my hands, I have deferred until this time expressing my 
 regrets to your lordship for my disappointment and loss. The virtues and exploits of the illustrious 
 hero who conferred dignity upon the tree that sheltered him, the antiquity of the box, and the rank 
 and character of the valuable donor, all concur to render its loss peculiarly distressing to me. I 
 shall carefully preserve your lordship's letter which accompanied it, and transmit it to my children 
 as a mark of the high honor intended for me by your lordship. . . . 
 
 With great respect I have the honor to be your lordship's most devoted friend and most obedient 
 humble servant, 
 
 BENJ N RUSH. 
 
 The Right Hon ble the Earl of Buchan. 
 
JOHN TRUMBULL. 
 
 CONNECTICUT. 
 1756-1843. 
 
 O artist had closer relations with Washington than his young friend and aide. 
 Col. John Trumbull, son of the provident governor of Connecticut, upon 
 whom Washington humorously and affectionately transferred the now typical 
 sobriquet of " Brother Jonathan." 
 To no one could it have been more a labor of love to portray the chief than to the 
 patriot artist, who was so often by his side in the earlier part of the struggle for inde- 
 pendence, who in a foreign land had suffered for the common cause, and who was inti- 
 mately associated as an honored guest when Washington became President. The advantages 
 found in familiar acquaintance Trumbull possessed even more than Charles Willson Peale. 
 
 Col. Trumbull descended on his mothers side from that sterling old English gentle- 
 man and scholar, John Robinson, " Father of the Pilgrims." Every educational opportunity 
 was given him; and in 1773, as his fathers had done, he graduated with honor at Harvard. 
 He was distinguished for proficiency in the languages, and evinced talent as a draughts- 
 man. It appears that during his college-days he had selected an artistic career in place 
 of the Church, for which his father had intended him, and to which it was presumed his 
 Puritan blood would naturally incline. 
 
 When the colonial governor of Connecticut, in 1775, called out troops to be sent to 
 Boston, he found that three of his own sons — Jonathan, Joseph, and John — donned 
 the uniform of the " blue and the buff." They gained distinction as officers, and were 
 destined to leave a worthy record in the annals of their country. At Cambridge, John 
 attracted the attention of Washington by drawings of the enemy's camp, the correctness 
 of which, even before their completion, was attested by a deserter from the British army. 
 Washington at once appointed him on his staff, of which his elder brother was already 
 chief. He served until his transfer to the division of Gen. Gates, on whose staff he was 
 appointed assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of colonel. Becoming dissatisfied with 
 Gen. Gates, he retired to private life in 1777. During some portions of the next three 
 
 years he was the pupil of Copley. It is humorously related that the young officer, having 
 64 
 
John Trumbull. 
 
 See Page 70 
 
i 
 
John Trumbull. 
 
 65 
 
 seen the luxury and state of Copley in Boston in 1775, was more than ever determined to 
 be an artist. In 1780 he went to London to study with "West," having been assured by 
 influential citizens of London that he would not be disturbed in England while pursuing 
 his studies. The execution of Andre, however, so influenced the public mind, that an 
 officer so devoted to America as Col. Trumbull could not escape ; and he was arrested, 
 and taken before a magistrate. His high spirit resented the bungling proceedings, which 
 he interrupted with — 
 
 " Gentlemen, you are rude. You appear to be more in the habit of examining pickpockets and 
 highwaymen than gentlemen. I will cut this examination short, gentlemen, by telling you who I 
 am and what I am. I am the son of him you call the rebel governor of Connecticut, and I have 
 been aide-de-camp to him you call the rebel Washington. I know that in saying this I put my life 
 in your hands. You will treat me as you please, remembering that as you treat me so will those 
 gentlemen whom I have named treat your countrymen who are their prisoners and in their power." 
 
 He was confined in prison, so that by suffering as well as service this artist must be 
 enrolled as one of the heroes of the Revolution. Benjamin West hastened to George III. ; 
 and it is possible that his timely interference saved Trumbull's life, who thus related the 
 event : — 
 
 "I was arrested at twelve o'clock at night of the 19th of November, in London, on suspicion 
 of high treason. I was then principally occupied in studying the art of painting under Mr. West. 
 Mr. West well knew that his attachment to his native country gave offence to some individuals who 
 were about the King's person. He therefore went the next morning early to Buckingham House, 
 and requested an audience of the King. It was granted ; and he proceeded to state the origin and 
 nature of his acquaintance with me, concluding, that, whatever might have been my conduct in 
 America, he could conscientiously state to his Majesty, that, since my arrival in London, the principal 
 part of almost every day had been passed under his eye, in the assiduous study of his profession, 
 leaving little or no time for any pursuit hostile to the interests of Great Britain. The King, after 
 a moment's hesitation, made this answer : ' Mr. West, I have known you long. I have confided in 
 you. I have never known you to mislead me. I therefore repose implicit confidence in the repre- 
 sentation. This young gentleman must in the mean time suffer great anxiety. He is in the power 
 of the laws, and I cannot at present interfere. But go to him, and assure him from me, that, in the 
 worst possible legal result, he has my royal word that his life is safe.' Mr. West came to me with 
 this message immediately ; and you may well believe that it softened essentially the rigor of an 
 imprisonment of eight months." 
 
 Mr. Trumbull was admitted to bail on a special order from the King, — his sureties 
 being West and Copley, — on condition that he would leave the country, and not return 
 during the war. Trumbull continued his studies in prison ; and it adds interest to the 
 
66 Original Portraits of Washington, 
 
 fine copy (after West) of Correggio's " St. Jerome of Parma," to recall the fact that " it 
 was painted in Tothill Field's Prison near London, where the artist was confined on 
 charge of high treason during the winter of 1781." 
 
 After the establishment of peace, he returned to his studies under Mr. West, and in 
 1784 produced his first composition. His first two works of importance, which he never 
 afterwards surpassed in excellence, were produced in the following year. These were the 
 " Death of Montgomery " and the " Battle of Bunker Hill." The last picture gave 
 offence in London ; and, to remove this feeling, he chose a subject more essentially 
 English, and painted the " Sortie of the Garrison at Gibraltar," which was exhibited, and 
 gave great satisfaction. The artist must have been inexpressibly surprised to discover 
 that the "Battle of Bunker Hill" also offended his own countrymen. The reason given 
 was, that he had chosen the moment of the triumph of the British arms, and did not 
 perpetuate the gallant attack of the Continental militia. We in our day might as well 
 object to the Bunker-hill Monument. However, there must be a change in this senti- 
 ment, not only because of the rare excellence of the painting, but that the time selected 
 was the right time, — the supreme moment when a brave man yielded up his life for a 
 sacred cause. 
 
 In 1787-88 Trumbull began to make life-studies for his intended series of historical 
 paintings. It would have been better for his fame if he had steadily pursued this 
 project, — sufficient for a life-work. He made portraits of Mr. Adams in London, and 
 Mr. Jefferson in Paris, at whose house he also had sittings from French officers who 
 had served in America. He returned to New York in 1789; and, Congress being in 
 session, he made studies from the representative men of the nation there assembled. To 
 secure life-sittings from all, however, he travelled through each State in the Union. We 
 are thus particular in reiterating this well-known fact, because it is well to keep before 
 the people that these portraits can be relied upon. Nearly all of these original studies 
 were made when there was but one opinion in regard to the success of Trumbull in 
 securing a good counterfeit of life on his canvas. Though the four large paintings in 
 the Rotunda of the Capitol at Washington are not executed in a manner to enhance the 
 artist's reputation, yet all the cruel and coarse criticisms, from that of John Randolph to 
 the present day, cannot make the American people forget that they were produced by 
 a soldier-artist who gave truthful delineations of our illustrious defenders ; and that he 
 has left us in the originals of these productions an inheritance painted ere his hand 
 faltered, or his eye had grown untrue. Therefore the historical paintings of Trumbull 
 must be considered a gallery of original portraits, and may well entitle him to be styled 
 " The Painter of the Revolution." 
 
 Col. Trumbull, as an amateur, made studies of Washington while on his staff, in 
 
jfohn Trumbull. 
 
 6 7 
 
 1775; and in 1780, while studying under West, he painted for M. de. Neufville a portrait 
 from memory, aided by these sketches. This was a most dramatic and unfortunate effort. 
 In 17S1 M. de Neufville allowed an engraving of it to be made, which was thus 
 inscribed : — 
 
 "Painted by J. Trumbull, Esq r of Connecticut 1780. Engraved by V. ^reen Mezzotinto 
 Engraver to his Majesty & to the Elector Palatine. Engrav'd from the original Picture in the 
 Possession of M. de Neufville of Amsterdam. Published by Appointment of M. de Neufville of 
 Amsterdam Jany Ifj th 1/8 1 by V. Green N° 2g Newman Street Oxford Street London." 
 
 \ 
 
 The figure of Washington, though not badly drawn for an unpractised pencil, is 
 grotesquely heroic. He is on the heights of Charlestown, and appears, by his daring 
 strides, to be scaling a mountain-side. The face is that of an immature youth ; and 
 behind him stands his well-known attendant, Billy Lee, holding a warlike steed. The 
 face of the groom is the only redeeming point on the canvas: he is trttly " L ' Africain." 
 
 Unhappily, this print was extensively circulated abroad ; and for years it was the 
 popular idea of Washington received in Europe, its effect upon French artists being 
 especially traced. A notable instance of this is a painting by Le Paon, " Peintre de 
 Battaille de S. A. S. M. le Prince de Conde," as seen in an engraving of it by Le Mere, 
 which was made for the Academy of Fine Arts, Rouen, France. The head in this 
 picture is an exact reproduction of Trumbull's Amsterdam portrait. Washington stands 
 at his tent-door, holding in his hand several scrolls, inscribed " Declaration of Inde- 
 pendence," "Treaty of alliance with his most Christian Majesty, Louis XVI., Feb. 6th 
 1778," etc.; while under his feet are offensive acts of the British Government. Another 
 feature indicating Trumbull's authority is Billy Lee, who, comically metamorphosed into a 
 Moor with a gayly-twisted turban, appears in the background holding a bobtailed horse. 
 
 Billy Lee gained a happier immortality through this clause in his master's will: — 
 
 "And as to my mulatto man William, calling himself William Lee, I give immediate freedom; 
 or, if he should prefer it (on account of the accidents which have befallen him, and which have 
 rendered him incapable of walking, or of any active employment), to remain in the situation he now 
 is, it shall be optional in him to do so : in either case, however, I allow him an annuity of thirty 
 dollars during his natural life, which shall be independent of the victuals and clothes he has been 
 accustomed to receive, if he chooses the last alternative, but in full, with his freedom, if he prefers 
 the first. And this I give him as a testimony of his attachment to me, and for his faithful services 
 during the Revolutionary War." 
 
 It is recorded that Billy wisely preferred " victuals and clothes " at Mount Vernon to 
 " immediate freedom." 
 
68 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 The Trumbull painting is still in Amsterdam, but, having recently been offered for 
 sale to an American, will doubtless, sooner or later, be sent to this country. 
 
 Trumbull did not again attempt a portrait of Washington for twelve years. In the 
 winter and spring of 1790 his life studies of the President were chiefly made. Washington 
 records in his diary, as follows, a number of consecutive sittings given Mr. Trumbull in 
 less than one month : — 
 
 " Wednesday, 10 th (JFcby 1 790). — Sat from 9 until 1 1 o'clock for Mr. Trumbull, to draw my 
 picture in his historical pieces. 
 
 " Friday, 12 th . — Sat from 9 o'clock until 11, for Mr. John Trumbull, for the purpose of drawing 
 my picture. 
 
 "Monday, 15 th . — Sat between 9 and 11, for Mr. John Trumbull. 
 "Thursday, 18 th . — Sat for Mr. Trumbull from 9 o'clock till 10. 
 "Saturday, 20 th . — Sat from 9 until 11, for Mr. Trumbull. 
 " Saturday, 2J ik . — Sat for Mr. Trumbull this forenoon. 
 
 "March 1790. Monday, I st . — Exercised on horseback this forenoon, attended by Mr. John 
 Trumbull, who wanted to see me mounted. 
 
 " Thursday, 4 th . — Sat from 9 until half after 10 o'clock for Mr. Trumbull." 
 
 Illustrative of the interest bestowed by Washington on these paintings is the fact that 
 he was induced to put on the long-disused Continental uniform, and ride out upon a 
 spirited horse with Mr. Trumbull, that he might take a sketch for his painting of the 
 " Capture of the Hessians at Trenton," on which occasion his warlike appearance is said 
 to have produced a sensation in the quiet " City of Brotherly Love." A good portrait 
 was obtained ; and on the canvas was recorded an incident showing the magnanimity of 
 the great commander, which is described in the words of the artist : — 
 
 "When the conflict was ended, Gen. Washington walked his horse over the field to see that 
 the wounded were properly attended to. Among them he observed an officer richly dressed in the 
 hostile uniform, and upon inquiry found that this was Col. Rahl, commanding officer of the enemy. 
 He immediately called one of his aides-de-camp, Col. William Smith, and gave this memorable order: 
 ' Smith, take charge of this gentleman ; see him carefully and kindly conveyed to a house ; call our 
 best surgeons to his assistance, and let us save his life if possible.' Col. Rahl died in the afternoon ; 
 but the memory of this act should never die." 
 
 One of the most popular and highly prized full-length portraits of Washington is that 
 painted by Trumbull, now in the City Hall, New York, in compliance with the following 
 resolution : — 
 
jfohn Trumbull. 
 
 6 9 
 
 City of New York, ss. 
 
 At a common council held in the City of New York on Monday, the 19th day of July 
 
 1790. 
 
 Present : 
 
 Resolved, — that the President of the United States be requested to permit Mr. Trumbull to 
 take his portrait to be placed in the City Hall, as a monument of the respect which the inhabitants 
 of this city bear towards him. 
 
 Ordered, — that Mr. Mayor be requested to wait on the President, and communicate the afore- 
 going resolution. 
 
 Extract from the Minutes. 
 
 The artist thus describes the picture : — 
 
 "I represented him in full uniform, standing by a white horse, leaning his arm upon the saddle; 
 in the background a view of Broadway in ruins, as it then was, the old fort at the termination ; 
 British ships and boats leaving the shore, and Staten Island in the distance. Every part of the 
 detail of the dress, 1 horse, furniture, etc., as well as the scenery, was accurately copied from the real 
 objects." 
 
 About eighteen months after his return from England, Col. Trumbull received an order 
 from the city of Charleston, S.C., to paint a full-length portrait of Washington. The 
 
 1 One of the two watch-seals which are copied in this picture was given by Washington to Major Robert Smith 
 of Philadelphia. He was an officer in Aaron Burr's regiment, and was afterwards detached on engineer duty, building 
 some redoubts on the Hudson River. The seal, on which is the monogram " R. S.," has been inherited by his grand- 
 son, Robert S. La Motte, U.S.A. 
 
 Richard Varick, Esquire, Mayor. 
 Samuel Jones, Esquire, Recorder. 
 Jeremiah Wool, Wynant Van Zandt, 
 Isaac Stoutenburgh, Daniel McCormick, 
 Theophilas Beekman, John Wylley, 
 Stephen McCrea, John Van Dyk, 
 John Pintard, William J. Elsworth, 
 Peter J. Curtenius, George Paneway, 
 
 ROB. BENSON, Clk. 
 
7o 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 following resolution of the city council indicates the affection in which the man and the 
 leader were held. 
 
 City Council, Saturday, the 7th May, 1791. 
 
 On motion ; 
 
 Resolved unanimously, that his Honor the Intendant in behalf of the City Council and their 
 constituents, be desired to request of George Washington, Esquire, President of the United States, 
 that he will be pleased, when it is convenient to him, to permit his portrait to be taken by Colonel 
 Trumbull, in order that it may be placed in the City Hall, as the most lasting testimony of their 
 attachment to his person, to commemorate his arrival in the Metropolis of this State, and to hand 
 down to posterity the resemblance of the man to whom they are indebted for the blessings of Peace, 
 Liberty and Independence. 
 
 Extract from the Journals. 
 
 PET. BOUNETHEAU, 
 
 City Clei-k. 
 
 The artist selected the field of Trenton on which to present his hero in the full 
 glory of military fame. The subject seemed in happy sympathy with the painter ; as, 
 indeed, he had on more than one occasion indicated his preference of being delineated as 
 the defender of his country. When this painting was completed, it was enthusiastically 
 approved by Washington. He perhaps expressed more pleasure than he had ever before 
 done over an artist's efforts to produce his counterpart. It is abundantly testified by 
 contemporaries, that the figure was rendered with happiest fidelity. Authorities agree in 
 pronouncing this the most trustworthy type of that majestic form, yielding to it even the 
 precedence over Houdon ; Trumbull being essentially American, while Houdon could not 
 depart from his ideas of kingship, and has given to Washington the bearing of a 
 Bourbon prince. 
 
 The minutest detail of costume must also be received as accurate ; as every article of 
 dress — buttons, spurs, etc. — was painted from those worn at the battle of Trenton. The 
 background is very elaborate. Near Washington stands an attendant with his horse ; 
 farther on are the bridges and the old stone mill, with the artillery for their defence. 
 The river is discovered at several points ; and the fires, by which the enemy were 
 deceived, are already lighted. The hour is just before sunset ; and at the suggestion 
 of Washington several incidents of that eventful evening are introduced. 
 
 The likeness is not only approved, but the expression is heroic ; and the painting is 
 spirited, and altogether worthy the great occasion. 
 
 Strange to say, the citizens of Charleston did not accept this doubly valuable work, 
 but ordered instead a portrait of " Washington the President." Mr. Trumbull in his 
 autobiography says, — 
 
John Trumbull, 
 
 See Page 71. 
 
jfohn Trumbull. 71 
 
 "Oppressed as the President was with business, I was reluctant to ask him to sit again. I, 
 however, waited upon him, stated Mr. Smith's objection, and he cheerfully submitted to a second 
 penance, adding, • Keep this picture for yourself, Mr. Trumbull, and finish it to your own taste.' 
 I did so. Another was painted for Charleston agreeable to their taste, — a view of the city in the 
 background, a horse, with scenery, and plants of the climate." 
 
 The military picture " remained in the possession of Col. Trumbull until the dissolu- 
 tion of the Society of the Cincinnati of Connecticut, when his Excellency Gov. Trumbull, 
 Gen. Jedediah Huntington, the Hon. John Davenport, the Hon. Jeremiah Wadsworth, 
 and the Hon. Benjamin Talmadge, joined with him in presenting- it to Yale College." 
 
 Trumbull took the portrait to London when he was secretary of legation under John 
 Jay; and a fine engraving (now rare) was made by Thomas Cheesman in 1796, under the 
 supervision of the painter. One of these prints hung in the main hall at Mount Vernon. 
 
 The bust-portrait of Washington now in the Trumbull Collection at Yale College 
 was executed in 1793 in Philadelphia, and is m truth the only one that can with justice 
 be condemned. In the same year the President allowed him sittings in the executive 
 mansion to fill the order from Charleston. Trumbull was well satisfied with this work, 
 and went so far as to commend it to the special care of Charles Fraser, the artist of 
 Charleston, as one of the best works of his brush. An amusing incident is related in 
 connection with this guardianship. At Mr. Fraser's suggestion, the intendant of the city 
 ordered the canvas to be cleaned, an experienced person being intrusted with the 
 responsible duty. The artist's surprise may be imagined, when, on his return from a 
 short absence, he found that a zvig had been painted upon the head of Washington. 
 Happily he soon remedied the mischief done by the ambitious 1'cstorer, by removing the 
 fresh paint. At a recent visit to Charleston, the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop expressed 
 great interest in this portrait ; and by his advice it was sent to . Boston, where it will be 
 thoroughly restored. It was shipped to his care, and placed in the Boston Museum of 
 Fine Arts. 
 
 Cabinet-portraits of the General and Mrs. Washington • were painted by Col. Trumbull 
 in 1794. These portraits were the property of Mrs. Lawrence Lewis, and, having recently 
 been purchased by the United-States Government from her grandchildren, are now 
 deposited in the patent-office. 
 
 Soon after his return to this country in 1790, he painted from life a full-length 
 cabinet-portrait for the family at Mount Vernon. This work was executed as a special 
 gratification to Mrs. Washington, and has been most carefully preserved. It was be- 
 queathed by Martha Washington to her grand-daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Custis Law, 
 and has descended to Mrs. Law's grandson, Edmund Law Rogers of Baltimore, Md. 
 
72 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Mrs. Law left it in care of her brother, G. W. P. Custis, until her grandson should attain 
 his majority. 
 
 Trumbull has also given acceptable likenesses of Washington, both in the " Sur- 
 render of Lord Cornwallis," and " Washington resigning his Commission at Annapolis." 
 The originals are in the Trumbull Collection at New Haven ; of which the large repro- 
 ductions in the Rotunda of the Capitol at Washington are well known to the world. 
 
 Though a capable draughtsman, Trumbull was occasionally careless ; yet he worked 
 with system. The first studies of his large compositions, like those of his instructor, 
 West, were completely finished on small cards, and then transferred to the canvas. Of 
 his "Sortie of the Garrison of Gibraltar" he made first a small, perfectly finished work, 
 which he gave to West. The first study of the " Death of Montgomery," on a card not 
 four inches square, but perfectly elaborated, is owned by Major Lewis of Virginia. It 
 bears this inscription: "J. Trumbull to Nelly Custis, 1790." 
 
 In 1794 Col. Trumbull made his third journey to England, this time as secretary to 
 John Jay. Soon after, he was chosen to be the fifth commissioner under Jay's treaty, — 
 quite a different situation from that in Tothill-Field's Prison fourteen years previous. 
 This place of emolument and honor was merited by the man ; but the artist never agrin 
 painted so well. He had accepted Mr. Jay's offer, that he might have opportunity of 
 publishing a series of engravings from his works. He had been quite successful in the 
 United States in obtaining subscriptions for his intended enterprise ; and for the engrav- 
 ings of the "Death of Montgomery" and the "Battle of Bunker Hill" he had secured 
 two hundred and seventy subscribers at three guineas each. Copies of these engravings 
 hung at Mount Vernon at the time of Washington's death ; and their arrival from 
 England is noted in this letter to the second governor, Jonathan Trumbull ; a copy of 
 which was recently presented to the Ladies' Mount Vernon Association by the vice-regent 
 from New York : — 
 
 Mount Vernon 6* Feby 1799. 
 
 My dear Sir, — By the ship Nancy, from London, just arrived at Alexandria, I have received 
 four copies of the Prints of the Deaths of Montgomery & Warren, (the number of Setts I presume 
 I subscribed for,) sent me by your Brother. 
 
 It is my wish to make him a remittance agreeably to the terms of the subscription ; but 
 having taken no copy of it, and not being able to recollect what is left to pay, must be my apology 
 for troubling you with this letter ; presuming that the original paper, or a copy thereof, might have 
 been left with you ; and moreover, that you may be empowered to receive from the Subscribers in 
 the United States, the amount of their Subscriptions ; in which case, upon receiving the advice, I 
 shall, instead of making the remittance of mine to London, transmit it to you. Whether anything 
 was to have been paid in advance, & whether in that case, I paid mine, is more than I can decide 
 without a resort, (for the letter) to my papers from Philadelphia, which are yet to be unpacked and 
 arranged. 
 
John Trumbull. 
 
 73 
 
 By a paper accompanying the prints of Montgomery & Warren, the other part of the original 
 design is suspended, on account of the peculiarity of the times. 
 
 As I shall not write to Mr. Trumbull until I hear from you, the sooner you can make it 
 convenient to give me the information herein required, the more agreeable it will be. 
 
 I enquire frequently after you, & with pleasure hear always that you enjoy good health. 
 Mrs. Washington, wbo is as well as usual, & Nelly Custis, who, on my birthday, (the 22 nd instant) 
 will change her name for that of Lewis, a nephew of mine, and brother to those who lived with 
 me in New York & Philadelphia, unite in best wishes & respectful compliments to Mrs. Trumbull 
 & yourself with 
 
 My dear Sir, 
 
 Y r most Obed' & affect. Ser 1 
 
 G° WASHINGTON. 
 
 His Excelh Jonathan Trumbull. 
 
 Wealth and honor attended Col. Trumbull, and he was the recipient of all social 
 favors; married abroad, and remained until 1816; when, having experienced reverses, he 
 came back to America a soured and disappointed man. He became embroiled in contro- 
 versies with congressmen in regard to his commissions from the government, and some 
 bitter correspondence is unhappily left on record. Notwithstanding this, he never lost his 
 interest in the art-future of his country, as we learn by this letter to President Adams, 
 which is not the least valuable of his legacies : — 
 
 Washington, 25th December, 1826. 
 
 To the President of the United States. 
 
 Sir, — I beg permission to submit to your consideration the following plan for the encourage- 
 ment of the fine arts in the United States. Public protection has already been extended in a very 
 effectual manner to various branches of the public industry employed in manufactures of different 
 kinds ; and I wish to call the attention of the government to the fine arts, which, although hitherto 
 overlooked, may, I trust, be rendered a valuable, as well as an honorable, branch of the national 
 prosperity, by very simple and unexpensive means. 
 
 I would propose that whenever an event — political, naval, or military — shall occur, which shall 
 be regarded by the government as of sufficient importance to be recorded as matter of history, the 
 most eminent painter of the time be ordered to paint a picture of the same, to be placed in some 
 of the national buildings ; that an artist of secondary talent be employed to make a copy of the 
 same, which shall be given to the minister, admiral, or general under whose direction or command 
 the event shall have taken place, as a testimony of the approbation and gratitude of the nation. 
 
 It appears to me that this would operate as a powerful stimulus to the ambition and exertions 
 of the national servants in their various departments, as well as an effectual encouragement to 
 artists, and an honorable mode of exciting their unremitting endeavors to attain to the highest 
 possible degree of eminence. 
 
 I would next propose, that the most distinguished engraver of the day should be employed to 
 
74 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 engrave a copper plate from the painting so executed, and that one thousand impressions, first 
 printed from this plate, he reserved by government for the purpose hereafter designated ; the 
 remaining impressions which may be printed, to be sold, and the proceeds applied to a fund 
 destined to defray the expenses of the plan. This part of the plan is founded on the experience of 
 individuals who have pursued the business of publishing and selling engravings, many of whom, 
 after paying the painter, the engraver, the paper-maker, the printer, and all the various expenses of 
 the publication, have acquired considerable fortunes in reward of their enterprise and exertions. 
 This was particularly instanced by the late Alderman Boydell of London, who (himself an engraver), 
 in the beginning of the reign of George III., found England paying annually to France and other 
 nations 'for this article of ornamental furniture, engravings, near two hundred thousand dollars, and 
 lived to see (in consequence of a judicious encouragement of the fine arts by the sovereign, and his 
 own individual exertions) England receiving from France and other nations a balance considerably 
 exceeding that sum, making a difference in favor of England of more than four hundred thousand 
 dollars a year. Reasoning on this experience, it is manifest that this nation may be probably 
 indemnified for the entire expense of the project by the sale of those impressions which may be 
 taken from the plates after the first thousand, which would remain to be disposed of as follows: — 
 
 Every minister of the United States going abroad on a mission should be furnished with one 
 (or a set) of these reserved engravings as an article of his outfit. They should be handsomely 
 framed, and hung in the most public and elegant apartments of his foreign residence, not so much 
 for the purpose of ornament as of showing the people among whom he resided at once an historical 
 record of important events, and an evidence of our advance, not only in political, naval, and military 
 greatness, but also in those arts of peace which embellish and adorn even greatness itself. 
 
 Every minister of a foreign nation returning home from a residence among us should also 
 receive one (or a set) of these prints in a handsome portfolio ; and the same compliment might 
 occasionally be paid to foreigners of distinction visiting the country from motives of curiosity or a 
 desire of improvement, in the discretion of government. 
 
 An historical record of memorable events, and a monumental tribute of gratitude and respect to 
 the distinguished servants of the nation, would thus be preserved in a series of paintings of unques- 
 tionable authenticity, — the principal works adorning the public edifices, and placing before the eyes 
 of posterity the glorious examples of the past, and thus urging them to that emulation which may 
 render the future yet more glorious ; the smaller works, in possession of the immediate descendants 
 of those who had thus received the thanks of the country, decorating private houses with the proud 
 evidence of individual service and of national gratitude, and thus kindling all the talent and energy 
 of succeeding generations to elevate, if possible, — at least not to diminish, — the honor of the name 
 and nation ; while the engravings in a more portable, more multiplied, and less expensive form, 
 would disseminate through the world evidence of the greatness and gratitude of the United States. 
 
 Talent for all the elegant arts abounds in this country, and nothing is wanting to carry their 
 votaries to the highest rank of modern or even ancient attainment but encouragement and cultiva- 
 tion ; and although all cannot hope to rise or be sustained in the most elevated rank, still the less 
 successful competitors would become eminently useful by turning their abilities to the aid of 
 
jfohn Trumbull. 
 
 75 
 
 manufactures. It is the overflowing of the schools and the academies of France which has given 
 to the manufacture of porcelain at Sevres, and of ormolu timepieces and ornaments in Paris, that 
 high pre-eminence over the rival attempts of other nations which drives them almost entirely from 
 the markets of elegance, and thus becomes the source of very considerable wealth to France. 
 
 The history of the United States already abounds in admirable subjects for the pencil and the 
 chisel, which should not be suffered to sink into oblivion. The last war especially is full of them, 
 and it seems to me that this is the proper field for the present and rising artists to cultivate. The 
 field is not only fertile and extensive, but is hitherto untouched, and seems to solicit their patriotic 
 labors, and to chide their delay. They are contemporaries and familiar with the actors and the 
 scenes they are called to commemorate, and can therefore fulfil the duty with enthusiasm, a 
 knowledge of facts, and a degree of absolute authenticity, which insures success, and would give 
 real value to their works. Nor should it be forgotten that the stream of time is continually 
 though silently bearing away from our view objects, circumstances, and eminent forms, which 
 memory can never recall. 
 
 The public buildings offer fine situations for the display of works of this nature, not only in 
 various apartments of the Capitol, but in the house of the President, where the great room now 
 furnishing would with more propriety and economy be enriched by subjects of national history 
 executed by our own artists than loaded with expensive mirrors, and all the frivolous and perishable 
 finery of fashionable upholstery. 
 
 By giving, in such a way as I have here taken the liberty to suggest, a right direction and 
 suitable encouragement to the fine arts, they may be rendered essentially subservient to the highest 
 moral purposes of human society, and be redeemed from the disgraceful and false imputation under 
 which they have long been oppressed, of being only the base and flattering instruments of royal 
 and aristocratic luxury and vice. 
 
 I do not pretend to originality, sir, in submitting to you these ideas. Athens in ancient times, 
 and Venice in the best days of that republic, acted on these principles to a certain extent. All 
 civilized nations have made the arts useful auxiliaries of history by the means of medals ; and it is 
 even said that this very system was proposed to Louis XVI. of France, and approved by him, 
 but prevented from being carried into effect by the long train of succeeding calamities. I have 
 only attempted to adapt the general idea to the circumstances of our country and times ; and 
 I cannot but believe, that not only artists and manufacturers would derive great advantage from 
 the adoption of some such plan, but that the honor and the essential interests of the nation would 
 thereby be eminently advanced. 
 
 With very great respect, I have the honor to be, sir, 
 
 Your most faithful servant, 
 
 JOHN TRUMBULL. 
 
 In no collection can more than twenty-five examples of the engraved portraits of 
 "Washington after Trumbull be found, and some of these are very poor. The full-length 
 by Cheesman is by far the best translation of the painter, and, if in good condition, is now 
 
76 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 a coveted possession. A reproduction of Cheesman's plate would be desirable ; but what 
 is more called for is the publication of a large, handsomely executed engraving of the 
 original, which, as a standard of the military portrait, may be widely circulated. It is to 
 be hoped that some superior engraver will soon produce an acceptable plate. The beau- 
 tiful half-length by Durand, issued in the "National Portrait Gallery" in 1834, is, more 
 than any other, a familiar interpretation of Trumbull ; and a royal folio from the same 
 hand would have answered a need. 
 
 Trumbull spent the last twenty-seven years of his life in the city of New York, where 
 he wrote his autobiography, and was president of the Academy of Fine Arts. He not 
 only received a fair price from the United-States Government for his four large pictures, 
 — the " Declaration of Independence," " Surrender of Burgoyne," "Surrender of Cornwallis," 
 and " Washington resicrnina- his Commission," — but realized almost as much for the exhi- 
 bition of each in different cities. Notwithstanding all this patronage, we find him in old 
 age glad to make over to Yale College all his own paintings for an annuity of one thou- 
 sand dollars. 
 
 He now rests in a sepulchre in the old building which contained his pictures, and 
 bears his name. The paintings have been removed to the new gallery, and the two 
 hundred and fifty pictures in the collection are a perpetual monument to the artist. 
 
 The following is the inscription on his tomb : — 
 
 " Col. John Trumbull, patriot and artist, friend and aide of Washington, died in New York 
 Nov. 10, 1843, JE 88. He reposes in a sepulchre built by himself beneath this monumental gallery 
 where, in September, 1834, he deposited the remains of Sarah, his wife, who died in New York, April 
 24, JE, $\. To his country he gave his pencil and his sword." 
 
GILBERT STUART. 
 
 RHODE ISLAND. 
 
 1755-1828. 
 
 "To trace the history of each of Stuart's portraits of Washington would prove of curious interest." — Titckertnan. 
 
 HIS most eminent American portrait-painter was born on the 3d of December, 
 1755, at Narragansett, in the colony of Rhode Island. His father was the 
 son of a Presbyterian clergyman of Scotland ; and his mother, Elizabeth 
 Anthony, was the daughter of a well-to-do English farmer. To this honest, 
 independent couple was born a son destined to paint his name in glowing lines in the 
 temple of fame. 
 
 The record of his baptism is found in St. Paul's Church, Narragansett : — 
 
 "April n ,h 1756, being Palm Sunday, Doctor McSparran read prayers, preached, and baptized 
 a child named Gilbert Stewart, son of Gilbert Stewart, the snuff-grinder. Sureties : the Doctor, Mr. 
 Benjamin Mumford, and Mrs. Hannah Mumford." 
 
 Stuart gave youthful indication of both talent, and individuality of character. His 
 pastimes and boyhood enjoyments were chiefly found in the use of a chalk or pencil. At 
 the age of fourteen some of his drawings attracted the notice of a friend of the family, 
 who took the embryo artist on a visit to his home in Newport. While there, Stuart made 
 his first essay at portrait-painting, producing the counterfeit resemblance of two beautiful 
 doofs belona-inp- to his host. 
 
 He received his first few lessons in art from a Scotch painter named Cosmo Alex- 
 ander, who had a good patronage for his honest brush in the city of Newport. He became 
 interested in Stuart, taking him to Charleston, S.C., and from thence to Edinburgh, Scot- 
 land. Unhappily, soon after their arrival in that city, the generous artist died, and Stuart 
 returned to America. He painted in Newport and Boston for a while, and then went back 
 to England, where, after many tough fights with fate, he was brought to the notice of 
 Mr. West, from whom he received instruction. Before many months he was a success, 
 and the fashion both in London and Dublin. 
 
 In 1794 he suddenly resolved to leave success, noble patronage, all, to come to 
 
 77 
 
78 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 America, and paint the portrait of the man he most admired, — George Washington. His 
 after-career is so blended with his production of Washington's portraits, that a history of 
 them necessarily gives important chapters of his life. Several biographies of Stuart have 
 been written ; one recently, under the supervision of his artist-daughter, by George C. 
 Mason, — a dignified and elegant work. The earlier biography by Dunlap is one of the 
 happiest linking together of characterful anecdotes in the language. Perhaps few men's 
 lives present such a field for anecdotal record as that of Stuart. He had many remarkable 
 and truly Scottish traits of character, and these offer a continued temptation to the histo- 
 rian. An outline sketch of him is all that these pages allow. He was humorous, blunt, 
 generous, and shrewd, but unhappily afflicted with a freakish temper. He loved his native 
 land ; and, even after he painted the portrait of Washington, no offer of better fortune 
 tempted him to live abroad. His happy tact in entertaining his subjects was quite enviable. 
 He was princely and convivial ; and no man more gracefully solved the problem of free 
 yet discriminating hospitality. Of the wits, poets, philosophers, and artists of London, he 
 managed each clay by an ingenious plan to have seven meet him at his dinner-table, 
 without trouble, invitation, or parade. He worked hard ; making a rule to have six sitters 
 a day, with an hour or so of recreation, followed by a social evening. In the United 
 States we trace his residence in Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Boston, and Newport, 
 by the " fair women and brave men " whose features he so happily portrayed. After a 
 career of unexampled success, and a ripe reaping of well-deserved fame, he died at New- 
 port the 27th of July, 1828. His great admirer, Washington Allston, wrote an obituary 
 notice, which appeared in "The Boston Advertiser" a few days after his death, and with- 
 out which no sketch of Stuart would be complete. 
 
 "During the last week the remains of Gilbert Stuart, Esq., were consigned to the tomb. He 
 was born in the State of Rhode Island, in the year 1754. Soon after coming of age, he went to 
 England, where he became the pupil of Mr. West, the late distinguished president of the Royal 
 Academy. Stuart there rose to eminence ; nor was it a slight distinction that his claims were 
 acknowledged even during the life of Sir Joshua Reynolds. His high reputation as a portrait-painter, 
 as well in Ireland as in England, having thus introduced him to a large acquaintance among the 
 higher classes of society, both fortune and fame attended his progress ; insomuch, that, had he chosen 
 to remain in England, they would doubtless have rewarded him with their higher gifts. But, admired 
 and patronized as he was, he chose to return to his native country. He was impelled to this step, 
 as he often declared, by a desire to give to Americans a faithful portrait of Washington, and thus, 
 in some measure, to associate his own with the name of the Father of his Country. And well is his 
 ambition justified in the sublime head he has left us : a nobler personification of wisdom and good- 
 ness reposing in the majesty of a serene conscience is not to be found on canvas. He returned 
 to America in the year 1793, and resided chiefly in Philadelphia and Washington, in the practice of 
 
Gilbert Stuart 
 
 79 
 
 his profession, till about the year 1805, when he removed to Boston, where he remained to the time 
 of his death. During the last ten years of his life he had to struggle with many infirmities ; yet 
 such was the vigor of his mind, that it seemed to triumph over the decays of nature, and to give 
 to some of his last productions all the truth and splendour of his prime. 
 
 "Gilbert Stuart was not only one of the first painters of his time, but must have been admitted 
 by all who had an opportunity of knowing him, to have been, even out of his art, an extraordinary 
 man, — one who would have found distinction easy in any other profession or walk of life. His mind 
 was of a strong and original cast, his perceptions as clear as they were just ; and in the power of 
 illustration he has rarely been equalled. On almost every subject, more especially on such as were 
 connected with his art, his conversation was marked by wisdom and knowledge ; while the uncommon 
 precision and elegance of his language seemed ever to receive an additional grace from his manner, 
 which was that of a well-bred gentleman. 
 
 " The narrations and anecdotes with which his knowledge of men and of the world had stored 
 his memory, and which he often gave with great beauty and dramatic effect, were not unfrequently 
 employed by Mr. Stuart in a way, and with an address, peculiar to himself. From this store it was 
 his custom to draw largely while occupied with his sitters, apparently for their amusement ; but his 
 object was rather, by thus banishing all restraint, to call forth, if possible, some involuntary traits of 
 the natural character. But these glimpses of character, mixed as they are in all men with so much 
 that belongs to their age and associates, would have been of little use to an ordinary observer ; for 
 the faculty of distinguishing between the accidental and the permanent, in other words, between the 
 conventional expression which arises from manners, and that more subtle indication of the individual 
 mind, is indeed no common one ; and by no one with whom we are acquainted was this faculty pos- 
 sessed in so remarkable a degree. It was this which enabled him to animate his canvas, not with the 
 appearance of mere general life, but with that peculiar, distinctive life which separates the humblest 
 individual from his kind. He seemed to dive into the thoughts of men ; for they were made to rise, 
 and to speak on the surface. Were other evidences wanting, this talent alone were sufficient to estab- 
 lish his claims as a man of genius ; since it is the privilege of genius alone to measure at once the 
 highest and the lowest. In his happier efforts no one ever surpassed him in embodying (if we may 
 so speak) these transient apparitions of the soul. Of this not the least admirable instance is his 
 portrait (painted within the last four years) of the late President Adams', whose then bodily tenement 
 seemed rather to present the image of some dilapidated castle than that of the habitation of the 
 'unbroken mind;' but not such is the picture. Called forth as from its crumbling recesses, the 
 living tenant is there, still ennobling the ruin, and upholding it, as it were, by the strength of his 
 own life. In this venerable ruin will the unbending patriot and the gifted artist speak to posterity 
 of the first glorious century of our Republic. 
 
 " In a word, Gilbert Stuart was, in its widest sense, a philosopher in his art : he thoroughly 
 understood its principles, as his works bear witness, — whether as to the harmony of colours, or of 
 lines, or of light and shadow, — showing that exquisite sense of a whole which only a man of genius 
 can realize and embody. 
 
 " We cannot close this brief notice without a passing record of his generous bearing towards 
 
8o 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 his professional brethren. He never suffered the manliness of his nature to darken with the least 
 shadow of jealousy ; but, where praise was due, he gave it freely, and gave, too, with a grace which 
 showed, that, loving excellence for its own sake, he had a pleasure in praising. To the younger artists 
 he was uniformly kind and indulgent, and most liberal of his advice, which no one ever properly 
 asked but he received, and in a manner no less courteous than impressive. The unbroken kindness 
 and friendship with which he honored the writer of this imperfect sketch will never be forgotten. 
 
 "In the world of art Mr. Stuart has left a void that will not soon be filled. And well may his 
 country say, 'A great man has passed from amongst us.' But Gilbert Stuart has bequeathed her 
 what is paramount to power, since no power can command it, — the rich inheritance of his fame." 
 
 Stuart portrayed Washington as the President. It was the ambition of this artist to 
 produce the portrait of the first President, which should surpass in excellence and truth 
 his former efforts in portraiture, and the attempts of all other artists to depict the eminent 
 subject. As works of art, his productions have decided pre-eminence : no American artist 
 approached him in vividness of color, or exquisite finish of surface. As we consult the 
 familiar portraits by Holbein, Velasquez, and Vandyke, for the persons of Henry VIII., 
 Philip IV. of Spain, and Charles I. of England, so do a large proportion of his countrymen 
 go to Stuart for a representation of Washington. It is to be regretted, not only that these 
 portraits should represent him in advanced age, but that the artist, as compared to con- 
 temporaries, has given him even a more venerable aspect than his years justify. 
 
 In the autumn of 1794, Stuart, on his return from London, presented to Washington 
 at Philadelphia a letter of introduction from John Jay, then minister to England; and 
 soon after, " in ye winter season," as Timothy Williams says, he painted the first portrait 
 from life. The expression of this was not satisfactory to the artist, and he affirmed that 
 he rubbed it out. He also acknowledged but two originals and twenty-six copies ; which 
 statement has always been accepted as final, though investigation justifies the conclusion 
 that either his memory or record has been at fault. 
 
 These portraits, with the exceptions of the cabinet and full-length known as " Wash- 
 ington at Dorchester Heights," are in citizen's dress ; generally a black-velvet suit with 
 ruffles, the latter sometimes of delicate lace. In the " Lansdowne portrait" he stands at 
 a table, on which are some books, an inkstand, etc. Back of him to the right is an 
 armchair, and in the background are two rows of pillars and a drawn curtain. The head 
 is turned to the left, the right arm raised as though he had just finished speaking; and 
 the left hand, which falls at his side, holds a dress-sword. The figure is not approved; 
 but the whole arrangement of accessories is appropriate and graceful. The bust portraits 
 are in velvet, with little variety in the deep-tinted backgrounds. 
 
 It is probable, that, before Mr. Stuart left England, among others, he received from 
 the Marquis of Lansdowne the commission to paint the portrait still known by the name 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 See Page So. 
 
\ 
 
Gilbert Stuart 
 
 81 
 
 of that nobleman. For this, a full-length (Stuart's second effort), Washington was pre- 
 vailed upon to submit to sittings by Mrs. William Bingham of Philadelphia in 1796, who, 
 with her husband, esteemed it a favor to be permitted to present it to the marquis, in 
 remembrance of his generous defence of the cause of America in the House of Lords. 
 
 When he received the portrait, he expressed great delight, saying, that, but for his 
 age, he would go to America, and thank Washington for allowing it to be taken. 
 
 Upon the death of the marquis, the condition of his affairs made it necessary to sell 
 his personal property ; and the portrait was sold at public auction for two thousand pounds 
 sterling, Mr. Samuel Williams, an American gentleman long resident in London, being the 
 purchaser. 
 
 A statement contradicting the price paid is found in Smith's " Nollekens and his 
 Times" (vol. I. p. 374): — 
 
 ' Mr. Nollekens once called out across the street to me, on the opposite side of Hay-hill, 
 'Smith, Peter Coxe has just knocked down General Washington, — Stewart's picture. Well, what do 
 you think? it fetched a great deal more than any modern picture ever brought before, for he has 
 just sold it at Lord Lansdown's for ^540. 15^. You know Stewart; he was born in America.'" 
 
 At the time of this purchase Mr. Williams was the Maecenas of American merchants in 
 London. But in 1824 misfortune overtook him; and his assignees, in settling his affairs, 
 not being able to obtain an adequate price for his Washington, concluded to dispose of 
 it by lottery, fixing the value at the amount it had cost Mr. Williams, — two thousand 
 pounds, — for which they issued forty tickets at fifty guineas each. John D. Lewis, a 
 resident of St. Petersburg as the head of the only American commission house then 
 established in Russia, held the winning number. The portrait was never taken to St. 
 Petersburg, but was left with trustees in London. It was inherited in 1841 by his son, 
 John Delaware Lewis, late member of Parliament for Devonport, who generously permitted 
 it to be sent to the United States Centennial Exhibition at the request of his uncle, 
 William D. Lewis of Florence Heights, N.J. 
 
 That venerable gentleman, from whom the foregoing facts were obtained, during the 
 winters of 1818 and 18 19 often saw the portrait hanging in Mr. Williams's drawing-room 
 in London. 
 
 At the exhibition it was placed in the central hall of Memorial Building ; and beneath 
 it, securely fastened to the wall behind a thick plate-glass to guard against loss, was dis- 
 played an autograph letter of Washington to the artist, which, though published many 
 times, it seems appropriate to insert here : — 
 
 Sir, — I am under promise to Mrs. Bingham to set for you to-morrow at nine o'clock, and 
 
82 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 wishing to know if it be convenient to you that I should do so, whether it shall be at your own 
 house (as she talked of the State House) I send this note to you to ask information, 
 
 I am Sir, Your obedient Serv 1 
 
 G°. WASHINGTON. 
 
 Monday 
 
 nday ) 
 :xing ) 
 
 Ap 1 1796. 
 
 Even 
 
 Superscribed " Mr. Stuart — Ches' St." 
 
 To this letter is appended the following note : — 
 
 In looking over my papers to find one that had the signature of Geo. Washington, I found 
 this asking me where he should sit for his portrait, which is now owned by Sam 1 Williams of Lon- 
 don. I have thought proper it should be his, especially as he owns the only original painting I ever 
 made of Washington, except one I own myself. I painted a third, but rubbed it out. I now present 
 this to his brother, Tim° Williams, for said Samuel. 
 
 G BT STUART. 
 
 Boston 9th day March, 1823. 
 
 The statement that this, claimed to be the only finished portrait of Washington taken 
 by Stuart from life, had been sent to St. Petersburg, arose from the fact that in 1822, 
 upon an order from Mr. William D. Lewis, Stuart made for him a picture after the 
 Lansdovvne head. The figure is seated at a table, the right forefinger and thumb placed 
 on a map ; beyond in the sky is a rainbow, similar to the composition of the portrait 
 painted for Peter Jay Munroe. The owner had this work in St. Petersburg, where he then 
 resided ; and it is now at his home at Florence Heights, N.J. 1 When Mr. Lewis informed 
 Stuart that the picture was to go to St. Petersburg, he replied that he would be very 
 glad to have one of his works there ; as in his younger days he had been offered the 
 position of court-painter by the Empress, Catharine the Great. 
 
 Notwithstanding the unbroken chain of testimony sustaining the claims of the Lans- 
 downe or Lewis picture, — testimony which cannot be disputed, — a portrait in the 
 possession of Mr. Russell Sturgis of London has been asserted to be the true original. 
 A statement to this effect is made in the catalogue for 1879 of the Boston Museum of 
 Fine Arts, in a note to the description of the Athenaeum portrait. 2 Mr. John H. Sturgis 
 of Brookline, Mass., has kindly furnished the facts concerning its history. The picture 
 was brought to the attention of Mr. Sturgis by Mr. C. R. Leslie, R. A., and by him 
 pronounced a genuine Stuart. Mr. Leslie took Mr. Sturgis to see it, and he was so 
 charmed with it that he bought it. The late Lord Lansdowne, who was a friend of 
 
 « Mr. Lewis died April 1, 1881. 
 
 » This statement was omitted in the catalogue of the following year. 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 83 
 
 Mr. Sturgis, said he had no doubt that it was the picture painted by Stuart for a former 
 Lord Lansdowne, which he thought had been sold into Russia, whence the picture is 
 supposed to have come. The picture is about ten feet high by six feet wide, and is 
 framed over the mantel-piece in the dining-room of Mr. Sturgis's town-house, Carlton- 
 House Terrace, London. These circumstances seem to identify the Sturgis portrait as a 
 work by Stuart ; and, if a genuine Stuart, it must be the one painted for Gardner 
 Baker, an account of which will follow. 
 
 Mr. Russell Sturgis also owns a bust-portrait of Washington painted by Stuart for his 
 uncle, James Perkins Sturgis, from whom he inherited it. This is a rare example of 
 flesh-painting, retaining its freshness in the manner peculiar to Stuart's works. The first 
 owner had it with him in China for nearly thirty years. 
 
 Stuart's third original — destined to become the most famous of his works — was a 
 bust-portrait, for which Washington consented to sit at the solicitation of his wife, — of 
 whom Stuart painted a companion-portrait during the spring and summer of 1796. His 
 fame now burdened him with multiplied demands upon his time. To secure leisure, he 
 was obliged to leave Chestnut Street ; and he removed to Germantown, where he fitted 
 up a barn for a studio, in which novel atelier the Athenaeum portraits were executed. 
 
 The importance given to this well-known head by the approval of the artist, as well 
 as of many contemporaries and art-critics, calls for the introduction of opinions from 
 established authority. Therefore, though not subscribing entirely to Mr. Tuckerman's 
 judgment, his opinion, and none is more laudatory, is introduced : — 
 
 " The freshness of color, the studious modelling of the brow, the mingling of clear purpose 
 and benevolence in the eye, and a thorough nobleness and dignity in the whole head, realize all the 
 most intelligent admirer of the original has imagined, — not, indeed, when thinking of him as the 
 intrepid leader of armies, but in the last analysis and complete image of the hero in retirement, in 
 all the consciousness of a sublime career, unimpeachable fidelity to a national trust, and the eternal 
 gratitude of a free people. ... It is this masterpiece of Stuart that has not only perpetuated, but 
 distributed over the globe, the resemblance of Washington. It has been sometimes lamented, that 
 so popular a work does not represent him in the aspect of a successful warrior, or in the flush of 
 youth ; but there seems to be a singular harmony between this venerable image, so majestic, 
 benignant, and serene, and the absolute character -and peculiar example of Washington, separated 
 from what was purely incidental and contingent in his life. Self-control, endurance, dauntless 
 courage, loyalty to a just but sometimes desperate cause, hope through the most hopeless crisis, and 
 a tone of feeling the most exalted, united to habits of candid simplicity, are better embodied in 
 such a calm, magnanimous, mature image, full of dignity and sweetness, than if portrayed in battle- 
 array or melodramatic attitude. Let such pictures as David's Napoleon — with prancing steed, 
 flashing eye, and waving sword — represent the mere victor and military genius ; but he who 
 spurned a crown, knew no watchword but duty, no goal but freedom and justice, and no reward 
 
§4 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 but the approval of conscience and the gratitude of a country, lives more appropriately, both to 
 memory and in art, under the aspect of a finished life crowned with the harvest of honor and 
 peace, and serene in the consummation of disinterested purpose." 
 
 The Athenaeum portraits were ordered for Mrs. Washington. A family tradition says 
 they were intended by her as a gift to her eldest grand-daughter, Elizabeth Parke Law ; 
 but the artist, it has been charged, wishing to retain them, resorted to the subterfuge of 
 never quite finishing the backgrounds, while the heads were completed in his best 
 manner. Stuart's explanation is given by Mr. Neagle the artist, in these words : — 
 
 " Mrs. Washington called often to see the general's portrait, and was desirous to possess the 
 painting. One day she called with her husband, and begged to know when she might have it. The 
 general himself never pressed it ; but on this occasion, as he and his lady were about to retire, he 
 returned to Mr. Stuart, and said he saw plainly of v/hat advantage the picture was to the painter 
 (who had been constantly employed in copying it; and Stuart said he could not work so well from 
 another) : he therefore begged the artist to retain the painting at his pleasure." 
 
 Miss Jane Stuart's version is, — 
 
 " When Gen. and Mrs. Washington took their last sittings, her father told Washington that it 
 would be of great importance to him to retain the originals, and that Washington consented, saying, 
 ' Certainly, Mr. Stuart, if they arc of any consequence to you : I shall be perfectly satisfied with 
 copies from your hand, as it will be impossible for me to sit again at present.' " 
 
 Miss Stuart says that the copies made of the originals were for Mount Vernon. 
 
 There seems to be sufficient evidence that Stuart determined on keeping this beauti- 
 ful head, — his " nest-egg," as he termed it. Mrs. Elizabeth Bordley Gibson said that she 
 had often heard the matter discussed at Mount Vernon, and that the President called 
 several times at the studio, requesting that the picture should be sent home ; but Stuart 
 always made the excuse that it was not finished. At last, in a ruffled manner, the Presi- 
 dent curtly said to the artist, "Well, Mr. Stuart, I will not call again for this portrait: 
 when it is finished, send it to me." 
 
 Stuart was disappointed in realizing the large price he expected for these portraits. 
 It is said that an English gentleman offered ten thousand dollars for them soon after the 
 sitting, which was refused ; and, not long before the artist's death, the State of Massachu- 
 setts wished to purchase them, offering two thousand dollars. They remained in possession 
 of his family until October, 1831, when they were bought from his widow for fifteen 
 hundred dollars by the Washington Association of Boston and other subscribers, and 
 presented to the Boston Athenseum. These chcfs-d'a>nvres have recently been transferred, 
 
Gilbert Stuart 
 
 See Page 84. 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 85 
 
 for more perfect security, with other paintings of the Athenaeum Collection, to the Museum 
 of Fine Arts, Boston. 
 
 Dunlap calls this the second portrait, and says it " was eminently successful." He 
 further writes : — 
 
 "He painted it on a three-quarter canvas, but only finished the head. When last I saw this, 
 the only faithful portrait of the Father of our Country, it hung, without frame, on the door of the 
 artist's painting-room at his house on Fort Hill, Boston. This beautiful image of the mind, as well 
 as features, of Washington, was offered to the State of Massachusetts by the artist for one thousand 
 dollars, which they refused to give." 
 
 The artist is authority for the statement, that, of the second and third originals, he 
 made twenty-six copies, which differed occasionally in accessories ; but the heads were true 
 reproductions ; though it is also said he often asserted that he never executed a copy 
 which was satisfactory to himself. 
 
 While Stuart was at work on the Lansdowne picture, he was painting a portrait of 
 Mr. William Constable of New York. This gentleman was so pleased with the represen- 
 tation of the President, that he prevailed upon Stuart to paint him a copy of it. It is 
 asserted that Washington stood for both, so that the one ordered by Mr. Constable may 
 claim to be an original. Mr. Constable's interest in the portrait was such, that he made 
 two journeys in his chariot from New York to see it ; and, when it arrived at his house, 
 a number of distinguished gentlemen were invited to welcome it. The general verdict was 
 that of enthusiastic approval ; and there seems no reason to pronounce it inferior to the 
 Lansdowne, and it has the advantage of being in perfect condition. 
 
 It was described at the time as a " majestic and dignified picture." It remained in 
 the old Constable mansion, which stood on the present site of the Astor House, until 
 the death of its owner, in 1803. He bequeathed it to his son William, then but seventeen, 
 and living in Schenectady ; but it was removed to the home of his brother-in-law, Henry 
 E. Pierrepont. In 18 12 Mr. Pierrepont bought it at the price originally paid Stuart, — 
 six hundred dollars. In 1824, when Lafayette visited Mrs. Constable, — her husband having 
 been on his staff, — he said, in looking at this picture, "This is my noble friend, indeed!" 
 
 It has descended to the grandson of Mr. Constable, Henry E. Pierrepont of Brooklyn, 
 N.Y., who says of it, — 
 
 "Owing to intimacy and friendship for Mr. Constable, Stuart paid particular attention to the 
 details of this portrait, which is more highly finished than usual for Stuart. It is now as fresh in 
 coloring as the day it was painted, and is in perfect preservation." 
 
 An anecdote illustrating the pains bestowed upon this picture is thus related : — 
 
86 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 "Mr. Daniel McCormick, a friend of Mr. Constable, one day met Mr. Stuart carrying a Turkey 
 rug, and asked him what he intended to do with it. Stuart replied, ' It is for my studio.' As he 
 had the reputation of expensive habits, Mr. McCormick exclaimed, 'You extravagant dog! Why 
 didn't you buy a Kidderminster, which is cheap, and would answer as well ? ' Stuart entered into 
 no explanation then, but afterwards took him to see the Constable portrait, when he nudged his 
 elbow, and asked, ' What do you say now to my carpet ? ' " 
 
 This portrait has been twice copied in oil; first, in 1841, at the request of the 
 mayor of Hudson, N.Y., who desired Mr. Prime to copy it for the council-chamber of 
 that city. One of Stuart's favorite pupils, Mr. James Frothingham, solicited permission 
 to reproduce it, and he worked three months at the hospitable home. He made a very 
 brilliant and beautiful translation, which was presented by Mr. A. A. Low to the city of 
 Salem, Mass. 
 
 A plate was made of the head of this portrait, which appeared in Tuckerman's " Por- 
 traits of Washington ; " but the engraving has been suppressed, as it was not considered 
 a just reproduction. 
 
 Stuart painted a half-length at the same time for Mr. Constable, which was presented 
 by him to his friend and counsel, Alexander Hamilton. It is owned by the grandson of 
 that statesman, Mr. Alexander Hamilton of New York, who gives another history of it. 
 He says, — 
 
 " This portrait belongs to me, having been given to me by my father's will, as the portrait of 
 Washington given by him to my grandfather, Gen. Hamilton. It was in Gen. Hamilton's possession, 
 afterwards in his widow's (my grandmother's) possession for about fifty years, and was given by her 
 to my father. It has never been engraved to my knowledge, is a half-length, seated, and is in 
 excellent preservation, the colors being fresh and brilliant. Mr. Pierrepont examined the picture at 
 my house; and on the strength of a receipt from Stuart for a portrait of about the same size, and 
 also on account of Mr. Constable's great friendship for Gen. Hamilton, he argues that this is the 
 picture referred to in the receipt." 
 
 " On the other hand, we have the statement of one of Washington's family, that it was the gift 
 of Washington ; and, as far as I know, it was the belief of Gen. Hamilton's widow and family, 
 that it was Washington's gift to him. My father was sixteen years old when his father was killed, 
 and seemed to have no doubt about it." 
 
 The following bill (the original in possession of Mr. Pierrepont) establishes beyond 
 controversy that two pictures were painted for Mr. Constable : — 
 
 Wm. Constable Esq r To G. Stuart D r 
 
 To one portrait of said W. C D r 100 
 
 " one do of the late president of the United States at full length ... 500 
 
 " one do half length 250 
 
 D r 850 Dollars. 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 87 
 
 Philadelphia 13 July 1797. — Received of Rich d Soderstrom Esq r through the hands of John 
 Vaughan Esq r the above sum in full of all demands against them and the above mentioned 
 W m Constable Esq r 
 
 G. STUART. 
 
 DIMENSIONS GIVEN UP BY MR. STUART. 
 
 5 feet & 8 feet 
 34 4-3" 
 
 Before the Lansdowne portrait was sent to England, Stuart made a replica for 
 Mr. William Bingham of Philadelphia, afterwards United-States senator. When this 
 gentleman went to Europe, the portrait was deposited in the Bank of the United States. 
 He died abroad in 1804; and in fulfilment of his bequest the portrait was in 181 1 
 removed to the Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Mr. Stuart, who had suffered 
 greatly from the piracy of artists, especially engravers, refused to allow the Bingham 
 portrait to be copied, it being his opinion that an artist should have the same protection 
 as an author. 
 
 The second copy of the Lansdowne picture was executed by Stuart for Mr. Gardner 
 Baker, a genial gentleman of culture. He was one of the most energetic officers of the 
 Society of St. Tammany, and in 1790 began to gather materials for a museum which 
 was situated on the corner of Broad and Pearl Streets. In 1798 he took the Washington 
 portrait for exhibition in Boston, where he died of yellow-fever. His effects were sold ; 
 and the portrait became the property of Mr. Thomas Laing, in payment of a claim. 
 Despite the denial of Mr. Stuart, this has long been supposed to be the well-known 
 portrait which now hangs in the East Room at the White House. Its history has been 
 involved in doubt ; but, with characteristic plain speech, Dunlap tells the following 
 story : — 
 
 "Mr. Baker, in the course of business, became the debtor of Mr. William Laing, who in 
 process of time received the second picture in payment. Mr. Laing, being in the metropolis when 
 the President's house was being furnished, suggested the appropriateness of such a picture as he 
 possessed for such a place, and eventually sold the portrait to the committee who directed the 
 business. Unfortunately, only knowing Winstanley as a painter" [the relations of this artist with 
 Stuart are described in a following page], "he sent to him a commission for packing up and 
 shipping the original Stuart. Winstanley received it, and packed up one of his copies instead, 
 which was unsuspectingly received, and put up in the palace. The cheat was not discovered until 
 after Stuart removed to the city of Washington, 'when he at a glance saw that the picture was not 
 from his pencil, and disclaimed it. In the mean time the rogue had returned home with his prize ; 
 and Mr. Laing, after making every effort to regain the picture, refunded the money." 
 
88 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 No record of the money being returned has been found ; but receipts for the sum paid 
 by the government for this portrait may be seen at the Treasury Department. Copies of 
 them are here given ; and it will be remarked that the picture was not purchased from 
 the artist, but, as Mr. Dunlap says, from Mr. Laing. 
 
 "5* July 1800. 
 
 Debtor the U. States in act. with Henry Lee. 
 
 Dollars. 
 
 To one portrait full length of the late Genl Washington by Stewart with frame bought from Thos. Lang . 800 
 
 HENRY LEE. 
 
 Pay the above to Daniel Brent in full for the above picture. 
 
 H. LEE. 
 
 Navy Dept. July, 1800. 
 
 Genl Marshal, 1 Mr. Dexter 2 & myself agreed that Genl. Washington's Picture should be 
 bought — Picture & Frame — at 8oo Drs . Genl Lee now wants the money for it, which I am willing 
 he should receive. The Secy of the Treasury, I presume, will take order in it. 
 
 BEN. STODERT.3 
 
 The above picture was purchased by direction of the Secretaries of the Departments for the 
 President's House. 
 
 N. H." 
 
 The only discrepancy between the above and Mr. Dunlap's account is in the name of 
 Mr. Laing, — -an inaccuracy not unprecedented in the writings of either the commissioners 
 or Dunlap, nor uncommon to the time. It will be observed that Stoddert, in writing his 
 own signature, spelled it with one " d." 
 
 Stuart's denial of the White House portrait has been repeated by his daughter, yet 
 appears to have had but little effect in removing popular faith in that work. The 
 indifferent coloring — quite unworthy of the warm flesh-tints of Stuart's brush, upon which 
 his fame chiefly rests — is sufficient to excite suspicion as to its genuineness, and has 
 provoked much discussion among artists. It is unjust to one of America's greatest 
 painters that this libel upon his genius should be retained in the Executive Mansion. 
 
 Special interest is attached to this picture from the oft-repeated story of its having 
 been cut from the frame by Mrs. Madison, rolled up, and sent to Fairfax County, 
 Virginia, when the British occupied the Capital, Aug. 24, 18 14. 
 
 The first version of this portrait's adventure was related through letters from Mr. 
 
 1 John Marshall, Secretary of State. 1 Samuel Dexter, Secretary of War. 
 
 3 Benjamin Stoddert, Secretary of the Navy. 
 
Gilbert S heart. 
 
 8 9 
 
 Robert S. S. Depeyster, Westport, Conn., and Mr. Jacob Barker of New Orleans, which 
 were published in a Philadelphia paper. Mr. Barker said, — 
 
 "We took the portrait, — you and I held each a corner of the light frame, having left the gilt 
 frame on the floor of the room, my servant a third, and a hired black boy a fourth, — fell in the trail 
 of the army, marched on with it through Georgetown, and several miles on the road to Montgomery 
 Court-house. While we were crossing the bridge at Georgetown, an Irishwoman, who was loading 
 a cart with her furniture in great haste, recognized Washington's countenance, and clashed down a 
 looking-glass she was lifting, extended her hands towards heaven, and exclaimed, ' My God ! if he were 
 only here to save us ! ' Unable to continue from fatigue, we turned off in the woods, and soon came 
 to the house of a poor widow, and made arrangements with her to keep the portrait until called for." 
 
 Mr. Charles Carroll of Bellevue, Georgetown, D.C., has related to relatives now living, 
 that he carried it in a roll before him on horseback to a place of safety, and that it was 
 his own thought to remove it. As soon as he heard that the British were approaching 
 the city, he mounted a fast horse, rode to the White House, and himself aided in taking 
 it from the frame. 
 
 Opposed to these statements is "that of Mr. Barlow of Washington, who recently 
 cleaned and reframed the picture. He says, that, if removed at all on that occasion, it 
 was not cut from the original stretcher, as the selvage of the canvas, and the wrought 
 nails peculiar to that day, remain intact. This is a remarkable instance of the superior 
 value of "circumstantial evidence" to "parol testimony." 
 
 Mr. W. W. Corcoran gives quite another version of the picture's removal. He was a 
 youth of sixteen at the time of the capture of Washington City ; and he distinctly remem- 
 bers that the picture was deposited at the Crawford Hotel, Georgetown, when the President 
 left the White House. It remained there until Crawford, fearing that its custody would 
 cause the British to deal harshly with him, put it out into the street, where it was exposed 
 to the inclement weather for several days. The story of its having been cut from the 
 frame soon became a favorite legend ; and Mr. Corcoran would sometimes remind Mrs. 
 Madison that he saw the framed portrait in the open street, when the gracious lady would 
 laugh, and in a delightful way declare that she had so often heard the story, that she 
 believed it herself. 
 
 In pursuance of an order from the State of Rhode Island, Stuart was engaged by the 
 committee to paint two portraits of Washington, — one for each of the State Capitols. 
 The following resolutions were adopted March 1, 1800, at the first session of the General 
 Assembly after the death of Washington : — 
 
 "The General Assembly, deeply impressed with the importance of perpetuating his eminent 
 virtues, which have shone with unrivalled lustre, and of transmitting to posterity the high estimate 
 
9 o 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 in which he is held by his fellow-citizens, and of giving them an opportunity of seeing the likeness 
 of the man who was 'first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen;' and who 
 expressed in his features the benevolence of his nature, maintained in his person the dignity of his 
 mind : do resolve that two portraits of him, drawn at full length by some eminent artist, with suita- 
 ble frames, be procured at the expense of the State, and that one of them be placed in the senate 
 chamber in each of the State Houses in the counties of Newport and Providence." 
 
 These portraits are in the style of the Lansdowne picture ; and Stuart is said to have 
 taken great care and pride in rendering them, as they were intended for his native State. 
 That at Newport is considered the better portrait. Tuckerman says, " It is distinguished 
 for the apt and careful moulding of the brow ; and the drooping angle of the eyelids is 
 also a notable feature." 
 
 A full-length by Stuart was purchased by the General Assembly of Connecticut, May, 
 1800, at their first session after the death of Washington. It was ordered to be hune in 
 the council-chamber (afterwards called the senate-chamber), and is also after the Lans- 
 downe picture. The committee to purchase it consisted of James Hillhouse, Chauncey 
 Goodrich, and John Trumbull the poet. It now hangs in the State House, Hartford, 
 Conn., and was engraved in 18 18. 
 
 Another full-length, in the Lenox Collection, New- York City, is a favorite picture. It 
 was painted by Stuart for Peter Jay Munroe, and was purchased from his family by Mr. 
 Lenox in July, 1845. It has been humorously called the "teapot portrait," because of the 
 position of the arms ; but this is a forced witticism. This portrait was engraved by Sartain 
 for a reprint of "Washington's Farewell Address," printed in 1850 for private circulation 
 by Mr. James Lenox, who owned the original manuscript. It has also been reproduced 
 by Hill and Ritchie. Washington stands by a table, on which his hand rests. The letters 
 " G. St." are on the leg of the table. The coat is held by a single button, and the figure 
 is better drawn than that of the Lansdowne. 
 
 The last full-length made by Stuart was presented to the town of Boston in 1806, 
 by Samuel Parkman. For many years it hung in Faneuil Hall, but was recently removed 
 to the Museum of Fine Arts, and replaced by a copy by Miss Jane Stuart, daughter of 
 the artist. This portrait differs from the others, as it represents Washington standing 
 beside a white horse. The introduction of the horse is explained by the artist, who says, 
 that, in his effort to paint Washington, he was for a while quite discouraged; and the 
 first time he caught a sufficiently animated expression was in consequence of Washington's 
 pleasure in watching a spirited white charger from the study-window. While the senti- 
 ment that led to the introduction of the steed is admirable, the fact must be deplored, 
 as it is probably the most wooden horse since the days of Troy. 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 See Page 90. 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 9i 
 
 Stuart gives an amusing account of the origin of his commission for this picture, 
 which was executed in nine days to soothe the feelings of the gentleman who gave it to 
 the city. It appears that Mr. Parkman received, as security for five hundred dollars lent 
 by him to Winstanley, a full-length portrait of Washington painted by himself, but which 
 he represented to be the work of Stuart. Of course the artist-adventurer, who left the 
 city as soon as he received the money, never returned. Mr. Parkman tried to sell his 
 Stuart. He sent it abroad, but did not find a purchaser. He finally, with appropriate 
 ceremony, presented it to the city of Boston, and it was hung in the " Cradle of Liberty." 
 One day a Democrat who knew the history of the painting exposed the fraud in a political 
 meeting, and denounced the spurious canvas as the gift of a Federalist. The excitement 
 was intense : even the boys in the street hooted at such a gift. The unfortunate donor 
 was so teased and perplexed, that he was glad to give an order to Mr. Stuart to replace 
 the picture by one known to be from his hand. Another version is, that the gift was 
 tendered in a town-meeting : but a burly blacksmith cried out in objection, saying it was a 
 cheat ; that Stuart was in the city, and " the gentleman might have one painted by him." 
 
 In "The Record of the Town of Boston" this picture was alluded to as a copy of 
 Stuart. Miss Stuart, however, identified it as the work of her father ; and the city authori- 
 ties caused her letter to be inserted in the Record as follows: "The picture of Wash- 
 ington now in Faneuil Hall was painted by my father, and presented to the town of 
 Boston by Samuel Parkman. This circumstance is too much impressed upon my mind to 
 admit of any doubt whatever. Also that it was copied from the original head, now in 
 the Athenaeum." It is a full-length in uniform, and represents Washington standing beside 
 and holding the bridle of his horse with his right, a chapcau in his left hand. The distance 
 shows shipping in the harbor; and the accessories are commemorative of the first flight of 
 the enemy, March 17, 1776. 
 
 The cabinet size painted for Mr. I. P. Davis in 18 10 was the original study for the 
 Faneuil-hall portrait. Mr. Stuart called it a " small full-length." This picture belongs to 
 Mr. Ignatius Sargent of Brookline, Mass., who purchased it from the heirs of Mr. Davis. 
 It was exhibited in a collection of Stuart portraits at the Art Museum in Boston, 1880. 
 
 The only cabinet full-length in citizen's dress by Stuart belongs to Mr. George F. 
 Meredith of London. He received it through his wife, daughter of a member of Parliament 
 from Birmingham. This gentleman had married an American lady, whose father was on 
 Washington's staff. When exhibited here in 1876, the painting was recognized as the 
 work of Stuart by his daughter and others. It was shortly afterwards returned to England. 
 
 A very interesting Stuart is in the collection of the late Joseph Harrison, Philadelphia. 
 This is affirmed to be the canvas upon which Stuart painted the first portrait, which he 
 subsequently declared he had rubbed out. It differs from the Athenaeum portrait in the 
 
9 2 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 pose of the head, which is turned to the left. Mr. Harrison believed it to be an original 
 when he purchased it, and continued to so believe, even after the authoritative announce- 
 ment that there were only two originals in existence. As an assurance of his faith in it, 
 he inserted in the last catalogue made of his pictures this extract from Rembrandt Peale's 
 lecture on the Portraits of Washington: — 
 
 " Mr. Stuart's first portrait of Washington was painted simultaneously with mine, in September, 
 1795. From this portrait he made five copies, but becoming dissatisfied with it, some years after- 
 wards sold it for two hundred dollars to Winstanley, the landscape-painter. Of this I was informed 
 by Dr. Thornton, in Washington, soon after its occurrence ; so that it was not literally rubbed out, 
 as has been supposed. 
 
 " Winstanley took it to London, where it was bought by Mr. William Vaughan ; and it is now 
 in the possession of Joseph Harrison, jun., of Philadelphia, who has permitted me to copy it." [This 
 copy is now in the Lenox Collection.] "Although this portrait was not satisfactory to Mr. Stuart, 
 yet I think in the lower portion of the face it has the advantage over the portrait he afterwards 
 painted. A small copy of it I have seen in Baltimore, certified on the back by Robert Gilmor as 
 painted for him by James House from Stuart's first portrait of Washington. To me it was interest- 
 ing, in making this copy of the work of a fellow-artist, to study his first impressions of the living 
 countenance of Washington." 
 
 On this canvas is written " General Washington, by Mr. Stuart." It was owned by 
 Mr. Samuel Vaughan (not William, who inherited it), who was a London merchant, resi- 
 dent several years in Philadelphia, and a great admirer of Washington, — the " Mr. Vaughan " 
 who presented him with the handsomely carved mantel for the mansion at Mount Vernon, 
 which he termed in his diary "my marble chimney-piece." Mr. Vaughan took or sent 
 the portrait to London in the year in which it was painted, and it was there engraved. 
 The engraving bears this inscription : " George Washington. Engraved by T. Holloway, 
 from a Picture painted by Mr. Stuart in 1795, in possession of Samuel Vaughan Esq r . 
 Published as the act directs by T. Holloway and the other Proprietors, Nov r 2, 1796." 
 
 This inscription contradicts the information received by Mr. Peale from Dr. Thornton 
 in regard to the length of time this canvas remained in this country, while it enforces the 
 belief that it is the picture supposed to have been effaced. The execution of this picture, 
 which has been recognized without question by connoisseurs, is the best proof of its 
 genuineness. In the memoranda left by Stuart of ordered portraits of Washington, we 
 find " J. Vaughan, 200. 2 ; " so that, as he said the first was rubbed out, it can only be 
 supposed that he did make the five copies to which Peale testifies, and that this, if not 
 the original, is a very early copy. If Stuart had rubbed it out, Winstanley could have had 
 no opportunity to copy it : if he purchased it, there was no temptation at that time for 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 93 
 
 him to do so. From the appearance of its surface, therefore, it is not probable that he 
 even retouched it when it came into his hands. The engraving of it by Holloway, known 
 as the Vaughan picture, appeared in the English quarto edition of Lavater's " Essays on 
 Physiognomy," and another by Ridley, in 1800, in "The European Magazine." 
 
 Winstanlcy, who was regarded by artists as unscrupulous, had no reputation other 
 than that of a landscape-painter ; and he did not often attempt portraits. 1 Two views on 
 the Hudson River, — "Morning" and " Evening," — which belonged to the Mount-Vernon 
 Collection, were by Winstanley, who presented them to Washington. It matters not 
 whether the statement that Winstanley owned the picture be false or true. The date of 
 the picture rests upon the testimony of the engraving, and establishes it as the first picture. 
 
 A very handsome copy of the first portrait, facing to the left, is now owned by Mrs. 
 Anna R. Reilly of New Haven, Conn. This lady is a great-grand-daughter of the "gallant 
 Irish captain " of the Revolution, Gen. Edward Hand. The picture was purchased in 
 Baltimore, in 1806, by Edward Brien of Philadelphia, who married Gen. Hand's daughter. 
 Thirty years ago the Historical Society of Baltimore wrote to Mrs. Brien, proposing to 
 buy this portrait, as its claim to being a Stuart was recognized. It is painted upon twilled 
 canvas, and the nails are also of the same kind that Stuart always used. The background 
 is rich, dark red; and the portrait, which was once on exhibition in New York, is described 
 as being " a solid work, the color good, and portraying Washington as somewhat younger 
 than in Stuart's other pictures." It has never been engraved, but has been loaned to the 
 New Haven Art School. This picture is another very beautiful reproduction of Stuart's 
 first picture ; and, as Mr. Peale says, the lines of the mouth are less objectionable than 
 in the Athenaeum portrait. 
 
 A bust portrait attracting attention at present is the one owned by Dr. William F. 
 Channing, Providence, R.I. It history is given in a few words, and it has the distinctive 
 position of the Vaughan picture. Its record, being well established, is of significant 
 importance. Dr. Channing writes: — 
 
 . "The portrait of Washington in my possession was sold by Stuart to his warm personal friend, 
 — my uncle, — Col. George Gibbs of New York, with the statement that it was one of two or three 
 pictures on the easel while Washington was sitting, and was touched from life. Col. Gibbs subse- 
 quently purchased from Stuart a complete and uniform set of his portraits of the Presidents, and 
 then sold the picture of Washington which I have to his sister, — my mother, — Mrs. William E. 
 Channing, who gave it to me twenty-five years ago. The picture, therefore, has never been out of 
 our family since it left Stuart's hands. . . . Miss Stuart, upon seeing this portrait, was surprised, and 
 exclaimed, ' It is the picture I thought my father destroyed.' " 
 
 1 A cabinet full-length of John Adams, painted while he was ambassador to The Hague, 1782-85, by Winstanley, is 
 in the Boston Museum. 
 
94 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Dr. Charming suggests that it may have been on the easel at the time Stuart became 
 dissatisfied with his first effort, and escaped destruction because it was not finished. This 
 suggestion commends itself as the only just explanation of an apparent contradiction. 
 
 It has the characteristics of the portraits, having the same position ; namely, the face 
 is not so broad, the expression of the mouth is stronger and more natural, because less 
 constrained, and the background is deeper and richer. The vividness of color is per- 
 fectly preserved, and possesses all the artistic perfection of Stuart's glowing brush. The 
 sudden appearance of this picture from comparative seclusion was a revelation to con- 
 noisseurs, and it was welcomed with enthusiasm. It is a pity, as well as a marvel, that 
 it has not been more widely known. It was greatly admired, as compared with others, 
 at die Exhibition of Stuart Portraits, 1880. 
 
 An exquisite engraving of it was made by Charles Burt for the " Life and Works 
 of Gilbert Stuart." A royal folio by Mr. Burt would be a beautiful addition to engraved 
 " Portraits of Washington." 
 
 Another of these portraits, with the head turned to, the left, similar to the Vaughan 
 in pose and drawing, belonged to Mrs. Hugh Thompson, afterwards wife of Professor 
 George Tucker of the University of Virginia. Whether bought or inherited is not 
 known. It became the property of Professor Tucker's two daughters, Mrs. George Rives 
 and Mrs. Gessner Harrison, who a few years since sold it to Mr. Francis Robert Rives of 
 New York. Art critics declare that this painting bears indubitable marks of being 
 genuine, and is a very beautiful example of Stuart. 
 
 A portrait, always claimed by Gen. Henry Lee of Virginia to be a Stuart, is now 
 owned by Mrs. Thomas H. Morris of Baltimore. It was bought by her late husband's 
 father, John B. Morris, in 1856, from L. Tiernan Brien, and originally belonged to 
 Gen. Lee, who conveyed it to William C, Somerville of Baltimore. The late Col. Brantz 
 Mayer of that city spoke of this as resembling strongly the Vaughan portrait, with head 
 turned to the left, making a group of five portraits in that position. 
 
 Reproductions of the Athenaeum head have been grouped in cities or sections. 
 
 A bust-portrait, recognized in memoranda given by Miss Stuart as the one ordered 
 
 by " Smith, Esq., S. C," was painted for Gen. Benjamin Smith of North Carolina, 
 
 an officer in the war of Independence, serving on Washington's staff. He was afterwards 
 governor of his State, and the citizen, who, earlier than any other, became interested 
 in the educational advancement of North Carolina, and gave an estate of twenty 
 thousand acres to its development. He died at Fort Johnston in 1824, and bequeathed 
 the Stuart portrait to his relative and physician, Dr. G. C. Clitherall, U.S.A., at whose 
 death, in 1829, it became the property of his eldest child, Mrs. Junius A. Moore of Wil- 
 mington, N. C. This lady, after the losses sustained in the late war, feeling compelled to 
 dispose of this valuable heirloom, sent it to S. P. Avery, New York, for sale. 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 See Page 93. 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 95 
 
 One familiar with the portrait from childhood says that " for more than half a 
 century, judges holding court at Smithville, members of the bar, officers of the army, 
 all classes of educated people, were in the habit of going in parties to Gov. Smith's, 
 and afterwards to Dr. Clitherall's, to see Stuart's Washington." This picture was taken 
 to Philadelphia just before the death of Thomas Sully, whose certificate attached to the 
 painting is terse and to the point: "It is as unmistakable as my own handwriting; that 
 is the work of my dear old master, and one of his best." 
 
 There are two bust-portraits by Stuart in the State Library at Richmond, Va. The 
 first was executed on an order given the artist by Samuel Myers of that city, a gentle- 
 man of wealth and culture. It was bought for the State at a large price, upon 
 satisfactory proof of its authenticity. The second has the following history, furnished by 
 Hon. Sherwin McRea. It was presented to the State by Mr. Thomas Williamson of 
 Norfolk, Va., and deposited in the library by his son. This gentleman said the head 
 was finished and the drapery sketched by Stuart, who presented the canvas to William 
 Dunlap. That artist completed the work, and in after-years gave it to Mr. Williamson, 
 by whom it was given to his native State. 
 
 In 1825 Col. Joseph Tuley of Clark County, Virginia, bought a Stuart portrait at a 
 sale in New York. It is a three-quarters reproduction of the Lansdowne, and about the 
 size of the Hamilton portrait. It is now owned by Col. Tuley's widow, who resides at 
 Winchester, Va. It has not yet been discovered for whom this portrait was originally 
 painted. 
 
 On the 2d of August, 1878, Miss Richsa G. Etting presented to the Maryland 
 Historical Society, through her relative Colonel Brantz Mayer, a bust-portrait of Washing- 
 ton by Stuart, painted for her father, Solomon Etting of Baltimore. When the artist was 
 at work upon it, Miss Etting was a number of times present in his studio, watching 
 its progress, and upon one occasion was presented by Stuart with a small but spirited 
 sketch of a horse, which she afterwards gave to Colonel Mayer. The portrait is a gift 
 highly prized, and was received with appropriate ceremonies. It hangs in the library 
 of the society. 
 
 A bust-portrait by Stuart is owned by S. M. Shoemaker of Baltimore. According to 
 the statement of the present owner, it was painted in 1798 for Moor Falls of Baltimore, 
 " under a contract." It has never been out of the family. Mr. Shoemaker inherited it 
 from his mother, the daughter of Mr. Falls. Another Stuart portrait in Baltimore belongs 
 to Edmund Law Rogers. It is in excellent condition, and having been painted, as this 
 gentleman relates, con amove for Robert Barry, a friend of the artist, it is exceptionally 
 fine. A bust-portrait by Stuart is owned by Mrs. Benjamin Chew Howard of Baltimore, 
 daughter-in-law of Col. John Eager Howard. The family tradition is, that Washington 
 
96 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 had this portrait painted, and presented it to that gallant officer. It is in good condition, 
 never having been out of the family. 
 
 Stuart painted a portrait in Philadelphia in 1796 for Hon. John Hoye, then a 
 member of the State Senate. At the death of Mr. Hoye, in 1823, it fell into the 
 possession of Judge John Hoye Ewing of Washington, Penn. This venerable gentleman 
 furnishes these facts in regard to it : — 
 
 "I resided with Mr. Hoye in 1810, during my college-days, when I received a history of the 
 taking of the portrait from Mr. Hoye; and there cannot be any doubt of its correctness. The 
 portrait shows for itself, as no other at- that day could have taken such a work." 
 
 A portrait in Stuart's best style was executed for John Greenleaf of Allentown, 
 Penn. It was inherited by his daughter, Mrs. Dale, and a few years ago became 
 
 the property of her lawyer, Mr. Felton of Philadelphia. Its further history cannot 
 
 be traced. A lady once visiting Allentown, having heard of this portrait, called and 
 requested the favor of seeing it. A lovely old lady received her, and in talking about 
 the portrait gave the opinions of a past generation, and her own as well. She was 
 particular to place the stranger where the best light would fall on it, and was quite 
 enthusiastic. The visitor shared the feeling, and did not discover, until she was ready to 
 leave, that her venerable hostess was entirely blind. 
 
 The following bust-portraits by Stuart are owned in Philadelphia : — 
 One belonging to Dr. Herbert Norris differs in • several points from the Athenaeum 
 head, and cannot be classed as a copy. The statement that Washington gave sittings for 
 it to gratify his friend, Mr. William Rawle, the distinguished lawyer and author, seems to 
 have some support in the difference between the two works. It was executed in 1798, 
 is carefully finished, and in good condition. It descended to Mr. Rawle's two daughters, 
 Mrs. William Craig and Mrs. W 7 illiam Herbert Norris, by whom it was given to its 
 present owner. 
 
 One owned by Mr. George Blight has an interesting history. It was inherited by 
 him from his uncle, James Blight, who died in 1880, and gave these facts concerning it. 
 It was painted in 1798 for James Oliver, an English merchant of Canton. "It was the 
 fashion among the English residents of that city to have some kind of a portrait of 
 Washington in their parlors ; " and Mr. Blight, who went when quite young to reside 
 with his English relatives in Canton, often saw and admired this portrait. At the death 
 of Mr. Oliver, he purchased it at the executor's sale, bringing it with him to America 
 when he returned in 1835. It had suffered somewhat from changes of climate, but he 
 had it restored. We feel justified in the conclusion, that from this portrait were rendered 
 the Chinese copies in glass, of which notice will be made. 
 
Gilbert Shiart. 
 
 97 
 
 One owned by Hon. Peter McCall is said to have been painted for his uncle, James 
 Gibson, and has now descended to Miss Jane Byrd McCall. It was very highly prized 
 by Judge McCall ; but the colors are dimmed by injudicious cleaning. It is for the 
 present deposited in the Academy of Fine Arts. One now owned by Mr. William Buchler 
 was purchased from Hon. Samuel D. Franks, and supposed to have been painted for him. 
 It is on a mahogany panel, and has been carefully restored. It was recently on exhibition 
 in Boston, and pronounced to be a fine work. One belonging to Mr. Peter A. Brown 
 
 was sold by his grandson to Mr. Swift, and by that gentleman presented to the 
 
 Philadelphia Club. 
 
 One owned by Miss Wain was painted for Joseph Thomas, from whom it was 
 purchased by Robert Wain, whose daughter inherits it. 
 
 One painted for John Simpson of Philadelphia was sold by him to the British 
 consul, Gilbert Robertson, and has descended to his grand-daughter, Mrs. John T. 
 Montgomery. It is in a remarkable state of preservation, and possesses a charming 
 freshness of color. 
 
 Mr. Edward Shippen of Philadelphia is the possessor of a Stuart-Washington 
 presented to him by an aunt who recently died at the advanced age of ninety. She 
 inherited it from her father, Joseph Shippen, who was at one time secretary of the 
 Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, — a stanch patriot, and a valued friend of Wash- 
 ington. This portrait was years ago examined and recognized by Miss Stuart as her 
 father's work ; and it is painted upon the well-identified twilled canvas used by Stuart. 
 
 Another copy of the Athenaeum head, painted for Mr. Madison, and long familiar in 
 the elegant home of the " great expounder of the Constitution," is now owned by 
 Mr. Edward Coles of Philadelphia. This gentleman says it is not known to be an 
 original Stuart, but if a copy it is very fine. Some suppose it to have been the work of 
 Miss Stuart, assisted by her father ; while others think it was copied by Sully. 
 
 A Stuart- Washington was presented to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts by 
 Paul Beck in 1845. ^ nas been slightly damaged by fire. This picture was exhibited 
 in 18 14 at the Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, catalogued "The last work of 
 Mr. Stuart." 
 
 Robert I. Fisher of York, Penn., owns a portrait of Washington of which he 
 furnishes this record. It was purchased by his father many years ago from Matthew 
 Henry, who was a pupil of Stuart when Washington gave him a sitting. The young 
 artist furtively made a sketch at the time, of which Stuart so highly approved, that he 
 finished it, and returned it to Mr. Henry. 
 
 A bust-portrait, on larger canvas than was ordinarily used by Stuart, was painted by 
 
93 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington, 
 
 him for Gen. Hunt of New Jersey. This descended to his grandson, Col. Wesley P. 
 Hunt, who a generation since left it for sale with a Philadelphia dealer. The late 
 A. T. Stewart became the fortunate purchaser, and it is now one of the gems of the 
 rarest collection of paintings in the United States. Its coloring is perfection, and the 
 modelling is in Stuart's best style. A connoisseur would at once be attracted by its 
 refinement of expression and general excellence. Thomas Sully's indorsement, as given 
 below, is judiciously bestowed. The canvas is in fine condition, and may last in glowing 
 beauty for centuries. Sully presented a portrait of Washington to the Pennsylvania 
 Historical Society in 1855, which he copied from the original by Stuart, owned by 
 Col. Wesley P. Hunt of Trenton, N.J. Mr. Sully considered this to be "next in merit 
 to the Boston Athenaeum portrait." 
 
 A bust-portrait of Washington was painted by Stuart for that accomplished and 
 practically charitable gentleman, Col. Henry Rutgers of New York. It became the 
 property of his nephew, William Crosby, and hung in the hall of the old mansion at 
 Rutgers Place until it descended by inheritance to Col. J. Schuyler Crosby, now consul 
 at Florence. The tradition in the family is, that the head was finished and the body 
 outlined by Stuart, and afterwards completed by another artist. The colors are brilliant, 
 and the canvas unimpaired. William H. Appleton has a Stuart- Washington that has on 
 the back an indisputable certificate in the hand of the artist. 
 
 "Boston, 9th Sep' 1800 
 
 Received of Charles Brown, Five hundred dollars for a portrait of George Washington. 
 
 G' STUART." 
 
 Further record is also found inscribed thus : — 
 
 "Original purchased from Mr. Brown by Z. Collins Lee, at Boston, Aug. 4 th 1844." 
 
 Mr. Appleton says, "I purchased this portrait of Mr. Lee, in 1861, upon his repre- 
 sentation. The face three-fourths turning to the left, — head and shoulders. One foot ten 
 inches by two feet three inches." 
 
 A portrait bought of the artist about the year 1798 by Mr. David Wagstaff is now 
 owned by his grandson, Dr. Alfred Wagstaff, New York. It has never been out of the 
 family, and is considered a fine example of the artist. 
 
 Mrs. Pruyn of Albany, N.Y., owns a portrait of Washington by Stuart, which was 
 purchased in 1868 by her husband, the late Hon. John V. L. Pruyn, from William Temple 
 Washington of Stafford County, Virginia. It was painted in 1797, and, until the death of 
 Washington, hung at Mount Vernon. This is said to be the copy of the work in the 
 Boston Museum of Fine Arts, which Washington accepted in lieu of the original which 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 99 
 
 he ordered. It descended directly from him, through his nephew and ward, George Steptoe 
 Washington, to the son of the latter, William Temple Washington. For three years during 
 the civil war this portrait was concealed for protection from lawless bands, but remained 
 in good condition, and its tints are particularly fresh and lifelike. The daughter of William 
 Temple Washington, Mrs. Jane Washington Moncure, says that her father inherited three 
 valuable souvenirs that had belonged to Gen. Washington, — a watch, which was lost by 
 his guardian ; a sword, which, when impoverished by the war, he sold to the United-States 
 Government ; and the Stuart portrait, now the property of Mrs. Pruyn. Many anecdotes 
 are related of the hiding of this picture. At one time it was placed between the carpet 
 and matting on the floor ; and it is said, that, when in command in that part of Virginia, 
 Gen. Hancock frequently walked over this precious relic. 
 
 Of the portrait presented by the late Thomas J. Bryan to the New- York Historical 
 Society, no special history has been received, except that it was esteemed of great value 
 by Mr. Bryan. 
 
 A portrait painted about the year 1797 was presented by Francis Lightfoot Lee to 
 Lieut. -Gov. Samuel Phillips of Andover, Mass., as a memorial of their long friendship 
 and the great care the latter had bestowed on the education of the young men of the 
 Lee family. It hung for over sixty-five years in the same place, — in the family parlor of 
 the old Phillips mansion, — as a member of the family phrases it, "having with us a quiet, 
 uneventful life." The canvas has been lined, and the painting is in good condition. It 
 passed into the hands of a great-grand-daughter of the original owner, and has for some 
 months (1879) been for sale in Boston. 
 
 Stuart painted, between the years 18 10 and 18 15, the portraits of the first five Presi- 
 dents for Gov. George Gibbs of Rhode Island. After his death these works w r ere purchased 
 by T. Jefferson Coolidge of Boston. The Washington picture is on a panel twenty-six by 
 twenty-two inches, and is esteemed a fine rendering. The statement that the drapery of 
 these portraits was painted by Stuart's pupils is contradicted in a certificate, held by Mr. 
 Coolidge, from the late I. P. Davis : — 
 
 "For twenty years I was intimately acquainted with Mr. Stuart, and was in the habit of making 
 him weekly visits, and have a perfect recollection of his painting the Presidents for his friend, Col. 
 Gibbs of Newport, R.I., and am satisfied no other person was employed by him to finish the drapery. 
 All and every part of them are from his pencil." 
 
 A portrait which originally belonged to Gen. William McDonald of Baltimore is now 
 owned by Hon. Robert C. Winthrop of Boston. It is painted on a canvas twenty-four by 
 twenty-eight and a half inches, and has never been lined. The surface of the picture is 
 just as the artist left it, with no signs of retouching whatever. It descended from father 
 
ioo Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 to son in the McDonald family until the death of the last male heir, when it was offered 
 for sale in Boston. 
 
 Another set of the Presidents, painted by Stuart about the same time, for Mr. Doggett, 
 was destroyed at the burning of the Library of Congress, 185 1. They were offered to 
 Congress for one thousand dollars each ; but the committee to whom the matter was given 
 would not allow more than half that sum., and, while the purchase was yet under considera- 
 tion, the fire occurred. 
 
 Hon. Horace Gray of Boston is the owner of another copy by Stuart, which he pur- 
 chased in 1872. It belonged to the Pinckney family of South Carolina, and it is claimed 
 to have been presented by Washington to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. The Rev. Dr. 
 Pinckney, nephew of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, says that his uncle, " on being pressed 
 by Washington to accept the mission to France, which he was reluctant to do, told him, 
 that, if he would allow him to have a portrait of him taken, he would accept the appoint- 
 ment. The promise was given, the picture was taken by Stuart, and Gen. Pinckney went 
 to Paris." 
 
 Mrs. Emily W. Appleton of Boston gives a direct history of a portrait belonging to 
 her. It was painted for and owned many years by her grandfather, Jonathan Mason ; 
 was inherited in 1833 by his daughter, Susan Powell Warren; and in 1856 it became the 
 property of Mrs. Appleton. 
 
 Stuart, while residing in Boston, executed, at the request of Jonathan Mason, a. copy 
 of his Athenaeum head for Mr. Cumberland Williams of Baltimore. It was done in the 
 artist's happiest style. After the death of Mr. Williams it was purchased, at the sale of 
 his effects, by Mr. Thomas Handasyde Perkins, jun., of Boston, and is now owned by his 
 son, Augustus Thorndike Perkins. The latter says it is in good condition, and remains 
 in the original frame. His grandfather, Col. Thomas Handasyde Perkins (who knew 
 Washington well, having in youth visited Mount Vernon) often expressed his approval of 
 it, confessing it to be " as good as his own." He referred to a Washington which Stuart 
 painted for him (now owned by one of his descendants), and which the old gentleman did 
 not believe could be surpassed. 
 
 A copy of the Athen'seum bust is now the property of Miss Carrie H. Richardson, 
 Louisville, Ky. It was purchased as early as 1800, for Major Alexander Parker of Lexing- 
 ton, Ky., by George Beck, of whom it was said, " Beck may justly be considered the 
 pioneer artist of the West." In 1820 Mr. William Richardson of Louisville purchased this 
 portrait, and it has descended to his daughter. It has been copied several times by 
 Matthew Jouett, and is familiar to all art-connoisseurs in that section by reason of its 
 being often in demand for exhibitions. On the back is this certificate of two of Stuart's 
 pupils, expressing their approval of it as one of his fine efforts: — 
 
Gilbert Shiart. 
 
 101 
 
 "The subscribers, — the one a Landscape painter, the other a Miniature painter, pupils of Mr. 
 Stuart, — certify that this picture is painted by Stuart's own hand, is an excellent likeness of the 
 Original, and is -done in Stuart's best manner. 
 
 GEORGE BECK. 
 BENJAMIN 
 
 [The last name is erased by the wearing away of the paper.] 
 Lexington, Nov. is' 1804." 
 
 About the year 18 15 Mr. Lewis Sanders, a prominent Kentucky agriculturist, bought 
 from Stuart, at his studio in Boston, a copy of the Athenaeum head, and one of Stuart's 
 portraits of Jefferson. He sold both to Major William S. Dallam; and the Washington is 
 now owned by that gentleman's daughter, Mrs. Peter of Lexington, Ky. 
 
 In 1800 or 1 80 1 Stuart brought a portrait of Washington to the national capital, as 
 an example of his skill, when he came to paint Jefferson and his cabinet, which was 
 purchased from his studio by Col. John Tayloe of Mount Airy, Md., and is now owned 
 by the widow of his son, Benjamin Ogle Tayloe of Washington. Mrs. Tayloe proposes to 
 give it, with the pictures of her valuable collection, to the city of Washington, to be placed 
 in the Corcoran Gallery of Art. 
 
 During his residence at the capital, Stuart made a copy of the Athenseum head for 
 Daniel Carroll of Duddington Manor. Like all other portraits of Washington, it has its 
 ardent admirers. When G. P. R. Healy was sent by the King of France to copy the 
 portrait at the White House, he made a copy from the Carroll picture also, declaring 
 it the better of the two. Upon his return to England, having access to the Lansdowne 
 portrait, he also made a copy of that in Tilbury's warehouse, London, where it was stored 
 for a time. 
 
 In 1796-98 a portrait was painted by Stuart for John Chesnut of South Carolina, 
 — the son of James Chesnut, a young Virginian who was in Washington's command, and 
 killed at Braddock's defeat. In 1 79 1 , when Washington made his laborious Southern tour 
 as President, he was the guest of the Chesnut family at Camden, S.C. In 1876 the 
 joint committee on the library purchased the portrait from ex-senator James Chesnut for 
 twelve hundred dollars ; and it now hangs in the old Hall of Representatives at the Capi- 
 tol. Documents establishing its authenticity were placed in the hands of the committee. 
 It was painted in Philadelphia by the consent of Washington ; and the late owner says, 
 that " from tradition of my ancestors, and other evidence, I have always believed it 
 to be an original, and not a copy, by Stuart." It is the portrayal of rather an older 
 man than is represented in the Athenaeum portrait ; and, as during his last executive 
 term Washington aged rapidly, it seems very probable that he gave a sitting for the 
 Chesnut picture. For three generations this portrait has been esteemed in South Caro- 
 
102 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 lina as a fine likeness, and especially approved by artists. During the late civil war it 
 suffered rough treatment in its hastily selected hiding-places ; but it has been carefully 
 restored by a skilful artist under the supervision of W. W. Corcoran. Stuart painted at 
 the same time, in Philadelphia, portraits of Col. Chesnut, his son, and son's wife, who 
 was a daughter of Col. John Cox of Bloomsbury, N.J. These portraits remain in the 
 Chesnut family. 
 
 In Boston, in 1825, — a little more than two years before his death, — Stuart painted 
 his last portrait of Washington, for Robert Gilmor, the generous art-patron and indefati- 
 gable autograph-collector of Baltimore. This, though the last of an interesting series, 
 showed no decadence of Stuart's power; and he said even later, "If I live, and could have 
 my health, I could paint as well as I ever did." This superior example of the artist's 
 skill is now owned by Mrs. Admiral Dahlgren of Washington, D.C. About ten days 
 before the sudden death of her distinguished husband, he remarked that he had seen at 
 Barlow's a fine Stuart- Washington, and was greatly tempted to purchase it. "Why did you 
 not?" asked his wife. "I fear so poor a man has no right to such a luxury; though," 
 said the brave officer, " I especially wished to have it, in order, by its constant contempla- 
 tion, it might assist to inspire my boys with a more ardent love for the memory of 
 Washington, and thus help to make them patriotic." Some months later, in 1872, Mrs. 
 Dahlgren saw the portrait, and, remembering the admiral's wish, purchased it for his 
 children. The following receipt, which accompanied a personal letter from Stuart in regard 
 to the picture, identifies the work : — 
 
 Received 12 Aug. 1825. 
 
 Of Rob Gilmor, Esq., per R. Truman, one hundred and fifty dollars for a portrait of Gen. 
 Washington. 
 $150. 
 
 G. STUART. 
 
 An incident connected with this portrait is well worth recalling. It has become the 
 custom of the " Literary Society" of Washington City to observe with appropriate exercises 
 the birthday of Washington. On the 22d of February, 1879, the Society was entertained 
 by Mrs. Dahlgren, and among the distinguished guests were the President and Mrs. Hayes, 
 members of the cabinet, and others. A chronicler of events, in a notice of the evening, 
 wrote as follows : — 
 
 " Special interest was excited by a fine portrait of Washington, by Gilbert Stuart, which hung 
 in the front parlor. It was garlanded with flowers, and above it was a floral tribute presented by 
 Mrs. Hayes. This was a large wreath enclosing the date ' Feb. 22 ' in double red geraniums, the 
 initial letter ' W in fine white flowers, and the year '1732' in blue violets. Gen. James A. Gar- 
 field was one of the speakers assigned for the occasion, and a clause in his eloquent address is well 
 worth remembering. He said, 'Washington reverses the rules of perspective in history; for, the 
 farther he recedes, the nobler and grander does his figure become.' " 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 103 
 
 Below is given as correct a list of original Stuarts as it has been possible to collect, 
 for whom executed, and by whom now owned. Regarding some of these, the testimony 
 
 does not absolutely establish the claim made; but it is sufficient to entitle the pictures to 
 a certain historic recognition. 
 
 ORIGINALS : FOR WHOM PAINTED. PRESENT OWNERS. 
 
 Samuel Vaughan, London Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Philadelphia. 
 
 Gov. George Gibbs, Rhode Island William F. Channing, M.D., Providence, R.I. 
 
 Edward Brien, Philadelphia Mrs. Anna R. Reilly, New Haven, Conn. 
 
 Mrs. Hugh Thompson (?) Maryland Francis Robert Rives, New- York City. 
 
 Richard Henry Lee, Virginia Mrs. T. H. Morris, Baltimore. 
 
 The Marquis of Lansdowne J. Delaware Lewis, London. 
 
 Gilbert Stuart Boston Athenaeum, Boston. 
 
 William Constable, New York Henry E. Pierrepont, Brooklyn, N.Y. 
 
 William Bingham, Philadelphia Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia. 
 
 ! Gardner Baker, New York Not known. ) 
 
 Not known Russell Sturgis, London. ) 
 
 Peter Jay Munroe Lenox Gallery, New York. 
 
 State of Rhode Island State House, Providence. 
 
 State of Rhode Island State House, Newport. 
 
 State of Connecticut State House, Hartford. 
 
 I. P. Davis (cabinet), Boston Ignatius Sargent, Brookline, Mass. 
 
 Not known (cabinet) George F. Meredith, London. 
 
 Alexander Hamilton (| length), New York .... Alexander Hamilton, jun., New York. 
 
 James Perkins Sturgis (^ length) Russell Sturgis, London. 
 
 Not known (^ length) Mrs. Maria W. Tuley, Winchester, Va. 
 
 Samuel Parkman, for Faneuil Hall Boston Athenaeum, Boston. 
 
 Francis Lightfoot Lee, Virginia Phillips family, Andover, Mass. 
 
 John Chesnut, South Carolina ....... United-States Government, Washington, D.C. 
 
 George Washington Mrs. J. V. L. Pruyn, Albany, N.Y. 
 
 John Greenleaf, Allentown, Penn. Unknown. 
 
 Solomon Etting, Baltimore Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore. 
 
 Moor Falls, Baltimore S. M. Shoemaker, Baltimore. 
 
 Robert Barry, Baltimore ........ Edmund Law Rogers, Baltimore. 
 
 Paul Beck, Philadelphia Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia. 
 
 Thomas J. Bryan, New York ....... New- York Historical Society, New York. 
 
 Gen. Hunt, New Jersey Mrs. A. T. Stewart, New York. 
 
 Gov. George Gibbs, Rhode Island T. Jefferson Coolidge, Boston. 
 
 Mr. Doggett . . Destroyed by fire, Congressional Library. 
 
 Col. John Eager Howard, Maryland Mrs. Benjamin Chew Howard, Baltimore. 
 
 Joseph Shippen, Philadelphia Edward Shippen, Philadelphia. 
 
 Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, South Carolina .... Hon. Horace Gray, Boston. 
 
Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 ORIGINALS : FOR WHOM PAINTED 
 
 William McDonald, Baltimore 
 President Madison, Virginia 
 Gen. Benjamin Smith, North Carolina 
 Daniel Carroll, Washington, D.C. 
 Major Alexander Parker, Lexington, Ky 
 Lewis Sanders, Kentucky . 
 Col. John Tayloe, Maryland 
 Jonathan Mason, Boston . 
 Joseph Thomas, Philadelphia 
 William Rawle, Philadelphia 
 Col. Henry Rutgers, New York . 
 John Simpson, Philadelphia 
 Hon. John Hoye, Pennsylvania . 
 James Oliver, Canton, China 
 Peter A. Browne, Philadelphia . 
 James Gibson, Philadelphia 
 Hon. Samuel D. Franks, Philadelphia 
 William Dunlap .... 
 Samuel Myers, Richmond, Va. . 
 Charles Browne, Boston 
 Cumberland Williams, Baltimore 
 Dr. David Wagstaff, New York . 
 Robert Gilmor, Baltimore . 
 
 PRESENT OWNERS. 
 
 Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, Boston. 
 
 Edward Coles, Philadelphia. 
 
 Mrs. Junius A. Moore, Wilmington, N.C. 
 
 Carroll family, Washington, D.C. 
 
 Miss Carrie H. Richardson, Louisville, Ky. 
 
 Mrs. Peter, Lexington, Ky. 
 
 Mrs. Benjamin Ogle Tayloe, Washington, D.C. 
 
 Mrs. Emily W. Appleton, Boston. 
 
 Miss Wain, Philadelphia. 
 
 Herbert Norris, M.D., Philadelphia. 
 
 J. Schuyler Crosby, United-States Consul, Florence. 
 
 Mrs. John T. Montgomery, Philadelphia. 
 
 John Hoye Ewing, Washington, Penn. 
 
 George Blight, Philadelphia. 
 
 Philadelphia Club, Philadelphia. 
 
 Miss Jane Byrd McCall, Philadelphia. 
 
 William Buchler, Philadelphia. 
 
 State Library, Richmond, Va. 
 
 State Library, Richmond, Va. 
 
 W. H. Appleton, New York. 
 
 Augustus Thorndike Perkins, Boston. 
 
 Dr. Alfred Wagstaff, New York. 
 
 Mrs. Madeline Vinton Dahlgren, Washington, D.C. 
 
 The price noted in Mr. Gilmor's receipt was that charged by Stuart for his later por- 
 traits. These works, as has often been demonstrated in good art-investments, have steadily 
 advanced to more than tenfold their first value ; instances being known where from fifteen 
 hundred to two thousand dollars, and in one case three thousand dollars, have been refused 
 for them. 
 
 In investigating this subject, more portraits accredited to Stuart have been discovered 
 and presented than the artist recognized or remembered. Such claims must of course be 
 determined by the authority as to their genuineness in possession of their owners. 
 
 Stuart, though he sometimes dated his pictures, rarely placed his name upon them. 
 He said with pride and playfulness, as reported by his daughter, that "his 'totem' was 
 on their faces." 
 
 The attachment felt for Stuart's Washington often descends from father to son for 
 generations; and the vacillation of fortune in our republic cannot better be illustrated 
 than by the fact that only a small proportion of these portraits — the Constable, the 
 Hamilton, the Sturgis, the Lewis, the Shippen, the Gibbs, the Howard, the Wagstaff, the 
 
Gilbert Stuart 105 
 
 Mason, the Tayloe, and the Carroll — remain in the possession of the families for whom 
 they were painted. 
 
 Illustrative of the feeling of affection referred to, an anecdote is related of Hon. 
 Ezekiel Gilbert, a member of Congress from Columbia County, New York, who died in 
 1842. This gentleman held the original in such veneration that he requested to have the 
 picture exhibited to his fading gaze, " as it was the last object he desired to behold on 
 earth." This is the only portrait of which the author has had any knowledge whose 
 history she has been unable to trace ; even though an engraving. 
 
 COPIES OF STUART'S WASHINGTON BY OTHER ARTISTS. 
 
 There is a fine copy, by Vanderlyn, of Stuart's full-length, on the right of the speaker's 
 chair in the Hall of the House of Representatives. This was ordered by Congress ; and 
 upon its completion the committee to whom the account was referred increased the price 
 agreed upon from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred dollars, — an unusual instance of 
 appreciation in government patronage. The Department of State, in 1865, purchased of 
 Samuel P. Avery a copy of Stuart's full-length, the work of John Woodhouse Audubon, 
 which was presented to a foreign ambassador. 
 
 A copy by Rembrandt Peale is in the possession of the Washington Grays, Philadel- 
 phia. A full-length copy, by Walter Ingalls, is in the State House at Concord, N.H. 
 Sully, Leutze, Chapman, Chappell, Darley, and Morrell have accepted Stuart's head as 
 their chief model, but have generally gone to Trumbull for the full figure. 
 
 Among the curious imitations or translations of Stuart is one known as the " Pitcher 
 Portrait," a clear copy, on queen's-ware, of Nutter's engraving of the head of the Lansdowne 
 portrait. In 1801 large numbers of these pitchers were brought to Philadelphia, and before 
 they attracted much attention were sold to the country dealers. Nearly all that remained 
 were broken, for the purpose of obtaining the likeness to frame ; but, of the pitchers that 
 were left, one was presented, July 8, 1868, by Miss Harriet A. Thaw, to the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. One of the pictures, framed soon after the importation, is owned 
 by Mr. Ellison P. Morris, No. 21, North Seventh Street, Philadelphia, the residence of 
 Washington in 1793, when Congress, fleeing from yellow-fever, removed to Germantown. 
 Mr. Morris says the " Pitcher Picture " has been a prized relic in the family for four genera- 
 tions, and that, when these representations " were so highly approved, more were ordered ; 
 but the mould had been broken, and they never succeeded in getting another satisfactory 
 one." Another is owned in Baltimore ; a third, by a lady in Washington ; and still another 
 is in the collection of the New- York Historical Society. Judge Hagner of Washington 
 exhibited one of these portraits, which had been broken out and framed, in the "Wash- 
 ington Room" at a loan exhibition held at Washington, D.C., in the spring of 1881. 
 
106 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 One of these pictures, in a broad gilt frame, hung for many years at Mount Vernon. 
 It was presented by Mr. Dorsey of Philadelphia to Judge Bushrod Washington, and upon 
 the back was a copy of the celebrated eulogy on Washington first written by an English 
 gentleman on a crayon portrait by Sharpless. This portrait is now owned by the son of 
 John Augustine Washington, — Lawrence Washington of Salem, Va. It was shamelessly 
 taken from " Waveland," his country residence, during the war, by a cavalry officer, who 
 was afterwards captured and held in Richmond until the portrait was returned, by flag of 
 truce, to the owner in that city. 
 
 Miss Jane Stuart gives the history of another "Pitcher Portrait." She says, — 
 
 '"'Edward A. Newton, a nephew of Mr. Stuart, who was in England on business, commissioned 
 my father to paint him a Washington for the especial purpose of having it copied on China pitchers 
 at Liverpool, and had some dozen struck off to send to his friends in America." 
 
 The pitcher belonging to Mrs. Ellen Ward Miller is doubtless one of these, being 
 finer ware than the first-mentioned ; and her father stated that he traced it to "a lot of 
 twelve" which had been ordered to America. It is thus noticed in a recent historical 
 record : — 
 
 " One of the famous ' Washington Pitchers,' bearing, as it has been conceded, one of the most 
 faithful likenesses of Washington, was in the library of the late L. T. Ward of Pennsylvania, and formed 
 one of the many valued relics of his unique collection. It is still in the possession of the family." 
 
 Another interesting imitation or reproduction of Stuart, a triumph of the French loom, 
 is in the City Hall, New York, and rivals in effect the finest steel engraving. An inscrip- 
 tion, woven in gold letters on black, gives its history as follows: — 
 
 "Presented to the City of New York, by the proprietors, Ponson Philippe & Vibert. This 
 portrait is silk, woven throughout on the Jacquard loom, — its cost was $10,000, — two years was 
 required in its manufacture. Presented by Hon. C. S. Goodrich, U. S. Consul, Lyons, France. 1855." 
 
 This exceptionally curious memento is in a gilt frame ornamented with a delicate 
 tracing of flowers, surmounted by an eagle displayed. 
 
 As previously suggested, the portrait owned by Mr. George Blight must have been 
 the one so ingeniously reproduced in glass at Canton by a process not known except to 
 the Chinese.- The copy is the size of the original, — twenty-five by thirty inches, — and the 
 work is indescribably delicate ; the transfer of line, color, and expression being wonderful. 
 A number of these glass portraits were brought to America early in the century by Capt. 
 Sword, an East-India merchant. When Stuart heard of their being offered for sale, he 
 issued an injunction for infringement of copyright law, as he was just then suffering 
 from the cruel injustice of the Heath engraving. 
 
Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 107 
 
 One of them came into possession of the late William Welsh of Philadelphia, in whose 
 family it remains. His brother, Hon. John Welsh, says, " They were good copies and well 
 executed, and had the peculiarity of being painted on the under side of the glass, — an 
 art which is, I believe, not practised here." Another is owned by Hon. Nathaniel Hol- 
 land, San Francisco, who twenty-five years ago took it to California from Philadelphia, 
 where it had long been in possession of his family. 
 
 A great deal has been said about Stuart's patriotic motives in painting the portraits 
 of Washington ; but the well-established fact of his refusing to complete the Athenaeum 
 heads, because, "when finished," they were to be sent to the family at Mount Vernon, 
 and that he dashed off copies carelessly and commercially, jocosely terming them his 
 hundred-dollar bills," constrain the impartial critic to conclude that there was a large 
 proportion of personal consideration mingling with his feelings of patriotism. No one can 
 study Stuart's Washingtons without regret at their number, and, in some instances, at 
 their want of care in treatment. Yet, however good or bad, the possessor of such a work 
 at this date is to be congratulated. Not only has each one a personal record ; but a 
 distinguishing trait of this artist is that the splendor of his coloring is softened, not dimmed, 
 by years. Stuart relates how he felt confused in the presence of Washington, and his 
 great difficulty in " getting at him." Probably he never was perfectly at ease with his 
 subject. This is illustrated by an anecdote which Stuart related to a gentleman in Phila- 
 delphia, who published it in "The Evening Journal," of that city, March, 1857. 
 
 " When Washington took his seat, Stuart said, ' Now, sir, you must let me forget that you are 
 Gen. Washington, and that I am Stuart the painter.' The President replied, 'Mr. Stuart, the painter 
 need never feel the need of forgetting either who he is, or who Gen. Washington is.' Doubtless 
 the reply was meant in courtesy ; but Stuart said it so prevented the flow of his own feelings as to 
 seriously affect the portrait." 
 
 There is every assurance that no production of his artistic career received from Stuart 
 more earnest effort than the painting of his originals of Washington ; yet, strange to say, 
 it is painfully apparent, in a collection of his works, that his Washington portraits are not 
 so fine as those of less illustrious subjects. If Stuart had bequeathed to this country a 
 " counterfeit presentment " of Washington of such strength, beauty, and life as that he 
 produced of Judge Stephen Jones, — a self-made, honest worthy, —no words, no price, no 
 gratitude, could measure its value. 
 
io8 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 ENGRAVINGS. 
 
 The engravings of Stuart's Washingtons outnumber fivefold those of any other artist. 
 From Cornelius Thebout to William E. Marshall, nearly every American engraver of ability 
 has made a plate after one or more of Stuart's heads. No artist has been so popularized 
 by the burin, and certainly none suffered so great an injustice as Stuart by the premature 
 publication of the Lansdowne portrait. The story is known wherever the fame of the 
 painter has reached : so there is some compensation in the fact that this act of piracy has 
 made its perpetrator notorious. It appears that Stuart took the precaution of instructing 
 Mr. Bingham to reserve the right to engrave this work when it was sent to England ; 
 but that Qrentleman neglected to note the matter in his communication with Lord Lans- 
 downe. As soon as Heath, " engraver to his Majesty, and to his Royal Highness the 
 Prince of Wales," could obtain permission of Lord Lansdowne, he not only made the 
 engraving, but, with an evident determination to make the theft a success, he inscribed 
 on the prints, " Copyright secured in the United States according to law." There was no 
 redress for the artist. Heath's print, which was of large size, — 19 X 13, — was creditably 
 executed, and warmly welcomed by the people of this country. It was widely advertised ; 
 and cards, like the following in "The Museum and Washington and George-Town Adver- 
 tiser" (George-Town (Potomak) Wednesday Jan. 28 th 1801), appeared in all the leading 
 journals of the day : — 
 
 PORTRAITS 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL WASHINGTON, 
 
 Engraved by the celebrated Heath of London, from an original, painted by G. 
 Stewart, just come to hand and for sale by the subscriber, directly 
 opposite the Methodist Meeting-house, George-Town. 
 
 T. WATERMAN. 
 
 The above are executed in a fuperior ftilc of elegance and fuperbly framed and glazed. 
 December 24. 
 
 David Edwin was not only a devoted admirer of Stuart, but engraved his Washington 
 more frequently and with success equal to any other artist. On one small print by Edwin 
 appears a star, above which is " Centennary Anniversary;" below, "Feb. 22, 1832," and 
 the words, "We perpetuate the fine arts." "Printed during the Procession by the Associa- 
 tion of Copper-plate Printers." The procession in the line of which these engravings 
 were printed was in Philadelphia, in celebration of Washington's centennial birthday ; and 
 the possessor of one of the prints may be considered fortunate. 
 
 One of the finest small plates of the Athenaeum head, that by Joseph Andrews, was 
 
Gilbert Stuart 
 
 destroyed by fire in Boston in 1872. The large engraving by Welch, now becoming rare, 
 is an admirable work. It is 20 X 18, and bears the following inscription: "Engraved by 
 Thomas B. Welch (By Permission,) From the only original Portrait by Gilbert Stuart in 
 the Athenaeum Boston. Published by George W. Childs, Philadelphia (copyright, 1852)." 
 Mr. William S. Baker, the best authority upon engraved heads of this country, says this 
 print is " the most important work of the engraver, and a very close rendering of the 
 original." Durand's print was published in " The Writings of George Washington" by 
 Jared Sparks. Prints of varied degrees of excellence have been executed by Hall, Burt, 
 Doolittle, Holl, Sartain, Ormsby, H. Wright, Smith, and Holloway. Stuart's head of 
 Washington has been engraved by the United-States Government for the one-dollar 
 "greenback" notes, and is used upon postage-stamps, where the full face is seen. 
 
 A very beautiful colored cabinet engraving by Cornelius Thebout is now owned by 
 Mrs. Kennon of Tudor Place, Georgetown, D.C. It was bequeathed to Mrs. Martha Parke 
 Peter by Mrs. Washington, and designated in her will as " the print of General Washing- 
 ton hanging in the passage." The engraver, par excellence, of Stuart is William E. Mar- 
 shall, whose exquisite translation of the Athenaeum head is destined to rank with those 
 beautiful old portraits that have made the fame of artists. A study of the entire collec- 
 tion of the engraved heads of Washington after Stuart gives a "liberal education" in the 
 possibilities of modern portrait-prints. 
 
WILLIAM BIRCH. 
 
 ENGLAND. 
 
 1760-1834. 
 
 N English enamel-painter; came to America in 1794. He had received a 
 medal from the Society of Arts in London, where he had been successful 
 in perfecting the process "of enamelling. His first commission after his 
 arrival was from Charles Willson Peale, who, to encourage a stranger anc l 
 brother-artist, employed Birch to paint his own miniature in enamel ; but it was not a 
 good likeness, and its only merit was that of its being the first enamel made in this 
 country. He visited many cities, and was successful in producing very delicate work: 
 enamel-miniatures soon became the style for brooches and bracelets. 
 
 Birch was anxious to have the privilege of a sitting from Washington : but the 
 patience of the President in that direction had been exhausted, and he refused to 
 allow him the favor ; but he finally permitted the artist to remain in his cabinet whilst 
 he was engaged with his papers. Birch gladly took advantage of this offer, and made a 
 crayon- sketch : from this he produced several exquisite enamel-miniatures cabinet-size. It 
 is said he aided his own outlines by a close study of Stuart's first portrait ; but it is not 
 probable that he then had the opportunity, either of copying or studying that work: 
 though the head is so like the great artist, that the conclusion would be readily accepted. 
 
 A rare old print in possession of the author quaintly testifies the originality of the 
 work, again furnishing an instance where an engraver enforces the claims of a painter. 
 It is thus inscribed : — 
 
 " His Excellency, Geo. Washington. Engraved by J. G. Walker. From a picture by W m Birch, 
 1796. Painted from life in t lie office of His Excellency, The Gen 1 , by the request of I. G. Von 
 Staphorst, Esq r of Amsterdam, in whose possession is the Original Portrait. To I. G. Von Stap- 
 horst, Esq r the particular friend of the General, this Print is with permission most respectfully 
 Inscribed, by his Obliged and Obed' Servant, J. G. Walker." 
 
 This engraving has on either side an ornamental rectangle, — above, the sun shining 
 through clouds ; below, a beautiful vista of mountain and stream ; in the foreground kneels 
 
 no 
 
Plate XVI. 
 
 Robert Field. 
 
 See Page 115. 
 
 P. A. Peticolas. 
 
 See Page 142. 
 
1 
 
William Birch. 1 1 1 
 
 a woman, holding in her right hand the fasces, with an arm thrown around a nude child, 
 who upon a pole holds aloft a liberty-cap. The square containing miniature is close line 
 work, 2\ X 3 inches. The head three-quarters to right, full bust, and dress the same as 
 Stuart's first portrait. 
 
 Another of these enamel-miniatures is owned by Mrs. Susan Washington Edwards, 
 Maryland, inherited by her, and entailed to her children's children. It was taken through 
 the strategy of that gallant officer of the Revolution, Gen. William Macpherson. Wash- 
 ington had deferred from time to time a promised sitting, when one day Macpherson, 
 becoming impatient, invited him to dine with one or two friends. A large screen con- 
 cealed the artist and his implements. When the wine came on, an especially interesting 
 and a very long story, reserved by the host, was related by an old comrade. The President 
 became absorbed, and the drawing was successfully made; and when, in a few days, the 
 miniature was completed, it was shown to Washington, and the ruse explained. This relic 
 has never been out of the Macpherson family ; and the casual observer would be apt to 
 consider it a fine achievement in color by Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 James McHenry of Maryland, who was Washington's military secretary, was appointed 
 by him secretary of war in 1796. About that time he bought a cabinet-miniature of 
 Washington by Birch, selecting from several in the artist's studio, and esteeming it the 
 finest likeness, notwithstanding it was somewhat disfigured by a crack in the enamel. 
 This work has been inherited by J. Howard McHenry of Baltimore, Md., by whom it was 
 entered at a recent loan exhibition at the Peabody Institute in that city. It is a three- 
 quarters face, and is said in outline to be drawn precisely like the first Stuart, though 
 the unpleasant impression arising from the false teeth is happily avoided. The costume 
 is of brown velvet, with lace ruffles ; the hair is powdered, and worn in a queue ; and 
 the complexion is rich, but not too florid. 
 
 Charles G. Barney of Richmond, Va., owns a cabinet-miniature enamelled on copper, 
 which is a facsimile of the one purchased by Gen. McHenry. The artist's name, and 
 the date, 1797, are painted on the back. It is not known to whom it first belonged; 
 but the present owner values it so highly, that he took it out of the original frame, 
 when he had to run the gauntlet after the evacuation of Richmond, and secreted it on 
 his person. A few impressions were taken of a fine engraving of this portrait by Hall, 
 and the plate destroyed. It appeared in the "Washington Number" of "The Magazine of 
 American History," February, 1879. A miniature by Birch of Washington, the property 
 of a Mr. Lyle of Dublin, was sent in 1876 for exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts, 
 Philadelphia. A catalogue (18 14) of an exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts, Phila- 
 delphia, notes " A portrait of Washington (enamel) from Stuart. W. Birch." An enamelled 
 miniature on copper, supposed to be after Birch, was executed in 1796 by W. Bone, 
 enameller to George III. 
 
I I 2 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington, 
 
 Birch was a fine engraver, and it is to be regretted that he made no prints of his 
 own miniatures of Washington. Not more than half a dozen engravings of these are 
 known; among them a happy rendering by David Edwin, which may be seen in "The 
 American Artillerists' Companion " — Louis De Tousard, 1809. A very rare engraving, pub- 
 lished in London in 1800, introduces another portrait of Washington, differing materially 
 from the enamel-picture, showing the hand thrust into the breast of his coat. According 
 to the inscription, the original was " Painted by W. Birch Esq. Carolina." The artist resided 
 in the South for a short time. The engraving-- has the following dedication: "This Plate 
 is Humbly Dedicated to the Friends of the above Gentleman by their most obedient 
 Humble Serv' P. Roberts." 
 
WALTER ROBERTSON. 
 
 IRELAND. 
 
 HIS artist came to America in the same vessel with Stuart, and painted a 
 miniature of Washington before Stuart had obtained a sitting. Of its history 
 nothing can be learned, except that, just before sailing for India in 1795, he 
 proposed to sell it to Field for the purposes of engraving. Field said of it, 
 " It is as good a likeness, and as fine a piece of painting, as I ever saw ; " yet he could 
 not agree to give the price — a thousand dollars — asked for it. That this miniature was 
 original was doubted by Dunlap, because of the black cravat, which, it is said, Washington 
 never wore. In such matters, however, we find that writer too arbitrary, and prefer to 
 accept the testimony of Field and other engravers, such as Houston, Rollinson, and Tisdale. 
 Nearly all accurate record of this painting is through Field's full-size print 1 1 X 9. It is 
 a bust, head to right, in military dress, with a black neckerchief. The plate, significantly 
 and elaborately decorated, was designed by Barralet. It is an oval, bordered with diverging 
 rays, small scrolls, and a wreath of laurel. A sword extends from the top of the oval, 
 upon the point of which is a liberty-cap inscribed " Libertas." On a cloud beneath is an 
 eagle, holding in his beak a ribbon, which extends over his wings, and displays the motto, 
 " E Pluribus Unum ; " while at each side are flags, and branches of palm. The inscription 
 is, "Painted by W. Robertson. Jon. Jas. Barralet Invenit 1795. Engrav'd by R. Field. 
 Published by Walter Robertson, PJiiladclphia & New York I st August lygs" The engraving 
 is finely executed, and the portrait is good ; but the ornate surroundings detract from the 
 beauty of the print. 
 
JOHN RAMAGE. 
 
 IRELAND. 
 
 OHN RAMAGE painted miniatures of Gen. and Mrs. Washington, which the 
 latter highly approved, wearing that of her husband in a brooch, and in 
 after-years (so family tradition testifies) giving it to one of her grand- 
 daughters ; while other authority suggest that it is the miniature given by 
 her to Col. Lear. 
 
 In a diary of Washington he made this entry: — 
 
 " Saturday the J rd (of October, ijSg). — Sat for Mr. Rammage near two hours to-day, who was 
 drawing a miniature picture of me for Mrs. Washington." 
 
 Dunlap thought very highly of this artist's works, and his personal description of him 
 is worth quoting : — 
 
 " Mr. Ramage was a handsome man of the middle size, with an intelligent countenance and 
 lively eye. He dressed fashionably, and, according to the time, beauishly, — a scarlet coat with 
 mother-of-pearl buttons, a white-silk waistcoat embroidered with colored flowers, black satin breeches, 
 and paste knee-buckles, white cocked hat covering the upper portion of his well-powdered locks, 
 leaving the curls at the ears displayed. A gold-headed cane and gold snuff-box completed his 
 costume." 
 
ROBERT FIELD. 
 
 ENGLAND. 
 
 'HIS engraver and amateur painter executed three miniatures of Washington, 
 and one of his wife. Field is better known as an engraver, but his minia- 
 tures are excellent. He was on a visit to Mount Vernon in 1798, and made 
 his life-studies there. The one taken at that time of Washington descended 
 
 o 
 
 from Mrs. Lawrence Lewis to her grandson, Lawrence Lewis Conrad, Baltimore. This 
 gentleman has three certificates establishing beyond question its claim to originality. 
 Probably a more exquisite work will not be found in the entire collections of miniatures. 
 It is on ivory, and remains in the plain gold case, with a lock of Washington's hair 
 plaited in the back. 
 
 Dunlap and other writers of the day are not inclined to allow that these paintings 
 were original ; but there could be little doubt that Field would improve, even by stealth, 
 such opportunity as he enjoyed; and there is an individual touch and pose that strengthen 
 this view. Their delicate finish and charming tints challenge the admiration of the most 
 fastidious. They are marked " R. F." 
 
 Field's second miniature, with the same initials, is owned by Mrs. Wilson Eyre of 
 Newport, R.I. It is either not so well preserved in color, or was not so highly toned ; 
 but in other respects it is the counterpart of the first. 
 
 It was worn by Mrs. Washington in a locket, and immediately after her husband's 
 death was presented by her to Col. Lear. It is set in a heavy plain gold case, and on the 
 back is inserted a lock of Washington's hair. On the satin lining of the case is written, in 
 characters rather indistinct, " Presented to T. Lear, by his friend, Mrs. Washington, 1801." 
 
 This miniature has been wrongly attributed to Archibald Robertson ; but the drawing 
 is decidedly the work of another pencil, not possessing the vigor of the Scotch artist. In 
 drawing, it is very like Stuart, with the exception of the mouth, which is far better. It is 
 in all respects a counterpart of the miniature known to have been painted by Field, owned 
 by Mr. Charles C. Moreau, the enthusiastic collector of engraved heads of Washington. 
 Therefore it cannot be admitted that " R. F." stands for Romagc fecit, nor for Robertson 
 fecit, as thought by some. Mr. Moreau has in his possession the following letter from a 
 former owner, giving the history of the painting : — 
 
 "5 
 
1 1 6 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 New York, Oct. 15, 1858. 
 
 Mr. Moreau. 
 
 Dear Sir, — This picture was painted by a Mr. Field, at Washington, in the year 1799, for Thomas 
 Meredith, Esq., who wished to take a likeness of the Father of his Country with him on his going 
 abroad. It was pronounced by all the Washington family and his immediate friends at the time it 
 was taken to be an admirable likeness ; and Thomas Meredith himself knew Washington very well, 
 having spent by special invitation four or five weeks with Washington at Mount Vernon, and also 
 knew him well while Samuel Meredith his father was first treasurer of the United States ; and he 
 (Thomas Meredith) also considered it the best likeness he had ever seen. 
 
 This likeness has been through Europe and to Calcutta and Canton, and was in the court of 
 St. James exceedingly admired. This picture never was out of the possession of Thomas Meredith 
 until it was handed by him to me in 1853 as a present for valuable services rendered him. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 SAMUEL R. MEREDITH. 
 
 Mr. Rembrandt Peale has a theory, which is given in this characteristic letter to Mr. 
 Moreau, a part of which has been published by Mr. Lossing ; and it is appropriate to 
 introduce, though Mrs. Lewis's certificate shows the venerable artist to be mistaken : — 
 
 Philadelphia, Oct. 3, 1858. 
 
 Mr. Moreau. 
 
 Dear Sir, — I thank you for the photograph of Washington from Field's miniature. It revives 
 my recollection of the miniature which I saw this last spring, which is a copy from Stuart's first 
 portrait (not the one in the Athenaeum, Boston). Of course that miniature was painted probably in 
 1796. I have an impression that Mr. Field showed it to me in the year 1798. Field was an English- 
 man, painted in a beautiful style, and commanded good prices. He went to Canada, studied theology 
 (a little), was ordained, and had the grace to be made a bishop, adorning the office with a fine 
 portly figure and a pleasant countenance. When at Centreville, on the eastern shore of Maryland, 
 we took a walk into the country after a rain. A wide puddle of water covered the road beyond the 
 fence on both sides. I climbed the fence, and walked round ; but Mr. Field (fat and lazy), in good 
 humor, paid an old negro to carry him on his shoulders over the water. In the middle of it, Field 
 became so convulsed with laughter, that he nearly shook himself off the old man's back. I never 
 heard any thing of him after he obtained his fat benefice. 
 
 Will you do me the favor to write me how many prints of Washington you have? I wish to 
 mention it in my lecture. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 REMBRANDT PEALE. 
 
 A fourth miniature by Field was owned by Judge Bushrod Washington, who in 1825 
 sent it — through the mediumship of Lafayette, accompanied by a medal made in Virginia 
 as early as 1775 — to Simon Bolivar. This graceful recognition of the " Liberator " of the 
 
Robert Field. 
 
 117 
 
 Pacific coast is thus alluded to in a letter from G. W. P. Custis to W. W. Seaton, editor 
 of " The National Intelligencer," preserved in that delightful biographical sketch given to 
 the world by his charming wife: "Apropos, have you seen the Bolivar present? You 
 will find it at Gaither's, a most splendid specimen of miniature-painting by Field ; a medal 
 well wrought for the state of the arts in Virginia fifty years ago, and the venerated hair 
 of the old chief." This miniature is preserved as a cherished relic in Bolivia. A print of 
 it was sent several years since to a gentleman in Washington well known as a collector 
 of engraved portraits of Washington. 
 
 A small miniature of Martha Washington, marked with the same initials, is owned 
 by her great-granddaughter, Mrs. Beverly Kennon of Georgetown, D.C. This was painted 
 during her widowhood ; and her calm, venerable face was never more beautiful than in this, 
 the last picture ever taken of her. 
 
 It is a matter of surprise and regret that plates were not made of these miniatures 
 by Field or contemporary engravers. 
 
REMBRANDT PEALE. 
 
 PENNSYLVANIA. 
 1778-1860. 
 
 EMBRANDT PEALE was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on the 2 2d 
 of February of that rigorous winter when the colonial troops were suffering' 
 at Valley Forge. His father was at that time in the camp, and taking 
 honorable part in the fortunes of his comrades. 
 It was justly said by one considering his character, " Rembrandt Peale was a born 
 artist." In him was found the orace to harmonize and blend with oreat art attributes. 
 Beauty in all forms was a passion, but most welcome, most charming, in heroic ex- 
 pression. He was a hero-worshipper. 
 
 He was the subject of vicious criticism, even amounting to an assault upon his 
 veracity as an artist, which he knew how to effectually combat. He died, full of years 
 and full of honors, in Philadelphia, Nov. 30, 1S60. 
 
 The " Evening Bulletin " in that city, of the following Thursday, says, — 
 
 " The long life of Rembrandt Peale has not been marked by many stirring events. Art, letters, 
 and genial society occupied his time ; and it passed on serenely and happily amid loving kindred 
 and friends. His early association with Washington made him always a devoted lover of his char- 
 acter, and during the latter part of his life he gave much attention to the study of the various 
 authentic portraits of him that exist. . . . Mr. Peale, besides being a good artist, was a gentleman 
 of elegant taste in other respects. He was always a reader, an especial lover of English poetry, 
 and an occasional writer of graceful and musical verses. In 1839 he published a small volume 
 called the ' Portfolio of an Artist,' consisting of brief selections from the writings of eminent 
 authors, chiefly referring to aesthetics. Interspersed among these are several poems from his own 
 pen, all showing fine taste and delicate fancy. 
 
 "The death of a man like Rembrandt Peale, once the companion of Washington, and the hon- 
 ored associate of the distinguished men that adorned Philadelphia society fifty or sixty years ago, is 
 an event that will be mourned by many. His venerable figure, his refined and gentle countenance, 
 
 his courtly bearing, his genial conversation, will long be gratefully and lovingly remembered." 
 118 
 
Rembrandt Peale. 
 
 See Page 123. 
 
Rembrandt Peak. 1 1 9 
 
 When only eight years of age, while watching his father paint a portrait of Washing- 
 ton from life, there seemed to be aroused in him a veneration and devotion for that great 
 man; and to produce a worthy portrait of him became the ruling ambition of his life. In 
 his popular lecture on "Washington and his Portraits," which was delivered in nearly all 
 the large cities of the Union, having been first given in April, 1854, at the solicitation 
 of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, this venerable artist said, — 
 
 "Washington gave me three sittings. At the first and second, my father's painting and mine 
 advanced well together ; being at my right hand, his was a little less full than mine. In the third 
 sitting, perceiving that he was beginning to repaint the forehead, and proceed downwards, as was his 
 custom, I feared he would have too little time to study the mouth and lower part of the face ; and 
 therefore I began at the chin, and proceeded upwards. The result of this decision was, that there 
 was something in the upper part of my father's study that I preferred, and something in the 
 lower portion of mine which better satisfied me. At subsequent periods I made several studies to 
 combine them. To profit more fully by the occasion, my uncle, James Pealc, during the second and 
 third sittings, painted at my left hand a miniature on ivory; and for a time my elder brother stood 
 beyond my uncle, to make a profile sketch. . . . By these early visits I had the advantage of seeing 
 his hair in a more natural manner than the barber arranged it, wig-fashion, after ten o'clock. In 
 this particular the hair in Col. Trumbull's portrait is much more easy and graceful, as he probably 
 saw it in the negligence of a camp. He shaved himself before coming to me; and the powder being 
 washed from his whiskers in front of his ears, showed that his hair was dark brown. What there 
 was of gray on the top of the head was disguised with powder ; yet there his hair was abundant, 
 and the plaited hair behind was long and clubbed, to which was attached — on days of state cere- 
 mony, in dress of black velvet — the customary appendage of a black silk bag. 
 
 " My portrait, wet from the easel, was packed up, and in a few days was opened in Charleston, 
 where I painted ten copies of it, which were valued as the most recent likeness. In executing these 
 I became familiar with whatever good it possessed, but also became still more sensitive to its defi- 
 ciencies. 
 
 "After the death of Washington, neither satisfied with my father's, nor Trumbull's, nor Pine's, 
 nor Wertmiiller's, nor Stuart's, nor my own, I made repeated attempts to fix on canvas the image 
 which was so strong in my mind by an effort of combination, chiefly of my father's and my own 
 studies. 
 
 " I had made during several years sixteen of these attempts ; and, though not equal to my own 
 expectation, they all found satisfied possessors. I determined in 1823 to make a last effort; and 
 under an excitement, even beyond the 'poetic frenzy' which controlled me during three months, to 
 the exclusion of every other thought and to the grief of my father, who considered it a hopeless 
 effort, I succeeded to his conviction." 
 
 Peale, after painting portraits for several years, went to Europe, and remained from 
 1 80 1 to 1804, part of which time he studied,, as his father had done, with Benjamin West. 
 
I 20 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 His art-life was noble and strong; and, if his gifts had been in proportion to his ambition 
 and integrity, he would have been a great painter. He leaves a record worthy of study ; 
 and his three well-known compositions — "The Roman Daughter," "The Ascent of Elijah," 
 and "The Court of Death" — place him beyond the pale of portrait-painters. He was 
 the first lithographer in this country, and made two large engravings, on stone, of his 
 bust of Washington, receiving for lithography the silver medal of the Franklin Institute of 
 Drawing in 1827. While in Italy he made careful notes, and wrote a useful volume on 
 " Rome and its Art-Treasures." He lectured on natural science, and while abroad published 
 a " Memoir of the Mammoth," which attracted the attention of Cuvier. A notice from a 
 Philadelphia paper, of the mammoth which he took to Europe, is worth inserting : — 
 
 "American Miracle. — The skeleton with which it is Mr. Rembrandt Peale's intention shortly 
 to visit Europe was yesterday so far put together, that, previous to taking it to pieces for the pur- 
 pose of packing it up, he and twelve other gentlemen partook of a collation within the breast 
 of the animal, all comfortably seated round a small table and one of Mr. Hawkins's patent portable 
 pianos." 
 
 It will be observed that the gifts of the son were almost equally as varied as those 
 of his father. That he was a man of independence and individuality will be seen by a 
 card issued in 1804; and it is doubtful if a more curious advertisement can be found: — 
 
 "Rembrandt. — The names being merely to distinguish individuals, and whereas few persons 
 discriminate between the peculiar names of my father, uncle, brother, or myself, which creates a con- 
 fusion disadvantageous to the distinct merit of each as an artist, I am induced to obviate this on 
 my part in being known only by my first name Rembrandt, the adjunct Peale serving only to show 
 of whom descended. Therefore ladies and gentlemen desirous of viewing a few specimens of my 
 style of painting may find me by the following direction : Rembrandt, portrait-painter in large 
 and small, head of Mulberry Court, leading from Sixth, three doors above Market Street. Dec. 4." 
 
 Peale afterwards lived for nine years in Baltimore, where he did much for the art- 
 interests of that city, establishing a creditable museum and gallery of paintings. In 1829 
 he again went abroad, remaining sixteen months in Italy. Of this journey he writes : — 
 
 " I gratified my national and professional pride by taking with me my portrait of Washington ; 
 which in Rome brought to my room some of the most distinguished artists, professors, and amateurs. 
 At Florence it was exhibited with distinction in the Royal Academy. In London it was visited by 
 artists and other distinguished persons ; and after my return to America, without my solicitation, it 
 was bought by a unanimous vote of the Senate, and placed in their hall as the picture which had 
 united the suffrages of most of the intimate friends and relations of Washington." 
 
Rembrandt Peale. 
 
 12 1 
 
 Dunlap expressed much disgust that this portrait, of which he disapproved, should 
 have received so many certificates, saying, " A certificate in my mind is equivalent to 
 something deficient or amiss." 1 This was scarcely fair, when it is remembered that those 
 who certified to the correctness of the noble picture were the intimate friends of the sub- 
 ject, and that the artist, a far better art-critic than Dunlap, was not content until he had 
 given sixteen years to the work ; but, when satisfied, he was enthusiastic. 
 
 At the age of seventeen he made his first sketch of Washington from life, at a sitting 
 which was accorded as a compliment to his father. Peale says, "Washington entered the 
 room precisely at seven, with his watch in hand, and rose to leave promptly at ten." 
 
 In " Notes " now in possession of his daughter, Mrs. Augusta Peale Barker, he made 
 the following record : — 
 
 "In 1798 my father, having declined painting portraits, recommended me to his fellow-citizens; 
 but my youthful appearance being unfavorable to my pretensions induced me to make my debut 
 among strangers. I therefore chose Charleston, S.C., and, for the purpose of making a favorable im- 
 pression, collected all of my pictures, including a number of copies from my father's gallery of Revo- 
 lutionary characters ; but I dreaded the untried task of separate maintenance, and wished that I had 
 some picture that would invite attention from its novelty and interest. ' If I only had a good por- 
 trait of Washington was my exclamation ! ' — 'Why,' said my father, 'have you not a good copy of my 
 last painting?' — 'Yes; but it may not be thought a good likeness, and it is not a recent one.' — 
 'Would you wish to paint an original head; because, if you do, I will immediately ask him to sit to 
 you, which he certainly will do, as he is one of the kindest of men.' At teatime my father in- 
 formed me Gen. Washington would be with me at seven o'clock next morning. I was up before 
 daylight, getting every thing ready for the sitting with which I was to be honored. Before the hour 
 arrived, fearing I might not sufficiently profit by the short time allowed me before the sailing of the 
 ship for Charleston, I induced my father also to paint a head alongside of me, close to my right 
 hand, that I might see his progress to compare with my own. The greatest advantage of this ar- 
 rangement was, that I was relieved of the effort to talk with my sitter ; a familiar conversation being 
 maintained between him and my father." 
 
 He kept one of these first portraits for his own use, and it was destroyed in the war 
 of 18 12 ; 2 a second he took to France as a gift to Madame Lafayette; a third became the 
 
 1 "Among the treasures left by Mr. Peale are the original letters bearing testimony to the fidelity of this por- 
 trait, from Judges Marshall, Washington, Peters, Tilghman, Cranch, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Bishop White, and 
 numerous other friends and associates of Washington." — Evening Bulletin, Oct. 4, i860. 
 
 Mr. Peale resented Dunlap's term, and says, " I therefore obtained from Judges Washington, Tilghman, Peters, 
 Bishop White, and others, letters [letters of their own dictation, not a certificate, as erroneously stated in Dunlap's His- 
 tory of the Arts], repeating such expressions of their approbation as they had previously made public." 
 
 2 A pencil entry in his "Notes" says, "My portrait of Washington is in the Department of State, sold by Mr. 
 Young to William Brent for $250." This may be the one destroyed by fire in 1814, or it may be the work attributed 
 by Mr. Stansbury to the father of Rembrandt. 
 
12 2 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 property of one of Washington's brothers, and is now owned by a descendant living in 
 St. Louis. An account of it recently appeared in a journal of that city : — 
 
 " One of the few genuine portraits of Gen. Washington for which he gave sittings is in the 
 possession of Dr. Nicholas Custis Washington of North 16th Street, in whose parlor it hangs 
 in its tarnished gilt frame; while beneath it plays the doctor's children, in the eldest of whom — a 
 boy — one cannot fail to notice a striking resemblance in the portrait. He has the same peculiar 
 forehead, the same eyes, the same mouth ; and it can easily be imagined that he is just such another 
 boy as young George was when he first came into possession of the hatchet, for the use of which, 
 no less than the sword, he was famous. 
 
 "The picture, which is attributed to the younger Peale, is life-size and quarter-length, showing 
 Washington in the stiff black dress-coat, with its broad collar, which was fashionable in his day. 
 The Father of his Country kept up with the fashions, we are told by one of his contemporaries ; 
 and a neckcloth of white lace tied at the throat, after the manner of stocks worn by our grandfathers, 
 save that one end is left free, which, falling below the middle of the breast, quite hides the waistcoat 
 from view. The face is much the same, which every one knows, differing from the standard set up 
 by the Houdon statue in that the forehead is not quite so retreating, thus giving an expression of 
 greater intelligence than is seen in the standard portraits. The face is painted very high, as they 
 say in the studios ; but this strength of coloring is gradually giving way to age, the colors having 
 the appearance of having been laid on gypsum. The lower part of the picture in any except a very 
 strong light is scarcely to be distinguished from the background against which it is painted. It is 
 hard to tell whether the hair is Gen. Washington's own, or a wig. At any rate, it is heavily pow- 
 dered, with a single lock on each side combed down over the ear, extending about two inches on 
 the cheeks." 
 
 A picture painted by Peale directly from one of his first studies was given by Wash- 
 ington to Henry William de Saussure, second director of the United-States Mint. The 
 President expressed his regret at Mr. de Saussure's retirement, and as a token of his 
 regard presented him with this portrait. It was very highly prized by the recipient, and 
 was inherited by his son, never being removed from the homestead until three years ago, 
 when it was sent to Mr. Earle, Philadelphia, for sale. The youthful artist so nearly followed 
 his father and preceptor in this work, that it has been attributed to the latter. A plate 
 engraved by Edwin, of a portrait by " R. Peale," corroborates its authorship. By years of 
 close study of Houdon's head, aided by his own original and the criticisms of many of the 
 nearest friends of Washington, Peale produced two portraits, — one a bust, the other an 
 equestrian. Though these are composite works, they have some claim to rank as originals. 
 Even after he had devoted years of labor to his aim he was dissatisfied, until his father, 
 entering his studio and seeing the bust, exclaimed, "My son, you have it now: this is 
 Washington ! " And from that day he says he was content. This portrait was painted in 
 
Rembrandt Peale. 
 
 123 
 
 1824, and was a great triumph. One of his brothers said, "Rembrandt was crazy on the 
 subject of Washington : he dreamed and talked about his picture in his sleep." The 
 artist's own description of the painting of his portrait of Washington, now owned by the 
 United States Government, places it in the list of passionate creations. He says, — 
 
 "Whatever maybe the merit or demerit of this painting the manner in which it was produced 
 has something so extraordinary in it, that it may be recorded as an instance of artistic excitement. 
 My only objection to making it public is that it savours too much of Romance, yet being literally 
 true, it belongs to the History of mind if not of art. I had formed a resolution of going to reside 
 in Europe, and feeling an undiminished desire of having what I could show as a Likeness of the 
 Father of his Country ; I determined to make one more attempt. Preparatory for this I assembled 
 in my room every document representing in any degree the man who still lived in my memory, but 
 differing from them all. Whilst contemplating these with the deepest attention as they were arranged 
 around my room my wife entered and anxiously asked my purpose. When I told her, she burst into 
 a flood of tears & exclaimed with great emotion that Washington was my evil genius and she 
 wished he never had been born. I promised her this should be my last attempt. I commenced 
 & devoted all my time to it to the neglect of every other business ; in order literally to be as good 
 as my word. For three months it was my constant occupation, working at it all day & absolutely 
 dreaming of it every night. My father who visited me daily was much grieved, to see me so ear- 
 nestly engaged in what he considered a vain pursuit. I had worked my imagination up to a sort of 
 frenzy & in extreme excitement imagined I was succeeding in my effort. My father came to the 
 door, — I could not speak, but gently touched him not to enter. I locked the door & continued to 
 paint as if Washington had just left me. My father with a distressed countenance came again, I 
 permitted him to look at my Picture. When he gaily clapped me on the shoulder saying — 'You 
 have got it at last ! It is the best of Likenesses.' He immediately went out and brought Judge 
 Tilghman and Judge Peters to corroborate his opinion. Next day I continued my task, to make a 
 few touches but my imagination became again excited & I continued to paint all day, the door 
 being locked against every applicant. I could suffer no intrusion in my abstract devotion. Dinner 
 did not enter my thoughts and twilight came on. It was too dark to paint though I felt eager to 
 go on the image of Washington fresh in my brain. My temples throbbed painfully. Was I mad ? 
 Was I the victim as my wife predicted of an evil spirit ? But could any one be mad and know it ? 
 Have I destroyed what was thoughted to be good ? I seized a rag wet with Turpentine to wash off 
 my days work, but I forebore. The work of yesterday yet fresh would be defaced, therefore, I let 
 it stand & scraped the colors from my Palettes with a feeling that I might never paint more. I 
 went home, tea was waiting for me. But what is the matter with you ' asked my wife. Your ears 
 are red as blood, a cup of tea will do you good.' — After tea my daughter went to the Piano & 
 played & sang some of my favorite songs. I listened, my forehead resting on my hand, at the end 
 of her singing I awakened as if from a dream. My forehead felt cool, that had been burning hot 
 for three months ; and for the first time the thought of Washington had passed from my mind. That 
 night I slept well and after a hearty breakfast hastened to my Painting room, some distance from 
 
Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 my dwelling and to my great satisfaction found the head I had painted just as I had thought it, 
 and although it was not the perfect Washington to equal my insatiable desire, I felt I could do 
 no more, & was conscious that others who knew Washington would see something of life in it. I 
 touched the head no more but finished the ground & drapery, and for many days my Painting 
 Room was crowded with uninvited visitors, many of whom knew the original well." 
 
 In 1832 a special senate committee, for two thousand dollars, purchased the bust- 
 portrait, which hung many years in the United States senate-chamber. By numerous con- 
 temporary art critics and amateurs this was esteemed one of the most reliable portraits of 
 Washington. It is to be regretted that it has been removed, from a position where it 
 could have been seen by all, to the Vice-President's room. It is carefully finished, with rich, 
 mellowed tints, and most effectively incased in an oval stone-work, beneath which are the 
 words " Pater Patrice ;" and they well accord with the benign expression of the noble face. 
 The harmonious, grave tone of this work gives it an individuality very pleasing. The brow, 
 eyes, and mouth are distinguished for life and vigor ; and the mouth particularly is sensi- 
 tive and flexible. When finished, and on exhibition, it was received with enthusiasm ; and 
 its approval by those who best knew Washington cannot be considered unimportant. 
 Major Jackson, secretary of Constitutional Convention, said, — 
 
 "In striking similitude- of features, character, and expression, I consider it the best and most 
 faithful portrait of the great Father of his Country I have ever seen." 
 
 Major Lawrence Lewis said, — 
 
 " It is the only portrait of my uncle I ever wish to look at a second time ; but on this I could 
 
 gaze continually." 
 
 Peale writes, — 
 
 " Whilst my portrait was on exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts, New York, the Marquess 
 De Lafayette was invited to see it ; but instead of coming alone, being at a meeting of the Cincin- 
 nati, he mentioned the invitation, and the whole body came in procession, accompanied by a band of 
 musicians playing Washington's March as they entered the room. In the crowd I could not hear 
 his opinion of the portrait, but have been told by Mr. William Forest of New York, who stood near 
 him, that, after looking at it with evident emotion, he turned round and said, 'Gentlemen, this is 
 the Washington I knew.' " 
 
 Rembrandt Peale said he could only explain the unhappy effect given by Stuart to 
 the lines of the mouth in his Washington to the fact that the unfortunate false teeth were 
 adopted about the time — possibly the same day — when both artists were allowed sittings, 
 but that he (Peale) had an appointment before they were inserted. 
 
 The picture by this artist known as the Equestrian Portrait is entitled " Washington 
 before Yorktown." It presents him in the zenith of his glory, and at a moment when all 
 
Rli.MliKANDT PhaLE. 
 See Page 134. 
 
Rembrandt Peale. 
 
 125 
 
 the force of the commander is called forth by the act of rebuking a subordinate for perilous 
 neglect of duty. He is accompanied by his staff and general officers, — Hamilton, Lafay- 
 ette, Knox, Lincoln, and Rochambeau. 
 
 Col. Forest of German town, who was on Washington's staff, and an eye-witness of 
 the scene, thus describes it : — 
 
 "Washington with his generals having surveyed the ground, and decided on the spot, rode to 
 his tent, took a hasty meal, remounted with his staff, and rode back to the ground, where he found 
 nothing done. In a voice unusually loud he called to Col. Tiernan, chief engineer, who rode up to 
 him, startled and pale. 'Sir,' said Washington, 'did I not order the intrenchments to be begun 
 here ? If they are not begun in ten minutes, I shall know the reason why ! ' In ten minutes there 
 were two hundred men at work." 
 
 The intimate personal friends of Washington were enthusiastic over this portrait. His 
 biographer and neighbor, Chief Justice Marshall, said, — 
 
 " I have never seen a portrait of that great man which exhibited so perfect a resemblance of 
 him. The likeness in features is striking ; and the character of the whole face is preserved, and 
 exhibited with wonderful accuracy. It is more Washington himself than any portrait of him I have 
 ever seen." 
 
 Judge Thatcher wrote to Mr. Peale, — 
 
 " It revives in my mind a pleasing recollection of that noble and expressive countenance and 
 dignified presence, which during the Revolutionary War I so often contemplated with veneration 
 and delight. The appearance of Gen. Washington when mounted on his lofty steed was inimitably 
 majestic and graceful ; and your Equestrian Portrait representing him at Yorktown is strikingly char- 
 acteristic, and forms a spectacle peculiarly sublime and interesting." 
 
 Mr. Charles Willson Peale also testified his approbation : — 
 
 " Notwithstanding the celebrity of the last portrait by Stuart, and the success of my last original, 
 both of which were painted in 1795, I feel assured that my son, after repeated attempts during 
 many years, has succeeded in producing a portrait of Washington that surpasses all others, particu- 
 larly his Equestrian Portrait, which is the most perfect likeness of him I have ever seen, — true in 
 form, and fine in the expression of his countenance." 
 
 The artist painted the Equestrian Portrait for the rotunda of the United States Capi- 
 tol, where it would have had sufficient distance to be seen to advantage. A resolution 
 on the last day of a session, to buy this painting for four thousand five hundred dollars, 
 passed the Senate unanimously, but did not reach the House. Doubtless it would finally 
 have been purchased by the Government, but for the onslaught of criticism with which it 
 was met. 
 
Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 In June, 1873, it was presented to the "Ladies' Mount Vernon Association of the 
 Union," by the heirs of the distinguished artist. This is an appropriate disposition of it, a 
 very elegant contribution to the patriotic women whose devotion has preserved to the 
 nation the home of Washington, and could not be placed amid more harmonious associa- 
 tions than in the banquet-hall at Mount Vernon. 
 
 The massive frame that surrounds this painting was made from a walnut-tree grown 
 upon the farm of Robert Morris, the " financier of the Revolution." 
 
 The first study for this painting remained in the possession of the artist until his 
 death, when it was purchased at auction by James L. Claghorn for the city of Philadelphia, 
 and it is now in the National Museum, Independence Hall. 
 
 For reproductions of his portrait purchased by Congress, Peale received many orders, 
 — some of which were in miniature, — which he executed with a touch of exquisite fine- 
 ness. He painted his last bust-portrait in 1859, for the father of John A. McAllister of 
 Philadelphia, its present owner. In the panel of the frame the artist inserted an interesting 
 certificate, of which a copy is here given : — 
 
 "Washington sat expressly to me in September, 1795, — my father, at my request, making a 
 study of him at the same time. The portrait, from which this picture was copied, I painted in the 
 year 1824, being the result of a series of efforts to combine the merits of my own and my father's 
 studies, under the influence of extraordinary excitement and vivid recollection. . . . Though painted 
 solely for my own gratification, it was spontaneously approved by the intimate friends and relatives 
 of Washington, as the most characteristic likeness of him. ... I was born the 22 nd of February, 
 1778, — consequently, I had entered the 82 nd year of my age, when I made this, my 75 th copy, for 
 John McAllister, Jr. of Phil 3 , being now the only artist living to whom Washington ever sat for 
 his portrait. . . . Written and signed by 
 
 REMBRANDT PEALE. 
 
 Philadelphia, June, 1S59." 
 
 Referring to the first sitting that he had from Washington, Mr. Peale gives him credit 
 for the witticism claimed by Stuart. " Seeing my father, my uncle James, my brother 
 Raphael, and myself at work, the general exclaimed, ' Why, gentlemen, I am being Pealed 
 all around.' " As the Father of his Country did not often indulge in a bon mot, it is but 
 fair that he should have due credit for this. 
 
 Mr. Peale painted many miniatures, which were more approved than his larger works. 
 He was fond of copying Stuart ; and perhaps the best copy he made is in the Lenox 
 Gallery, which has been previously referred to as a reproduction of the portrait executed 
 in 1795. 
 
 Notwithstanding the popularity of this artist's portraits of Washington, we find — beside 
 
Rembrandt Peak. 
 
 127 
 
 the Edwin before mentioned, and Peale's own lithographs — that only three engravers have 
 reproduced these works. R. Metzeroth made a small print of the Equestrian Portrait, and 
 A. B. Walter a mezzotinto royal folio of the " Pater Patrice" which is a beautiful print. 
 H. B. Hall executed three plates of the bust, — the first, in 1859, for Irving's "Life of 
 Washington;" the second, in 1865, for " Washingtonia," by Franklin B. Hough; and a 
 third, for Tuckerman's " Character and Portraits of Washington." 
 
JAMES SHARPLESS. 
 
 ENGLAND. 
 1751-1811. 
 
 HIS artist came to the United States in 1796, and in the same year made 
 very meritorious colored crayon cabinet-portraits of Gen. and Mrs. Washing- 
 ton. Washington so highly approved of these pictures, that he ordered 
 from the artist portraits of Mrs. Washington and of the other' members of 
 his family, including George Washington Lafayette, which were hung in a group in the 
 east parlor, or music-room, at Mount Vernon, in small oval gilt frames. 
 
 Sharpless used a pantograph, and therefore the proportions of his pictures were 
 mathematically correct ; and in addition they had great reputation for lifelike expression. 
 He made, with but little difference in pose, — some in civil, others in military dress, — 
 many portraits of Washington, having secured several sittings. And although Washington 
 was called a bad sitter, and was wont to declare that every time should be " the last," 
 he was particularly considerate and indulgent to Sharpless. 
 
 The first profile of cabinet-size was highly approved by the family at Mount Vernon. 
 It is noted in the executor's inventory of the personal effects of Washington's estate, as 
 "Small likeness of General Washington — $100." It descended to G. W. P. Custis, being 
 well known to those familiar with the Arlington Collection, and is now in the possession 
 of Gen. G. W. C. Lee. 
 
 Another- of these portraits is retained in the family, and owned by Mrs. George 
 R. Goldsborough of Maryland, — granddaughter of Mrs. Elizabeth Law, from whom she 
 inherited it. On the back is the following autographic indorsement : — 
 
 "This is an original Portrait of Gen 1 Washington taken in 1797. It was painted by Mr. 
 Sharpless and is an exact likeness except the complexion. Gen 1 Washington was very fair with light 
 brown almost auburn hair. He had not a black beard. He had artificial teeth, but so well fixed 
 that they did not disfigure his mouth. His hair was thin, craped and dressed with powder and 
 pomatum as this profile." — Eliza P. Custis. 
 128 
 
I AMES Sua 
 
James Sharpless. 
 
 Another was executed for Col. James Mc Henry of Maryland, who gave it to the late 
 Peter Hoffman, sen., from whom it was inherited by his son David. A profile by Sharpless 
 was also owned by Hon. James Hillhouse, New Haven, Conn. A pastel full-face, not so 
 successful as the profile, was made for Judge Peters ; and another was purchased after 
 the artist's death by a Mr. Walker, then living in London. A very interesting cabinet- 
 profile is in possession of Mrs. Morton Lewis of Bridgewater, Penn. It was presented to 
 her grandfather, — Miers Fisher, — a lawyer of ability in Philadelphia belonging to the 
 society of Friends. Mr. Fisher was an intimate associate of Washington ; and one day 
 when the President was dining with him, just before the expiration of his last term, he 
 referred to a favor Mr. Fisher had rendered, and said he would be pleased to make some 
 testimonial of his gratitude; to which his host replied, "There is nothing I should so 
 highly prize as an original likeness of thyself taken for me, friend George." In a short 
 time a profile was executed by Sharpless, and sent to Mr. Fisher by Washington. This 
 very faithful portrait is in a good state of preservation, and may be considered one of 
 the most trustworthy examples of the artist's works. 
 
 After Sharpless's death in Philadelphia, where he had located, his son Felix returned 
 to England with the family, taking his father's portraits of distinguished Americans, 
 which the artist with jealous care had kept undivided, saying, when a purchaser appeared, 
 that they were "not quite finished." The family resided in Bath, and there catalogued 
 and sold a large number of these heads. Later Felix — also a painter, but far inferior to 
 his father — returned to this country, bringing with him the unsold portraits. He, as the 
 elder had been, was a travelling artist. Finally he became domesticated at " Yeardley," 
 the lordly estate of the Winders, in Southampton County, Virginia. He painted many of 
 the belles and beaux of the Old Dominion, and occasionally sold a portrait of the elder 
 artist. One day he disappeared, and it is supposed that he was drowned : there was also 
 a rumor to the effect, that, loving a fair maiden in vain, he committed suicide. He was 
 never heard of again. The pictures became the property of Gen. Winder in payment of 
 borrowed money, and were for half a century known as the " Yeardley Collection." Edward 
 Everett, in 1855, examined these portraits, and was anxious to buy them for the city of 
 Boston ; but the owner had already determined to donate the entire collection to the 
 University of Virginia. 
 
 A large portion of these fine crayons were hurriedly boxed and hidden in the early 
 part of the war; but in 1861 a few which had been left on the walls were pierced with 
 bayonets by lawless soldiers. After the establishment of peace, those remaining were sold at 
 a public auction in Baltimore. Among them were several portraits of Washington, one of 
 which, with heads of other heroes of the Revolution, was purchased by Francis S. Hoffman 
 for Independence Hall, and are now in the National Museum. 
 
130 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Cabinet-portraits of Gen. and Mrs. Washington by Sharpless were purchased in 1865 
 by Mr. Nathan Appleton of Boston at a bric-a-brac store in New York. They are in 
 good condition, and very fine examples of the artist. 
 
 A beautiful profile of Washington, cabinet-size, by Sharpless, is owned by Mrs. William 
 Greenleaf Webster. Her husband received it from his first wife, who was Miss Rosalie 
 Eugenie Stuart. No doubt the portrait was at one time the property of Miss Stuart's 
 mother, whose first husband was John Parke Custis ; her relations with the Washington 
 family having continued unbroken and intimate after her second marriage. 
 
 In the Wadsworth Gallery at Hartford, Conn., there are cabinet-portraits of " General 
 and Lady Washington," which are claimed to have been taken by Sharpless from life, to 
 the order of Col. Jeremiah Wadsworth. This officer was commissary-general to the French 
 troops, and a friend warmly esteemed by Washington. 
 
 Upon the back of the frame of a crayon by Sharpless, belonging to John R. Smith 
 of Philadelphia, was inscribed the famous eulogy written by an unknown English admirer 
 of Washington, which was published in 18 14 in Alden's collection of American epitaphs 
 and inscriptions. A printed copy of the same eulogy, as has been stated, was upon the 
 back of the "Pitcher Portrait" at Mount Vernon: — 
 
 Washington, 
 The defender of his Country, 
 The founder of Liberty, 
 The friend of Man. 
 History and Tradition are explored in vain 
 For a Parallel to his Character. 
 In the Annals of Modern Greatness, 
 
 He stands alone, 
 And the noblest Names of Antiquity 
 Lose their Lustre in his Presence. 
 
 Born the Benefactor of Mankind, 
 He was signally endowed with all the Qualities 
 Appropriate to his Illustrious Career. 
 Nature made him Great, 
 
 And, Heaven-directed, 
 He made himself Virtuous. 
 
 Called by his Country to the Defence of her Soil 
 And the vindication of her Liberties, 
 He led to the Field 
 Her Patriot Armies ; 
 
jfames Sharp less. 
 
 And displaying in rapid and brilliant succession, 
 The united Powers 
 Of Consummate Prudence 
 And Heroic Valour, 
 He triumphed in Arms 
 Over the most powerful Nation 
 Of Modern Europe ; 
 His Sword giving Freedom to America, 
 His Counsels breathing Peace to the World. 
 
 After a short repose 
 From the tumultuous Vicissitudes 
 Of a Sanguinary War, 
 The astounding Energies of 
 Washington 
 Were again destined to a New Course 
 Of Glory and Usefulness. 
 
 The Civic Wreath 
 Was spontaneously placed 
 By the Gratitude of the Nation 
 On the Brow of the Deliverer of his Country. 
 He was twice solemnly invested 
 With the Powers of Supreme Magistracy, 
 By the Unanimous Voice of 
 A Free People; 
 And in his Exalted and Arduous station 
 His Wisdom in the Cabinet 
 Transcended the Glories of the Field. 
 
 The Destinies of Washington 
 Were now complete. 
 Having passed the Meridian of a Devoted Life, 
 Having founded on the Pillars 
 Of National Independence 
 The Splendid Fabric 
 Of a Great Republic, 
 And having firmly established 
 The Empire of the West, 
 He solemnly deposited on the Altar of his Country, 
 His Laurels and his Sword, 
 And retired to the Shades 
 Of Private Life. 
 
132 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 A Spectacle so New and so Sublime, 
 Was contemplated by Mankind 
 With the Profoundest admiration ; 
 
 And the name of Washington, 
 Adding new Lustre to Humanity, 
 Resounded 
 7^ remotest regions of the Earth. 
 
 Magnanimous in Youth, 
 Glorious through Life, 
 
 Great in Death, 
 His highest Ambition 
 The Happiness of Mankind, 
 His noblest Victory 
 The Conquest of Himself. 
 Bequeathing to America 
 The Inheritance of his Fame, 
 And building his Monument 
 In the Hearts of his Countrymen, 
 He lived, 
 The Ornament of the 18 th Century; 
 He died, 
 Lamented by a Mourning World. 
 
 Of the portraits of Washington taken to England, one, said to be an original, was 
 in possession of the rector of Wymington, Bedfordshire, and another in the National Por- 
 trait Gallery, Kensington : the latter is catalogued " E. Sharpless," and was doubtless the 
 work of his wife. 
 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Sharpless was a successful miniature-painter in water-colors. One of 
 Washington executed by her was owned by Gen. Anthony Walton White of New Jersey, 
 which descended to his daughter, Mrs. Eliza M. Evans. It is a small miniature, and has 
 been engraved. On the back is written by the artist, " General Washington — Philadelphia. 
 1796. E. Sharpless." 
 
 This ingenious lady wrought a cabinet-portrait in black-and-white flosses, shaded with 
 marvellous skill, which is now owned by Miss E. R. Braxton, Old Church, Hanover County, 
 Virginia. 
 
 The remarkably spirited and brilliant portrait (in oil) by Sharpless was purchased by Mr. 
 Cary, an American merchant in London, from Mr. Walker of that city, for whom the artist 
 had painted it while in this country. This work was often commented on by the critics 
 of the owner's acquaintance, and its reputation for accurate likeness was widespread. It 
 
jfames Sharpless. 
 
 133 
 
 was brought to the United States, and considerable enthusiasm was manifested on the 
 occasion of its exhibition in the rooms of the New- York Historical Society. 
 
 Sharpless once, somewhat discouraged, wrote to his wife, in reference to Washington, — 
 
 " It is not in the grasp of any painter to hold the dignity and mightiness of the great subject. 
 . . . There was a concealed though not unconquered passion working within him, which rendered 
 him a somewhat painful sitter. On this account I felt the necessity of making a dash at him before 
 any ennui could be engendered." 
 
 We are undoubtedly under great obligations to this elegant, refined foreign painter, 
 not only for a superior rendering of the features of Washington, but for many other highly 
 attractive works. In this connection nothing truer nor finer can be said than that already 
 given by the facile pen of Mr. Tuckerman : — 
 
 "The profile likeness of Washington by Sharpless is a valuable item of the legacy which art 
 has bequeathed of those noble and benign features. He evidently bestowed upon it his highest skill, 
 and there is no more correct facial outline of the immortal subject in existence. A disciple of Lavater 
 would probably find it the most available side-view for physiognomical inference : it is remarkably 
 adapted to the burin, and has been once, at least, adequately engraved." 
 
 Aside from the private plate recently engraved by H. B. Hall, there is no rendering 
 of Sharpless but that published by Aiken and Harrison in Philadelphia, Jan. 20, 1800. It 
 is now exceedingly rare : it was a memorial engraving issued after Washington's death. 
 The head is in an oval medallion on monumental column : under a wreath above the 
 head is the name; Columbia, mourning, stands beside the monument. On either side are 
 cypress and willow ; while an eagle with bowed head cowers in the foreground. The 
 entire inscription is inserted : — 
 
 "America lamenting her loss at the tomb of Washington. Intended as a tribute of respect 
 paid to departed merit & virtue in the Remembrance of that illustrious Hero, & most amiable man 
 who died Dec. 14, 1799. 
 
 G. Washington. 
 Born 11 th Feby O.S., 1732. 
 Com. Cont. Army, 1775. 
 Pres. Fed. Convention, 1787. 
 Pres. United States, 1789. 
 Declined Election, 1796. 
 Com. Fed. Army, 1798." 
 
CHARLES BALTHAZER JULIEN FEVRET DE ST. MEMIN. 
 
 FRANCE. 
 1770-1852. 
 
 HIS artist was a French refugee, who fled on account of his sympathy with 
 the royal cause, came to the United States, and remained from 1794 to 18 14. 
 Being an accomplished draughtsman, he supported his family in their exile 
 by drawing and engraving heads of distinguished men and women. In 1798 
 he drew a profile head of Washington, which may be termed the portrait of the " General 
 of the Army," as it was taken when Washington, under the new title conferred on him 
 by Congress, was in Philadelphia, making preparations to re-organize the army to repel 
 the expected French invasion. 
 
 It is not known whether St. Memin had a sitting from the general, or whether he 
 made his own opportunity when Washington appeared in public ; but he certainly produced 
 a likeness full of vigor and of strong individuality. The perfect outline he gave of Wash- 
 ington's head indicates that it was taken by an instrument adopted by this artist, by which 
 he secured the features with mathematical precision. The original sketch, half life-size, in 
 crayon, is on a reddish-brown paper. The dress is military, and the pose of the head 
 differs from that given by any other artist. This interesting souvenir is the property of 
 J. Carson Brevoort, Long Island, who obtained it from Mr. James B. Robertson ; and this 
 gentleman received the picture at Dijon, France, from the nephew and heir of the artist. 
 
 I le told Mr. Robertson that he had often heard his uncle say that Mr. Jefferson considered 
 
 » 
 
 it the most accurate rendering ever given of the features of Washington ; which is almost 
 assurance that it was taken by the physionotracy (a machine invented by Oueneday, a 
 French engraver), and reduced by the pantograph. 
 
 It is a matter of regret that St. Memin did not engrave this portrait full-size ; since, 
 judging from other engravings of his execution, there is no doubt that entire confidence 
 may be placed in his head of Washington. 
 
 A copy of the only miniature of Washington engraved by him is in the St. Memin 
 Collection of eight hundred and eighteen engravings of eminent Americans at the Corcoran 
 Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. ; than which there is not a more priceless collection of 
 
 »J4 
 
Charles Balthazer jfulien Fevret de St Memin. 135 
 
 heads, being in itself a complete gallery of American celebrities. One of this series, a 
 small head of Jefferson, hung in the library of Mr. Garfield. In directing the author's 
 attention to it, he said, "I consider that a gem, — the most exquisitely drawn head with 
 which I am familiar. I wish I could find a miniature of Washington by St. Memin." 
 Two original works of this artist, life-size profiles of William Wirt and his wife, and 
 in the same style, and on the same kind of paper, as the Washington owned by Mr. 
 Brevoort, are in one of the upper rooms in the Corcoran Gallery; and a half-dozen or 
 more are in the New- York Historical Society. 
 
 A beautiful engraving of St. Memin's Washington is on the titlepage of a small 
 volume published by the Washington Monument Association of Baltimore, containing 
 Washington's " Farewell Address," and a stockholder's certificate, which was presented as a 
 memorial to each subscriber to the fund. A ring belonging to Miss Annie S. King of 
 Baltimore contains a very fine steel-engraving, by St. Memin, of the head of Washing- 
 ton, surrounded by a black enamel band, with the inscription, " 14. Dec. 1799. ae 68." 
 It is one of six of these engravings made by St. Memin, about the time of Washington's 
 death, for mourning rings. 
 
 St. Memin became a landscape and portrait painter of repute, and after his return to 
 France was restored to his military rank, dating from the day of his exile. In 18 17 he 
 was appointed director of the museum at Dijon, where he was held in high esteem until 
 his death, in 1852. Besides reproductions of Washington by himself, this artist has been 
 engraved only by Dudensing, published by Elias Dexter in 1866, and by Hall & Sons, 
 which appeared in the "Washington Number" of the "Magazine of American History," 
 February, 1880. 
 
HENRY B. LATROBE. 
 
 ENGLAND. 
 
 1767-1820. 
 
 HIS gifted and eminent architect, soon after his arrival in America in 1796, 
 spent several days at Mount Vernon, a visit of which he wrote an animated 
 and happy account to his family, introducing some valuable pen-portrayals 
 of Washington and the home-circle of this hospitable mansion. We insert 
 one of these sketches, kindly furnished from the artist's sketch-book by his son, Hon. 
 John H. B. Latrobe of Baltimore. 
 
 -6- 
 
 0L. o6t4 
 
 '3 6 
 
 ^^^^^ 
 
Henry B. Latrobe. 
 
 137 
 
 A fuller explanation is given by an extract from Mr. Latrobe's letter : — 
 
 "Dinner was served up about half-past three. It had been postponed half an hour in hopes of 
 Mr. Lear's arrival from Alexandria. The President came into the portico a short time before three, 
 and talked freely upon common topics with the family. At dinner he placed me at the left hand 
 of Mrs. Washington : Miss Custis sat at her right, and himself next to her. There was very little 
 conversation at dinner. A few jokes passed between the President and young La Fayette, whom he 
 treated more as a child than as a guest. I felt a little embarrassed at the silent, reserved air that 
 prevailed. As I drank no wine, and the President drank but three glasses, the party before long 
 returned to the portico. Mr. Lear, Mr. Dandridge, and Mr. Lear's three boys, soon after arrived, 
 and helped out the conversation. The President retired in about three-quarters of an hour." 
 
 At a dinner-party, while on this visit, Mr. Latrobe made a study, afterwards traced 
 with pen and ink, of the head of the first President. It is a chaste, strong, characteristic 
 drawing ; and, though made on the blank side of a loose piece of paper, it commends 
 itself as a valuable life-portrait. Mr. Morris, being one of the guests, secured it because 
 of its true rendering, and afterwards gave it to his friend, Francis Lowndes of George- 
 town, D.C., who valued it as a "gem beyond price," and was often heard to pronounce 
 it the " very best picture of Washington." He gave it to his son, at whose death it was 
 presented to a relative, Col. Benjamin S. Ewell of William and Mary College, Virginia. 
 There is no inscription, nothing to indicate its authorship save a few figures of a cal- 
 culation in the writing of Washington, and the lines of the drawing, which the son of 
 the artist identifies as peculiar to his father's pencil. 
 
 It is a very tantalizing relic, causing regret that Mr. Latrobe had not made a serious 
 effort, since he succeeded so well in this memorial of a convivial occasion. Had he done 
 so, we doubt not the artist who executed the " American Column " — that new and beau- 
 tiful thought in architecture — would have placed the country of his adoption under renewed 
 obligation. This column is in the United-States Capitol, in the vestibule leading to the 
 law library. It is formed of the stalks of Indian-corn, the capital being a circlet of the 
 full-opened ears. Mrs. Trollope tersely said it was the " only original idea she saw in 
 America ; " and well might she approve of a thought in marble combining such strength 
 and life. 
 
ELEANOR PARKE CUSTIS. 
 
 VIRGINIA. 
 
 1779-1852. 
 
 N 1 78 1, when Washington with the French allies was en route for Yorktown, 
 he stopped for three days at Mount Vernon, the only visit made to his 
 beloved home during the seven years of the war. On his departure he took 
 with him, as a member of his staff, Major John Custis, the only son of his 
 wife. A short time after their arrival the young man was taken ill, and died at Eltham, 
 the home of Col. Bassett, a brother-in-law of Mrs. Washington. Washington was sum- 
 moned from the camp, and only arrived " in time to see poor Mr. Custis breathe his last." 
 Turning to the young widow, he said, "From this hour I adopt your two younger children 
 as my own." They were Eleanor Parke Custis, aged two and a half years, and George 
 Washington Parke Custis, aged six months ; and these little ones, thanks to the fatherly- 
 care and unceasing affection of this good man, never realized that they were so early 
 deprived of their natural protector. 
 
 Eleanor Parke Custis was a very accomplished woman, — a linguist, a musician, and 
 possessed of rare taste in art. Latrobe, the learned architect direct from the most culti- 
 vated circles of London and Leipsic, soon after his arrival in this country, wrote of Miss 
 Custis : " She has more perfection of form, of expression, of color, of softness, and of 
 firmness of mind, than I have ever seen before." Her young, gay life shed a rosy light 
 over the declining years of Washington, who had for her all a father's tenderness, and 
 who was much gratified by her marriage with his favorite nephew, Lawrence Lewis. Her 
 portrait, taken from life by Stuart, is one of the most delicately beautiful examples of his 
 pencil. It is now at " Audley," Clark County, Virginia, — the home in which her children 
 were reared, and where her great-grandchildren reside. Another portrait, in her bridal 
 dress (a crayon by Sharpless), is a " thing of beauty." So admirable is the contour of 
 the profile, and so graceful are the proportions of the throat and bust, that a distinguished 
 New- York sculptor once visited Baltimore for the purpose of copying the face and figure. 
 It was one of the famous " Yeardley Collection," and is now owned by Dr. R. B. Winder 
 of Baltimore. 
 
 Miss Custis drew the "Shadow Portraits" of Gen. and Mrs. Washington at Mount 
 
 '38 
 
Eleanor Parke Cusns- 
 
 See Page 138. 
 
Eleanor Parke Custis. 
 
 139 
 
 Vernon in 1798. A shadow, natural size, was cast by a strong light on the wall, and the 
 outline accurately drawn upon paper ; then it was filled in with color, making in effect a 
 silhouette. That of the general is not only valuable for its association, but because it 
 corroborates the faithfulness of St. Memin. 
 
 These portraits were probably the result of a girlish freak in holiday times, during 
 a visit from her intimate friend, Miss Elizabeth Bordley, the gifted daughter of John Beale 
 Bordley of Annapolis, Md., a gentleman of culture, whose first tutor was Charles Will- 
 son Peale. Me devoted himself largely to writing on the agricultural interests of the 
 country, upon which topics Washington and himself had frequent correspondence. His 
 estate on Wye Island was cultivated to the highest perfection then attainable. 
 
 These quaint likenesses were so perfect as to receive favorable comment. They are 
 now in the Everett School, Boston, presented by Edward Shippen of Philadelphia, a 
 relative of Mrs. Gibson, 'who purchased them at the sale of her effects. He says, " Feel- 
 ing somewhat nettled that no Philadelphian bid for these souvenirs, I took them where 
 they would better be appreciated." 
 
 In the school record of Nov. 22, 1866, their presentation is thus noted: — 
 
 "The chairman (Rev. Mr. Waterston) then declared he could keep the secret no longer, and 
 proceeded to uncover two pictures which he had been requested to present to the Everett School 
 from Edward Shippen, Esq., president of the Board of Control of the Schools of Philadelphia. They 
 proved to be original profiles of Gen. and Mrs. Washington, of life size, formerly the- property of 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Bordley Gibson, to whom they were presented by the granddaughter of Mrs. Wash- 
 ington. Having come into the possession of Mr. Shippen, he had generously sent them as a gift 
 to the Everett School. 
 
 " These most valuable works were then critically examined by scholars, teachers, and visitors ; 
 while expressions of gratitude were tendered Mr. Shippen for his generosity." 
 
 The meeting was addressed by the venerable Josiah Ouincy and other distinguished 
 gentlemen. 
 
 Each picture bears this certificate : — 
 
 The within are profiles of General and Mrs. Washington, taken from their shadows on a wall. 
 They are as perfect likenesses as profiles can give. Presented to me by my friend, Mrs. Eleanor 
 Parke Lewis. 
 
 ELIZABETH BORDLEY GIBSON. 
 
 Woodland, July, 1832. 
 
 Woodcuts of the "Shadow Portraits" appeared in "The Home of Washington," by 
 Benson J. Lossing. Nelly Custis (Mrs. Lewis), Elizabeth Bordley (Mrs. Gibson), and Miss 
 Summers (Mrs. Derby) were devoted friends and classmates in Philadelphia, and were des- 
 ignated as "The Three Graces." 
 
SAMUEL POWEL. 
 
 AMUEL POWEL, mayor of Philadelphia, cut a silhouette of the head of 
 Gen. Washington, which is claimed by measurement to corroborate Stuart. 
 It was at one time deposited with the Historical Society, Philadelphia; and 
 a cut of it on stone is found in a publication by the society entitled " Ameri- 
 can Historical and Literary Curiosities." The plate (XIV.) is described as a " Profile of 
 Genl. Washington, taken by lamplight, by his friend Samuel Powel, Mayor of Phila., and 
 confirming Stuart's portrait, — slightly reduced in size. Deposited in the rooms of the 
 Historical Society of Phila., by Joshua Francis Fisher." 
 
 In the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Nov. 19, 1873, an account 
 is given of this memorial. Mr. George Harrison Fisher of Philadelphia sent to the society 
 a silhouette of Washington, taken by a gentleman in a drawing-room in Philadelphia previous 
 to the time of Stuart's portrait. This silhouette, with one of Col. John Washington, was 
 bequeathed by Mr. Fisher's father to the Massachusetts Historical Society. A small helio- 
 type print of it appeared in the Proceedings of the Society, 1873-75. 
 
 SAMUEL FOLWEL. 
 
 HIS miniature-painter lived in Philadelphia, and made a small profile-likeness 
 of the President, taking advantage of some public occasion to secure a life- 
 sitting. It is on paper, colored in India-ink, and is strong and correct in 
 drawing. 
 
 It is now owned by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and its history is plainly 
 told by the writing found upon it : " Presented to James Henry Stevens, Esq. by his 
 friend Col. William Washington, Sept. 9 th 1800. Said to be a correct likeness taken from 
 life of his Excellence Genl. Geo. Washington, first President, United States of America." 
 Below the picture is " S. Folwel — Pixet. 1795. Done 1795. 
 
 An engraving on wood of this profile may be found in " Watson's Annals." Col.. 
 William Washington, a cousin of the general, was the brilliant cavalry officer for whom 
 
 Congress ordered a medal struck, commemorative of his bravery at the battle of Cowpens. 
 
 140 
 
WILLIAMS. 
 
 HE Masonic Lodge No. 22, Alexandria, Va., possesses a portrait of Washing- 
 ton in full regalia, painted by Williams, one of its members. It is a 
 
 poor likeness ; and its chief merit seems to consist in representing faithfully 
 the sash and apron (presented by Elkanah Watson and M. Cassoul), which 
 are now preserved in Masonic Temple, Philadelphia. The collar and ornaments are those 
 of a past Mason, and it is known as the " Masonic Portrait." The history of the painting 
 is in the annals of Lodge No. 22, Dec. 10, 1794. On the back of the canvas is inscribed: — 
 
 " His Excellency, George Washington, Esq. 
 President of the United States, aged 64. 
 Williams Pinxit, ad virum in Philadelphia. 
 Sept. i8 ,h 1794." 
 
 Notwithstanding this succinct description, there is serious doubt in regard to the 
 genuineness of the work ; though money was voted by the lodge, with a resolution of 
 thanks, as a compensation to Mr. Williams for his trouble in going to Philadelphia, and 
 securing the portrait. 
 
 When Williams first made application to the President for permission to paint his 
 portrait, he was armed with a letter from Gov. Lee of Virginia, but was firmly refused, 
 as seen in a letter from Washington to Lee. It appears that Washington granted a 
 sitting when requested by his lodge. 
 
 O'Neill made an engraving of this painting in 1866, which was published in "Wash- 
 ington and his Masonic Compeers," by Sydney Hayden. 
 
KEMMELMYRE. 
 
 N itinerant artist named Kemmelmyre sketched Washington from life while 
 "Reviewing the Western Troops, Cumberland, Md., Oct. 2, 1794." It is 
 a cabinet-portrait in oil, and of little value save as a memorial of Washing- 
 ton's visit to that town, and in the carefully finished details of costume. 
 The general is dressed in the Continental uniform, and mounted on a white bobtailed horse. 
 In his right hand he holds a gold-headed cane, which rests upon the toe of his high-top 
 boot. 
 
 This picture was recently presented by Hon A. S. Boteler of Virginia (grandson of 
 Charles Willson Peale) to Hon. Thomas Donaldson of Idaho. 
 It has never been engraved. 
 
 P. A. PETICOLAS. 
 
 HE artist P. A. Peticolas, father of the better-known artist Edward F. Peti- 
 colas of Richmond, painted on ivory a miniature of Washington in 1796. 
 It is a three-quarters head ; the dress, of black velvet, with ruffled shirt-front, 
 and high white neckerchief. The inscription on the glass in which the gilt 
 frame is enclosed is, — 
 
 " Washington. 
 Painted from life at Philadelphia, 
 1796. 
 P. A. Peticolas." 
 
 This likeness was purchased from the grandson of the artist by John Taylor Johnston 
 of New York. At the sale of his collection, in 1876, it was bought by F. C. Sayles of 
 Pawtucket, R.I. It has not been engraved. 
 142 
 
Plate XXII. 
 
 Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 See Page to6. 
 
W. LOUTERBURG. 
 
 MONG the novel pictures of Washington may be ranked one now in George- 
 town, D.C., in possession of the grandchildren of the original owner. It is a 
 profile in India-ink, and has this inscription : " Taken by W. Louterbourg, as 
 a sketch at Christ Church, Philadelphia, when Washington took his last leave 
 of Congress, June, 1798." It was presented by Washington to the wife of Major De la 
 Roche, aide-de-camp to Lafayette. 
 
 This little portrait, showing a velvet coat trimmed with large concave shell buttons, 
 recalls an anecdote told of the President. It is said that one day, when he was walk- 
 ing down Chestnut Street, a poor foreigner with a wheelbarrow full of conch-shells, 
 accosted him with a request to buy. "Why, my good man, what can I do with them?" 
 — "Make buttons, your Honor." Washington purchased a number, and sent them to his 
 tailor, with the order that a set of buttons should be manufactured for a brown-velvet 
 coat. Soon there was a dearth of shells in the market ; for the pretty rose-tinted buttons 
 with a silver centre became the rage ; and it is probably the only time the great soldier 
 ever " set a fashion." 
 
 F. KISSELMAN. 
 
 CABINET bust-portrait in oil belongs to Benjamin G. Smith of Germantown, 
 Penn. It is in the style of Stuart, — very florid, though well drawn. The 
 frame, of narrow gilded fluting, is of old style, and is doubtless the original 
 setting. On the back is written, " F. Kisselman, Pinxt. 1798." This artist 
 had a studio in Philadelphia at that time, and probably made the drawing with the consent 
 of Washington, as the present owner received with it the family tradition that the picture 
 belonged to Robert Morris, painted for him, and that it was either bought at the sale of 
 his effects, or presented to Mr. Smith's grandfather ; probably the latter, as they were 
 intimate friends. No plate has been made of this portrait. 
 
 '43 
 
CHARLES FRASER. 
 
 SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 1782-1860. 
 
 iHIS favorite portrait and landscape painter of the Palmetto State was in his 
 eighteenth year when Washington died ; and his portraits of him, save one, 
 are copies of Stuart. 
 
 In 1857 there was an exhibition of the venerable artist's works in the 
 city of Charleston ; and in a catalogue issued at the time (containing a biographical sketch 
 written by the Hon. G. S. Bryan) we find the following entries : — 
 
 "1. General Washington, in India-ink, 1799. — Owner Miss Fraser. 
 
 "2. Washington — portrait from Stuart. This is Mr. Fraser's first portrait in oil, — done 1801. 
 Dr. Winthrop. 
 
 " 3. General Washington, in pen and ink, chiefly from recollection. — Mrs. Stock. 
 "4. Gen. Washington; property of Charles Manigault." 
 
 The last two are miniatures. 
 
 Mr. Fraser was not only beloved as a man, and admired as an artist, but he was one 
 of the most chaste and able writers of his day. His epitaph on Charles Cotesworth 
 Pinckney, whose portrait he had painted, links his name with that of one of South Caro- 
 lina's noblest sons : — 
 
 "To the Memory of 
 General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 
 One of the founders of 
 The American Republic. 
 In war 
 
 He was the companion in arms 
 And the friend of Washington. 
 In peace 
 
 He enjoyed his unchanging confidence, 
 And maintained with enlightened zeal 
 
Charles Fraser. 
 
 H5 
 
 The principles of his Administration, 
 And of the Constitution. 
 As a Statesman, 
 He bequeathed to his Country the Sentiment, 
 
 1 Millions for Defense 
 Not a cent for Tribute. 1 
 As a Lawyer, 
 His learning was various and profound, 
 His principles pure, his practice liberal. 
 With all the accomplishments 
 Of the Gentleman 
 He combined the virtues of the Patriot 
 And the piety of the Christian. 
 His Name 
 
 Is recorded in the History of his Country, 
 Inscribed on the Charter of her Liberties, 
 And cherished in the Affections of her Citizens. 
 Obit XVI August MDCCCXXV. 
 Gratis, LXXXIX." 
 
 Mr. A. H. Safford recently presented to the Massachusetts Historical Society a pen- 
 and-ink sketch, — a close following, if not a copy, of the Fullerton portrait. No certified 
 statement accompanied the drawing ; but Mr. Safford believed that the miniature was 
 presented to Capt. Hartshorn of Reading, Mass., who died in 18 19. It had been in Mr. 
 Safford's possession over fifty years, he being a foster-son of Capt. Hartshorn. This head 
 is drawn on the back of a playing-card (the ten of diamonds), with the name " George 
 Washington " inscribed on a scroll beneath the picture, where the artist's signature and 
 the date also appears; thus, "J. Hiller, Jr. sculpt. 1794." 
 
 There is in Richmond, Va., a small profile pen-and-ink portrait of Washington in 
 possession of Capt. Michel Benvenit Poitiaux. This likeness was drawn from life, in 
 1792, by an artist-friend of the father of the present owner. Mr. Poitiaux was at that 
 time an accomplished young gentleman from Brussels, — an amateur in art of conceded 
 ability. He was infused with all that enthusiasm for the character of the great American 
 leader peculiar to the youth of Continental Europe, and prized this original sketch to the 
 day of his death, which occurred in 1854. By his hand the drawing was touched and 
 colored with taste and delicacy. The costume is in the most fashionable mode of the times, 
 even then in the new republic known as the " court-dress." There is a mistake in regard 
 to Washington affecting a severely plain garb : this mistake is attributable to a misguided 
 desire, on the part of a few narrow-visioned admirers, to hew down his broad views of life 
 to their small standard ; for the testimony is abundant, that, neither in dress nor ceremony, 
 did he despise or neglect the requirements of his exalted position. 
 
BUSTS, STATUES, MONUMENTS, AND MEDALS. 
 
 BUSTS. 
 
 HRIST'S CHURCH, Salem Street, Boston, is intimately associated with the 
 early events of the struggle for liberty. Why it is sometimes called " Paul 
 Revere's Church" is explained by this tablet 1 placed on the tower Oct. 17, 
 1878. 
 
 THE SIGNAL LANTERNS OF 
 PAUL REVERE 
 
 DISPLAYED IN THE STEEPLE OF THIS CHURCH 
 
 APRIL 18 1775 
 
 WARNED THE COUNTRY OF THE MARCH 
 OF THE BRITISH TROOPS TO 
 
 LEXINGTON AND CONCORD 
 
 In this old church is preserved a bust of Washington of much interest ; and it is 
 first cited, as by legend it is claimed to have " been the first monument erected to his 
 memory." 
 
 The sculptor of the bust is unknown ; and as to its history nothing has been found 
 in the chronicles of the church or city, save that it was presented by one Shubael Bell, 
 who, it appears, was vestryman, and chief assistant of Rev. Asa Eaton, the first organizer 
 of Sunday schools in the country. 
 
 Griswold, in his " Republican Court," is responsible for the assertion that " Gullagher 
 modelled a bust of Washington in 1789." Gullager's grandsons say that busts were in 
 
 ' Granite, 5 feet inches by 6 feet 7 inches ; weight 5 tons. 
 
 146 
 
Plate XXIII. 
 
 John Eckstein. 
 
 Strt- Page 150. 
 
 Joseph Wright. ( ?) 
 
 See Page 146. 
 
Busts, Statues i Monuments, and Medals, 
 
 147 
 
 this artist's rooms, made by himself. One or two old casts in the collection of the Boston 
 Museum may have been his work, as in age and crudeness they correspond with what 
 he might have produced, and differ essentially from all other busts of Washington seen 
 by the author. Drake, speaking of Christ Church, in his " History of Boston," says, 
 "There is in this church a bust to the memory of Washington, — the first monument 
 erected to his memory in the country." Other authors quote him, and add, " It is said to 
 have been the work of an Italian sculptor." But there was none of repute in the United 
 States before Ceracchi, who arrived after this bust was made. 
 
 It can more probably be thought the work of Joseph Wright, who was a very faithful 
 and realistic artist. The lines on the face, corresponding with Wright's portrait, are full 
 of care, and indicate the responsibilities under which Washington labored. It is said 
 that this bust was paraded in procession on civic festive occasions; and on the 2 2d of 
 February, 1800, when Washington's obsequies were celebrated in Boston, it was con- 
 spicuous in the mournful cortege, though no official record has been found of the incident ; 
 on which occasion it will be recalled, Dr. Eaton, pastor of Christ Church, delivered a 
 well adapted oration in commemoration " of the sublime virtues of Gen. George Washing- 
 ton." The bust is life-size ; the head well posed and skilfully modelled ; the hair is in 
 the style of the day ; and the dress, a close-fitting military costume, shows a ruffled shirt. 
 The story is also told of this work, that Lafayette exclaimed, upon seeing it, " Ah ! that 
 is my old friend." 
 
 Joseph Wright is not well identified as a sculptor, though it is evident he had ob- 
 tained some recognition. The small number, either of his plastic works, or the engravings 
 of them, that we have remaining, do not evince great ability or aesthetic taste, yet impress 
 the beholder with the truth of his 'rendering. On the 7th of August, 1783, on motion of 
 Mr. A. Lee of Virginia, seconded by Mr. Bland of the same State, it was — 
 
 "Resolved (unanimously, ten States being present), That an equestrian statue of Gen. Washing- 
 ton be erected at the place where the residence of Congress shall be established." 
 
 On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. A. Lee, Mr. Ellsworth, and Mr. 
 Mifflin, appointed to prepare a plan of an equestrian statue of the commander-in-chief : — 
 
 "Resolved, That the statue be of bronze. The general to be represented in a Roman dress, 
 holding a truncheon in his right hand, and his head, encircled with a laurel-wreath. The statue to 
 be supported by a marble pedestal, on which are to be represented in basso-relievo the following 
 principal events of the war, in which Gen. Washington commanded in person ; viz., the evacuation 
 of Boston, the capture of the Hessians at Trent.on, the battle of Princeton, the action of Monmouth, 
 and the surrender of York. On the upper part of the front of the pedestal to be engraved as follows : 
 'The United States in Congress assembled, ordered this statue to be erected, in the year of our 
 Lord 1783, in honor of George Washington, the illustrious commander-in-chief of the armies of the 
 
148 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 United States of America during the war which vindicated and secured their liberty, sovereignty and 
 
 independence.' 
 
 "Resolved, That a statue conformable to the above plan be executed by the best artist in 
 Europe, under the superintendence of the minister of the United States at the court of Versailles, 
 and that money to defray the expense of the same be furnished from the treasury of the United 
 
 States. 
 
 " Resolved, That the secretary of Congress transmit to the minister of the United States at 
 the court of Versailles the best resemblance of Gen. Washington that can be procured, for the pur- 
 pose of having the above statue erected, together with the fittest description of the eve.nts which are 
 to be the subject of the basso-relievo." 
 
 Congress directed Mr. Wright to make a cast of Washington's face, for the purpose of 
 securing this statue. To this ordeal, a writer of that date says, Washington consented ; 
 but, in removing the mould, the artist in his trepidation let it fall, and a second trial was 
 not permitted. Wright was a shy and nervous man, much awed by the presence of the 
 great general ; and his misfortune in breaking the cast occasioned him keen mortification. 
 
 It would appear from the journal of Congress, wherein the following statement is 
 found, that Mr. Wright either gathered up the fragments, and produced a bust of the 
 general that met the demands of the committee, or that Washington did allow a second 
 trial, which is altogether probable. Congress resolved, April 6, 1785, on recommendation 
 of " committee consisting of Mr. Johnson, Mr. Bedford, and Mr. Howell, to whom was referred 
 a report of the secretary of Congress respecting a bust of Gen. Washington, in pursuance 
 of the act of 7th August, 1783:" "That his excellency, the president, draw an order on 
 the treasury of the United States in favour of Joseph Wright for 233J dollars, it being 
 the sum charged by him for modelling and compleating the said bust." It was not used 
 for its intended purpose, and no trace has been discovered of this bust, notwithstanding 
 diligent search ; the most reasonable explanation of its disappearance is, as has been said, 
 that, in the burning of the Capitol in 18 14, it was destroyed. 
 
 Rembrandt Peale in his " Notes " says, — 
 
 "About the year 1790 Mr. Wright an 'indifferent artist of Philadelphia,' having made a 
 model from Houdon's Bust, in order to take it off, as usual, divided it in two parts. When those 
 parts were put together, they were not correctly united, and the impression made from the mould 
 gave a false breadth and a greater flatness to the face. After the death of Mr. Wright, his family 
 preserved this cast with great devotion, under the erroneous idea that it was made from a mould 
 made on the living face, which was never done but once, and that by Houdon. A great many im- 
 pressions from this false mask of Wright have been made, and circulated throughout the country." 
 
 That Mr. Peale was mistaken is proven by Elkanah Watson, who relates that the 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 149 
 
 general, in speaking of his bust by Wright, thus explained a peculiar expression given 
 to the mouth : — 
 
 "The artist oiled his features over, and, after causing him to lie on his back on a cot, proceeded 
 to daub his face with the plaster. Whilst in this ludicrous attitude, Mrs.- Washington entered the 
 room, and involuntarily exclaimed. Her cry excited in him a disposition to smile, which gave his 
 mouth a slight twist or compression of the lips that is now observable in the bust which Wright 
 afterwards made." 
 
 A miniature bust in marble was purchased by the late Dr. William K. Gilbert of 
 Philadelphia at the sale of the effects of Mrs. Elizabeth Bordley Gibson. It claims no 
 certified authorship, but has all the peculiarities of Wright's realistic lines. 
 
 The miniature of Washington in plaster that was exhibited to the Massachusetts His- 
 torical Society in 1874, and which had been in the family of George Homer, Esq., over 
 sixty years, was probably the work of Joseph Wright. 
 
 A quaint example of work in wax by Wright is owned by Benjamin G. Smith of 
 Germantown, Penn. It is a head in profile of Washington, the features rendered in severe 
 simplicity, and on the brow a chaplet of laurel. "J. Wright, fecit," is inscribed on this 
 work; and the following is also found: "General Washington, by Mr. Wright of Philadel- 
 phia, for T. R." These initials stand for Thomas Richardson, grandfather of the present 
 owner. Mr. Smith thinks it was made for a die intended for a coin or medal, and that 
 it was cast in a mould ; but the modelling is too delicate to admit of the latter supposition, 
 and the size contradicts the former. 1 Of this relic Mr. Lossing says, "It is not an im- 
 pression from Wright's die of the profile of Washington, but a far more precious and 
 valuable work of art : this is a model done by the hand of the artist directly, and con- 
 trolled by his brain." For a time this memorial was in the rooms of the Pennsylvania 
 Historical Society. 
 
 After a close study and careful comparison of the plastic portraits of Washington, the 
 author concludes that the bust at Christ Church must be the work of Wright. It possesses 
 his Quakerish severity, and could have been the work of neither Houdon nor Ceracchi. 
 If Gulager had executed it, his works as a sculptor would have been better known. A 
 bust of Samuel Adams, " the man of the Revolution," by the same chisel, is in the State 
 House at Boston ; but unfortunately the history of that work is as obscure as that of the 
 Washington. It can only be hoped, that in the future a bundle of old letters, or an over- 
 looked paragraph in an old newspaper, may identify the artist. 
 
 « See Medals. 
 
Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 JOHN ECHSTEIN. 
 
 John Echstein, second engraver United States Mint, in T796 executed from life 
 a miniature bust of Washington, which was engraved for an Indian medal. This bust, a 
 strong plastic portrait, and the last taken, was formerly the property of Mrs. Madison, 
 and is now owned by J. C. McGuire of Washington, D.C. In 18 12 Echstein exhibited a 
 model for an equestrian statue of Washington in Roman costume, the head being a fol- 
 lowing of this cabinet bust. 
 
 — ECCLESTON. 
 
 Eccleston, a young Virginia artist, also modelled Washington's head from life 
 
 in 1796, and executed a marble bust, which was said at the time to be a better work 
 than that by Echstein ; but of this effort no history has been traced. 
 
MRS. PATIENCE LOVELL WRIGHT. 
 
 NEW JERSEY. 
 1725-1785. 
 
 RS. WRIGHT, the mother of Joseph Wright, was a woman of great independ- 
 ence and ability. She executed in wax a bas-relief of Washington, and also 
 a remarkably well-modelled bust in wax, which she gave to the late H. P. 
 Beck of Philadelphia. Another was formerly in the possession of Ferdinand 
 J. Dreer of the same city, but it was accidentally broken. 
 
 Mrs. Wright was a Quakeress ; and her home was in Bordentown, N.J. It is said of 
 her, that she was so astute in foretelling political events, that she was sometimes called 
 "Sibylla" or "The Sibyl." She spent a number of years in England, where at one time 
 she was freely admitted to the presence of George III., familiarly addressing that monarch 
 as " George ; " but she lost his favor by scolding him in round terms for sanctioning, or 
 rather, for not putting an end to, the American war. True to the tenets of her sect, 
 she never failed to bear testimony against strife and bloodshed. She practised her art in 
 London, making a full-length statue in wax of Lord Chatham, which is preserved in a 
 glass case in Westminster Abbey. The London Athenaeum of 1785 styles her "the Pro- 
 methean modeller." Her patriotism was exalted and practical, and she was in correspond- 
 ence with the leaders of the Revolution, both at home and abroad ; and under the pro- 
 tection of her Quaker garb this keen-witted woman was able to render valuable services 
 to the struggling colonists, and relief to our suffering prisoners. 
 
 The following letter to Mr. Jefferson, then in Paris, relative to our subject, is charac- 
 teristic : — 
 
 London, at the Wax-work, Aug. 14, 1785. 
 Honoured Sir, — I had the pleasure to hear that my son, Joseph Wright, had painted the best 
 likeness of our Hero Washington, of any painter in America ; and my friends are anxious that I 
 should make a likeness, a bust in wax, to be placed in the state-house, or some new public building 
 that may be erected by Congress. The flattering letters from gentlemen of distinguished virtues and 
 rank, and one from that general himself, wherein he says, "He shall think himself happy to have 
 his bust done by Mrs. Wright, whose uncommon talents, &c. &c." make me happy in the prospect of 
 seeing him in my own country. I most sincerely wish not only to make the likeness of Washington, 
 
 »5' 
 
152 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 but of those five gentlemen who assisted at the signing of the treaty of peace, that put an end to so 
 bloody and dreadful a war. The more public the honours bestowed on such men by their country, 
 the better. To shame the English king, I would go to any trouble and expense. To add my mite 
 to the stock of honour due to Adams, Jefferson and others, to send to America, I will, if it is thought 
 proper to pay my expense of travelling to Paris, come myself and model the likeness of Mr. Jeffer- 
 son ; and at the same time see the picture, and if possible, by this painting, which is said to be so 
 like him, make a likeness of the General. 
 
 I wish likewise to consult with you, how best we may honour our country, by holding up the 
 likenesses of our eminent men, either in painting or wax-work. A statue in marble is already ordered, 
 and an artist gone to Philadelphia to begin the work. [Houdon.] This is as I wished and hoped. 
 
 The letter concludes with a caution against sending to London the portrait referred 
 to (undoubtedly that painted by her son for the Count de Solms), on account of the 
 enmity of the government and the espionage of the police. 
 
 All doubt in regard to Mrs. Wright's having made portraits from life of Washington 
 seem dispelled by this certificate on a photograph : — 
 
 " Washington. From an original now made Public for the First time. The original of this New 
 Likeness of the Father of his Country, was modelled from Life in Wax by Mrs. Wright the Great 
 American Modeller of the Revolution. It was presented by herself to the Late Paul Beck, Esq. 
 His son has kindly permitted us to make this, the only copy in existence. Its genuineness can 
 therefore be vouched for, without a question. 1865. 
 
 "Photo' by Menderworth, Taylor & Brown 914 Chestnut St. PhiK" 
 
 Her Washington profile view was used for a large, elaborately decorated pitcher, such 
 as patriotic sea-captains were wont to order from London on reaching port after a long 
 voyage. One of these, some years since, was presented to the Massachusetts Historical 
 Society by Major J. W. M. Appleton. On one side is the ship " Lydia ; " on the other, 
 the portrait; in the front, the initials " R. T. C." (in monogram); below, an eagle dis- 
 played with thirteen stars, flags, liberty- cap, etc. 
 
 This earnest, heroic woman's name, like that of another equally devoted Friend, 
 Betsey Ross, — the industrious maker of the first American flags, — is enrolled on the 
 pages of the history of the American Revolution. 
 
JEAN ANTOINE HOUDON. 
 
 FRANCE. 
 1741-1828. 
 
 HE first monument to perpetuate the fame of Washington was erected by 
 the State of Virginia, in demonstration of the pride which she felt for her 
 illustrious son ; and within the walls of the Capitol at Richmond stands the 
 only original statue of the commander-in-chief of the armies of the Revolu- 
 tion, and the first President of the United States of America. 
 
 The history of this work is composed of a chain of events linking together the names 
 of some of the most distinguished men of the period. The work itself, even allowing its 
 mannerisms, is of highest value ; and the " old Commonwealth " justly appreciates its 
 claims. The initiatory steps for its execution were taken in the House of Delegates, 
 May 15, 1784, by the appointment of a committee to draw up an address to Gen. 
 Washington to congratulate him upon his safe return to his beloved home at Mount 
 Vernon after eight years of arduous service ; to express the gratitude of that body for 
 his zeal and success in the defence of his country's liberty; and also "to consider what 
 further measures may be necessary for perpetuating the gratitude and veneration of his 
 country to Gen. George Washington." 
 
 This committee consisted of Messrs. Ronald, Madison, Roane, Corbin, Heath, Mann, 
 Hubard, Cary, Henry, Tazewell, Page, and Taylor. On June 5 Mr. Ronald, chairman of 
 the committee, reported the resolutions and address to Gen. Washington, which were 
 unanimously adopted ; and on the 26th of June the Senate approved the following, which 
 had been reported by a joint committee of the two Houses : — 
 
 "The representatives of the Commonwealth would be unfaithful to the sentiments of their 
 constituents, as well as do violence to their own, did they omit this occasion of congratulating you 
 on the final establishment of peace which has taken place since their last meeting, and on the 
 opportunity which this event has given for your return to the felicities of private life. We shall ever 
 remember, sir, with gratitude and affection, the patriotic exchange which you made of these felicities 
 for the severe task of conducting the armies of your country through a conflict with one of the 
 most powerful nations of the earth. We shall ever remember with admiration the wisdom which 
 
 '53 
 
154 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 marked your councils on this arduous occasion, the firmness and dignity which no trials of adverse 
 fortune could shake, the moderation and equanimity which no scenes of triumph could disturb. Nor 
 shall we ever forget the exemplary respect which in every instance you have shown to the rights 
 of civil authority, or the exalted virtue which on many occasions led you to commit to danger your 
 fame itself, rather than hazard for a moment the true interests of your country. In reviewing these 
 merits, we feel every impression which they were calculated to make on grateful and affectionate 
 minds, and we fervently pray that they may be rewarded with every blessing of which this life will 
 admit, and with complete happiness in that which is to come." 
 
 This address was presented by the joint committee, consisting of Messrs. Jones, Gray- 
 son, West, Brent, and Henderson, at Mount Vernon, July 15, 1784; to which Washington 
 replied : — 
 
 "Gentlemen, — With feelings which are more easy to be conceived than expressed, I meet and 
 reciprocate the congratulations of the representatives of this Commonwealth on the final establishment 
 of peace. Nothing can add more to the pleasure which arises from a conscientious discharge of 
 public trust than the approbation of one's country. To have been so happy, under a vicissitude of 
 fortune, amidst the difficult and trying scenes of an arduous conflict, as to meet this, is in my mind 
 to have attained the highest honor ; and the consideration of it in my present peaceful retirement 
 will heighten all my domestic joys, and constitute my greatest felicity. I should have been truly 
 wanting in duty, and must have frustrated the great and important object for which we resorted to 
 arms, if, seduced by a temporary regard for fame, I had suffered the paltry love of it so to interfere 
 with my country's welfare, the interest of which was the only inducement which carried me into the 
 field, or permitted the sacred rights of civil authority (though but for a moment) to be violated and 
 infringed by a power meant originally to rescue and confirm them. 
 
 " For those rewards and blessings which you have invoked for me in this world, and for the 
 fruition of that happiness which you pray for in that which is to come, you have, gentlemen, all my 
 thanks and all my gratitude. I wish I could insure them to you and the State you represent a 
 hundred-fold." 
 
 The following resolution, unanimously adopted by the General Assembly of Virginia, 
 answers the inquiry as to " what further measures may be necessary for perpetuating the 
 gratitude and veneration of his country to Gen. George Washington : " — 
 
 In the House of Delegates, Tuesday, June the 22nd, 1784. 
 Resolved, That the Executive be requested to take measures for procuring a statue of General 
 Washington, to be of the finest marble and best workmanship. 
 
 An inscription for one side was also determined upon. Scenes from the Revolution, 
 though not specified, were intended to embellish the remaining sides. 
 
 Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, then in Paris, as representatives of the 
 United States, were selected to decide upon a sculptor ; and it is to them we are in- 
 
Busts, S tatties, Monuments and Medals. 
 
 155 
 
 debted for the services of Houdon. The letters of Mr. Jefferson give a clear history of 
 the minute details of the care which both he and Dr. Franklin gave to conscientiously 
 fulfilling the trust imposed upon them. Mr. Jefferson was especially careful, energetic, 
 and desirous to procure the services of the best sculptor, as Houdon was then esteemed 
 to be ; and that his mind was perfectly satisfied in regard to the necessity for the life- 
 cast appears in this extract, written to Washington from Paris, July io, 1785: — 
 
 "M. Houdon would much sooner have had the honor of attending you, but for a spell of sick- 
 ness which long induced us to despair of his recovery, and from which he has but recently recovered. 
 He comes now for the purpose of lending the aid of his art to transmit you to posterity. He is 
 without rivalship in it, being employed in all parts of Europe in whatsoever is capital. He has had 
 a difficulty to withdraw himself from an order of the Empress of Russia, — a difficulty, however, that 
 arose from a desire to show her respect, but which never gave him a moment's hesitation about the 
 voyage, which he considers as promising the brightest chapter of his history. I have spoken of him 
 as an artist ; but I assure you also, that, as a man, he is disinterested, generous, candid, and panting 
 after glory ; in every circumstance meriting your good opinion. He will have to see you much while 
 he shall have the honor of being with you, which you can the more admit as his eminence and 
 merit give him admission into genteel societies here." « 
 
 It will be remembered, that, to obviate the necessity of Houdon's coming to America, 
 C. W. Peale had been employed to paint a full-length portrait as a model for him. But 
 the sculptor was not content with less than an original cast. That Jefferson had discussed 
 the importance of obtaining the measurement of Washington's figure, and of taking a 
 mould from his face, rather than trust to a portrait, is shown by this extract : — 
 
 "In a letter, Jan. 12" [doubtless after the Peale portrait had arrived], "I informed Gov. Har- 
 rison of the necessity that the statuary should see Gen. Washington. M. Houdon will therefore go 
 over with Dr. Franklin some time next week." 
 
 Washington, who was the soul of hospitality, received Houdon with all the considera- 
 tion due his genius and his mission. Immediately upon his arrival in New York he wrote 
 a cordial letter of welcome and invitation, couched in the stilted ceremonial of the times. 
 He wrote also to Dr. Franklin, to Jefferson, and to Lafayette, saying to the latter, in a 
 letter from Mount Vernon, Nov. 8, 1785, — 
 
 "I have to thank you for your favors of the 9th and 14th of July by M. Houdon, who stayed 
 no more than a fortnight with me, and to whom, for his trouble and risk in crossing the seas, 
 although I had no agency in the business, I feel myself under personal obligation." 
 
 Houdon arrived at Philadelphia in midsummer, but did not reach Mount Vernon until 
 Oct. 2, 1785, being detained by the non-appearance of his workmen and materials, which 
 
i 5 6 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 were to have shipped with him from Havre. Extracts from Washington's journal present 
 pictures of life at Mount Vernon, as well as an account of Houdon's sojourn of two 
 
 weeks : — 
 
 "Oct. 2" d Sunday. — After we were in Bed (about eleven O'clock in the evening,) Mr. Houdon, 
 sent from Paris by Doct. Franklin and Mr. Jefferson to take my Bust in behalf of the state of 
 Virginia, with three young men assistants, introduced by Mr. Perin, a French Gentleman of Alex- 
 andria, — arrived here by water from the latter place. . . . 
 
 " J th (Friday). — Sat to-day, as I did yesterday, to Mr. Houdon, for my Bust. 
 
 " ()"' (Sunday). — Accompanied by Mr. Houdon and the two Miss Bassetts attended the Funeral 
 of Mrs. Manley, at the Plantation of Mr. Will Triplett, and returned to dinner." 
 
 The following entry illustrates one of Washington's strongest characteristics, — his 
 observance of minute details in every concern of life, whether public or private : — 
 
 " Monday, 10 th . — Observed the process for preparing the Plaister of Paris & mixing of it accord- 
 ing to Mr. Houdon. The oven being made hotter than it is usually heated for Bread, the Plaister, 
 which had been previously broken into lumps — that which was hard to about the size of a pullet's 
 egg, and that which was soft, and could be broken with the hands, larger, — was put in about noon 
 and remained until night ; when upon examination, it was further continued until the morning, without 
 any renewal of the heat in the oven ; which was close stopped. Having been sufficiently calcined 
 by this operation, it was pulverized (in my new marble mortar,) & sifted for use through a fine lawn 
 sieve & kept from wet. When used, it is put into a Bason or other vessel with water sifted through 
 the fingers, till the water is made as thick as Loblolly or very thick cream. As soon as the Plaister 
 is thus put into the water, it is beat with an Iron spoon (almost flat) until it is well mixed ; and 
 must be immediately applied to the purpose for which it is intended with a brush or whatever else 
 best answers, as it begins to turn hard in four or five minutes, and in seven or ten cannot be used 
 & is fit for no other purpose afterwards, as it will not bear wetting a second time, — for this reason, 
 no more must be mixed at a time than can be used within the space just mentioned. The brush 
 (common painter's) must be put into water as soon as it is used, and the plaister well squeezed out, 
 as this also becomes very hard ; in this case, to clean it, it must be heated until the plaister is 
 reduced to a powder, & then washed. 
 
 "12 th (Wednesday). — Mr. Livingston (son of Peter Van Brunt Livingston, of New York,) came 
 to dinner and stayed all night. Mr. George Washington and Mr. Burrett Bassett went to the Clerk's 
 office, then to Col. Mason's for a license & returned, having accomplished their mission. In the evening 
 Mr. Madison came." 
 
 (The cast said to have been made in the presence of Mr. Madison was probably done 
 on Thursday, Oct. 13, 1785; though Washington does not record it in this connection.) 
 
 "14"' (Friday). — Mr. Madison went away. My chariot, in which he went, brought back Miss 
 Sally Ramsay and Miss Kitty Washington to be Bridesmaids to-morrow at the wedding of Miss 
 Bassett. 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 157 
 
 " 15 th (Saturday)- — After the candles were lighted, George Augustine Washington and Frances 
 Bassett were married by Mr. Greyson. . . . 
 
 " 19 th (Wednesday). — Mr. Houdon, having finished the business which brought him hither, went 
 upon Monday (17 11 ') with his People, work, and impliments in my Barge to Alexandria to take Pas- 
 sage in the Stage for Philadelphia next morning." 
 
 Houdon, it will be seen, was with Washington five clays before he attempted to 
 secure a portrait, and that he experienced the same difficulty painters complained of, in 
 getting at him, will be seen by the following anecdote from "The Philadelphia Bulletin," 
 Jan. 23, 1869 : — 
 
 " At last it happened one morning there came down to Mt. Vernon from Alexandria a horse- 
 jockey with a span of horses, which the general thought of purchasing. The Frenchman was asked 
 by his host to go out and take a look at the animals. They were clean-limbed, satin-coated, shapely 
 horses, of high action, yet perfectly docile and well broke. The general expressed his satisfaction 
 with them, and demanded the price. The jockey said, 'Two thousand dollars,' — at that time a most 
 exorbitant figure. The evident attempt to extort an unreasonable sum so moved Washington's 
 indignation, that he bade the fellow begone. 'Ah!' said Houdon in an ecstasy, 'this is the position 
 for my statue ! I have it ; I have it ! ' Taking out his pencil, he hastily sketched the attitude 
 thus accidentally assumed by the general, and afterwards fixed it in enduring stone with his match- 
 less chisel." 
 
 The agreement with Houdon required that this work should be executed within three 
 years; but it was not finished until 1789: and, as the new Capitol at Richmond was not 
 completed before 1796, M. Houdon did not ship the statue until Jan. 25 of that year. 
 Mr. Jefferson had left Paris ; and Mr. Monroe, then United-States minister to France, was 
 selected by Gov. Brooke of Virginia to have charge of the statue. It was shipped on 
 "The Planter" from Havre to Philadelphia, and from thence to Norfolk, "for account and 
 risk of the Governor and Council of the town of Richmond, State of Virginia." It was 
 designated in the bill of lading as " three cases, one of which contains the marble pedester 
 statue of General Washington, and the two others contain the marble pedestal of said 
 statue." 
 
 In Fenno s "Gazette of the United States," Philadelphia, May 11, 1796, is given an 
 account of its reception : — 
 
 Richmond May 4th 1796. 
 
 On Monday last the corps of artillery, infantry, and cavalry, of this city, paraded in honour of 
 the American Saint ; and upon hearing that the statue of General Washington, which lately arrived 
 from Paris, was about to be brought up from Rocket's, they marched down and escorted it with 
 military honours to the Capitol, which excited emotions of pleasure and gratitude in every beholder." 
 
 The following description of the finished statue is from the pen of Col. Sherwin 
 McRea, extracted from his very able monograph, " The Houdon Statue : its History and 
 
i 5 8 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Value," which the Legislature of Virginia caused to be printed in 1873 as a State docu- 
 ment : — 
 
 "The statue presents the figure erect, the sword in the left, the cane in the right hand, — 
 representing in device what Washington had so forcibly expressed in his reply to the address of the 
 General Assembly of Virginia, the subordination of the military to the civil power, — the fasces and 
 ploughshare by his side ; the one representing authority, the other the peaceful arts most congenial 
 to his tastes and feelings. The beautiful harmony between these simple devices and the character 
 of Washington inspires the spectator with the most pleasing emotions. The dress which he wore in 
 the service of his country displays the proportions of his figure with an exactitude which antiquity, 
 embarrassed by drapery and the toga, could only attain in nudity. The position is true to nature, 
 yet revealing a grace art cannot equal. The expression is that of dignity and repose. Washington 
 stands before us, as in life, the marvel and the admiration of the world, and the cherished object 
 of the affection of his native State. No statue or painting exists more thoroughly authenticated than 
 the Houdon statue. From its inception to its completion, it is historically marked by a chronological 
 record of facts, resolutions, correspondence, and inscriptions, which will preserve its identity and 
 character through all time ; and, what is most rare, its perfect similitude to the original is established 
 by facts and opinions as convincing as human testimony can furnish. . . . No other representation 
 of the person of Washington is distinguished by one tithe of the evidence of the minutiae necessary 
 to exactness as that of Houdon. Houdon's visit to Mount Vernon ; his cast of the face, head, and 
 upper part of the body, and minute measurements of the person with mathematical exactness ; 
 Jefferson's letter to Gov. Harrison, informing him that it is necessary that the statuary should see 
 Gen. Washington, although he has a full-length portrait by Peale, etc., — these facts lead to the irre- 
 sistible conclusion that Houdon, Mr. Jefferson, Dr. Franklin, Gov. Harrison, and all who were engaged 
 in the matter of the statue, regarded an exact likeness of Washington as the grand desideratum, and 
 that the measures adopted by Houdon, and none other, could secure such a result." 
 
 The height of the statue, as recently taken, is just six feet two inches, — the precise 
 height of Washington in his prime. The sculptor, no doubt, intended that this statue 
 should present the proportions of Washington as nearly as could be achieved by the chisel : 
 therefore not only the face, but the form, has indisputable claim to acceptance. Regarding 
 the dress and pose there is cause for criticism. It is not easy to reconcile the cane and 
 sword, — a clumsy effort to convey a beautiful sentiment, and a mistake of the artist in 
 attempting the impossible, which must always offend aesthetic taste. The civil and the mili- 
 tary cannot in art be united. The subject of the drapery or dress was the occasion of much 
 consultation and correspondence. The letters of Washington and Jefferson relative to it 
 were replete with interest, and illustrate the urbanity, dignity, and wisdom of each. The 
 artist certainly renders the drapery with graceful fidelity, and it is doubtful if a more satis- 
 factory costume could have been chosen. Jan. 4, 1786, Jefferson thus wrote to Washington 
 from Paris : — 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 159 
 
 "Dr. Franklin, who was joined with me in the superintendence of this just monument, having 
 left us before what is called the costume of the statue was decided on, I cannot so well satisfy 
 myself, and am persuaded should not so well satisfy the world, as by consulting your own wish as 
 to this, or inclination as to this article. Permit me, therefore, to ask you whether there is any par- 
 ticular dress, or any particular attitude, which you would rather wish to be adopted. I shall take a 
 singular pleasure in having your own idea executed, if you will be so good as to make it known to 
 me." 
 
 Washington's reply is dated Mount Vernon, Aug. 1, 1796. 
 
 " In answer to your obliging letter respecting the dress and attitude which I would wish to have 
 given to the statue in question, — I have only to observe, that not having sufficient knowledge in the 
 art of sculpture to oppose my judgment to the taste of connoisseurs, I do not desire to dictate in 
 the matter. On the contrary, I shall be perfectly satisfied with whatever may be judged decent and 
 proper. I shall even scarcely have ventured to suggest that, perhaps, a servile adherence to the 
 garb of antiquity might not be altogether so expedient as some little deviation in favour of the 
 modern costume, if I had not learnt from Col. Humphreys that this was a circumstance hinted in 
 conversation by Mr. West to M. Houdon. This taste, which has been introduced in painting by 
 West, I understand is received with applause and prevails extensively." 
 
 In replying to this communication, Aug. 14, 1787, Jefferson pithily and pertinently 
 says, — 
 
 "I was happy to find, by the letter of Aug. 1, 1786, which you did me the honor to write to 
 me, that the modern dress for your statue would meet your approbation. I found it strongly the 
 sentiment of West, Copley, Trumbull, and Brown, in London ; after which it would be ridiculous to 
 add that it is my own. I think a modern in an antique dress as just an object of ridicule as a 
 Hercules or Marius with a periwig and a chapeau-bras." 
 
 There was a difference of opinion as to the length and style of the inscription. Mr. 
 Jefferson thus wrote to Mr. Madison from Paris, Feb. 8, 1786, — 
 
 " Houdon has returned. He called on me the other day to remonstrate against the inscription 
 proposed for Gen. Washington's statue. He says it is too long to be put upon the pedestal. I told 
 him I was not at liberty to permit any alteration ; but I would represent his objection to a friend, 
 who could judge of its validity, and whether a change could be authorized. This has been the subject 
 of conversation here, and various devices and inscriptions have been suggested. The one which 
 appears best to me may be translated as follows : — 
 
 Behold, reader, the form of George Washington. 
 For his worth, ask history, 
 That will tell it, when this stone shall have yielded to the decay of time. 
 His country erects this monument. 
 Houdon makes it. 
 
i6o 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 "This for one side; on the second represent the evacuation of Boston, with the motto, ' Hos- 
 tibus primum fugatis ; ' on the third, the capture of the Hessians, with ' Hostibus iterum devictis ; ' 
 on the fourth, the surrender of Yorktown, with ' Hostibus ultimatum de bellatis.' " 
 
 Mr. Madison, in reply, conceded that the substitute was preferable to his own inscrip- 
 tion, but doubted if a change could then be made. He approved of the relievos on the 
 three remaining sides, saying, — 
 
 " I counted myself on the addition of proper ornaments, and am persuaded such a liberty could 
 give offence nowhere." 
 
 Consequently there was no change. On the south side of the pedestal (the statue 
 facing south) is the original inscription as adopted by the General Assembly ; viz., — 
 
 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia 
 Has caused this statue to be erected as a monument of affectionate gratitude to 
 
 George Washington, 
 Who uniting to the Endowments of the Hero, 
 The Virtues of the Patriot, 
 And exerting both in establishing the Liberties of this Country, 
 Has rendered his name dear to his Fellow-Citizens, 
 And given the world an immortal Example of true Glory. 
 Done in the year of 
 Christ 
 
 One thousand, seven hundred and eighty eight, and in the year of the Commonwealth, the Twelfth. 
 
 On the east side, in script, are the words, "Fait par houdon, citoyen francais, 1788." 
 The artist's signature recalls his reply to Jefferson, when offered the commission for the 
 statue : — 
 
 " It would be the glory ot my life to be enabled to place my name humbly upon the plinth of 
 a statue representing that good and great man.'' 
 
 Sufficient has been given to show Houdon's great interest in his work, and his recog- 
 nition, not only of the value it would possess to the world, but that perhaps it would 
 remain the chief specimen of his skill, and perpetuate his own name, as well as the fame 
 of Washington. Against the wishes of friends and the almost commands of royal patrons, 
 he ventured on the voyage, greatly to the interruption of his business, as well as his 
 comfort. Under the circumstances, therefore, he would not have left any part of the 
 necessary preparations for an authentic statue incomplete. It has been held by some that 
 the head alone was modelled from life. It cannot be doubted from the evidence that thr 
 whole figure was also modelled. 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 1 6 1 
 
 Jefferson wrote to Adams, upon the completion of the contract for the statue, " Mon- 
 sieur Houdon has agreed to go to America to take the figure of Gen. Washington." The 
 sculptor came expressly and well prepared for that purpose, with three young men assistants; 
 yet in his diary Washington always refers to the artist taking " My Bust." 
 
 At least three persons have, in conversation and in written communication, spoken of 
 the life measurements and casts, — Judge Brooke, James Madison, and G. W. P. Custis. 
 The latter, though but a boy, was probably all the more impressed, and thus recorded his 
 testimony in a communication to "The Washington Globe," Sept 12, 1854: — 
 
 " My dear Sir, — Yours is received. The statue of Houdon is and must ever be the standard 
 of the beloved Washington, It was taken from life at Mount Vernon in October. 1785, and was 
 modelled in wax from the whole person, — head and limbs." 
 
 Lafayette is quoted as pronouncing it " a facsimile of Washington's person." 
 
 It was Houdon's custom to model the entire form; and two of his "skinless figures" 
 are said to be in the Paris Museum. 
 
 That Gouverneur Morris was requested by Houdon to stand for Gen. Washington 
 only indicates that the French sculptor desired some American 1 to appear in the selected 
 drapery, or to act, as Morris says in his diary, " in the humble employment of a manikin." 
 He was similar in height and proportion to Washington ; and in this way Houdon could 
 correctly obtain the set and folds of the cloth. This incident has suggested the idea that 
 the head only was Washington's, and the figure after that of Mr. Morris. 
 
 The sculptor received in compensation one thousand English guineas, and his expenses 
 to and from Virginia. In addition to this, his life was insured during his absence from 
 France, — a period of six months. Both Mr. Jefferson and Dr. Franklin thought the com- 
 pensation too small ; in truth, scarcely just. The artist would not have agreed to it but 
 for the hope of securing the commission for the equestrian statue of Gen. Washington 
 that Congress had resolved, two years previous, " should be erected at the place where 
 the residence of Congress shall be established." Mr. Jefferson wrote : — 
 
 "Nothing but the expectation of this could have engaged him to have undertaken this voyage, 
 as the pedestrian statue for Virginia will not make it worth the business he loses by absenting 
 himself. I was therefore obliged to assure him of my recommendation for this greater work." 
 
 It is to be regretted that Congress did not take advantage of such an opportunity, 
 as Jefferson urged : — 
 
 "First, he is, without rivalship, the first statuary of this age, as a proof of which he receives 
 orders from every other country for things intended to be capital ; second, he will have seen Gen. 
 
 1 Several persons stood for the drapery. 
 
162 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Washington, and have taken his measure in every part, and of course whatever he does of him will 
 have the merit of being original, from which other workmen can only furnish copies." 1 
 
 According to archives in the Executive Department of the State of Virginia, the statue 
 was on May 14, 1796, put in place in the rotunda of the Capitol, — on the main floor, 
 between the House of Delegates and the Senate-chamber. No record of the ceremony is 
 found. On account of the supposed insecurity of the floor, it was removed a few years 
 ago from its pedestal, but by a joint resolution of the General Assembly, passed April 1, 
 1873, was restored to rts former place in the Capitol. 
 
 In view of its liability to injury, either from fire or from vandalism, the State of Vir- 
 ginia, on March 21, 1 85 1 , provided for the taking from it of casts for the colleges of the 
 State. On Jan. 14, 1853, the sculptor William J. Hubard was accorded permission to make 
 these casts, obtaining (subject to certain limitations) an exclusive right to do so for the 
 period of seven years. Mr. Hubard took only two casts from the statue. He found the 
 marble had been chipped in several places, and had been injured by a French artist who 
 had cleaned it ; and therefore, though appreciating the great favor granted him, he advised 
 against any further experiment with it. 
 
 The first cast made by Mr. Hubard was purchased for the sum of ten thousand dol- 
 lars by the State of Virginia, March, 1856, to be placed in the Military Institute, Lexing- 
 ton. Henry A. Wise, then in the gubernatorial chair of that Commonwealth, made on 
 the occasion an address replete with historic facts and glowing eloquence, yet, unhappily, 
 not devoid of sectional bitterness. He gave just tribute of praise to the ability, patriotism, 
 and perseverance of the courageous artist who succeeded in reproducing Houdon, and 
 making the first bronze statue cast in this country. He said, — 
 
 " Like Houdon's, Hubard's is a passionate performance. He is both a painter and a modeller 
 in statuary, and, artist-like, is poor, with a wife to cherish and a family of children to nurture and 
 educate. He, too, 'panted for glory,' and saw a chance to snatch it in a cast from Houdon, as 
 Houdon had caught it from Washington. The difficulties were almost insurmountable. No bronze 
 statue had been cast whole in the United States. He had no furnace like that for the statue of 
 Louis XV. There were no experienced men of Munich in our country to mix and melt and mould 
 the metal ; and to make section-moulds, such as Italians use, was itself almost an art." 
 
 1 That he did not receive this commission is the more to be regretted from the evidence found indicating that he 
 made a study for such a work. There is in the possession of the Right Hon. George Young, Lord Justice of the Scot- 
 tish Court of Sessions, Edinburgh, an equestrian statue of Washington, executed in bronze. It is about thirty-six inches 
 in height from the head to the pedestal. This is said to have been by a German artist, most probably Rauch, from 
 Houdon's design, and was acquired by Lord Young, from that artist's daughter, twenty-five years ago. Mr. Simon 
 Stevens of New York, who furnishes these facts, has often seen the statuette, and pronounces it to be "full of energy, 
 dignity, and beauty." 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 163 
 
 The governor then related how the first and second efforts to make a perfect cast 
 failed, while they consumed the substance of the artist, who, like Palissy, would have torn 
 the furniture from his home to insure success. Finally a gentleman in Richmond advanced 
 the sum requisite to make a third trial, which was successful. That man was Joseph Allen, 
 who gave in this another evidence of his noble generosity. Then, with a fervor that recalls 
 the tinkling rhythm of Schiller's " Lay of the Bell," Gov. Wise described the scene of the 
 third trial : — 
 
 "The 23d of February, A.D. 1856, arrived for it to be made. The anxiety oi the artist was 
 intense. A few friends were present to mingle their hopes and fears with his, and to witness the 
 opening of the floodgates of the furnace. Two failures had taught necessary precaution. The mould 
 of Washington lay firmly waiting, embedded solid under the lip of the lava spout. Trie vent-holes 
 were carefully opened for the flying gas and heated air ; the ponderous lever in slings broke away the 
 furnace-gate; and the fiery current came red and rushing in, and the liquid bronze poured on, until 
 the mould was full, and laid, a boiling lake, muttering and bubbling, whilst it slowly cooled to a 
 solid sea of brass, with its jagged waves fixed. The cast was raised, and, lo ! there was the perfect 
 copy in bronze of the Houdon which we see before us. All hail ! thou triumph of Virginia's art 
 and patriotic devotion ! " 
 
 North Carolina took, at the same price paid for the first, the second bronze cast ; 
 and South Carolina, the third, — each for the public grounds in their capital cities. The 
 fourth was sent to New- York City, where it was purchased, and is now in the Central- 
 Park Museum. In a " Report of the Committee on Arts and Sciences" of that city, issued 
 in i860, the mayor is urged to buy this bronze by W. J. Hubard, the artist having agreed 
 to sell it for ten thousand dollars. In the same valuable document the history of the 
 original statue is given, chiefly through citations of official records and of the original 
 personal correspondence. The fifth cast, which was, in the opinion of the artist, his best 
 production, was taken to St. Louis, where Mr. Hubard, being in need of money, secured 
 an advance upon it of fifteen hundred dollars. It was afterwards sold for fifty-seven hun- 
 dred dollars to settle the claim. The sharp trader pocketed the difference, and gave no 
 share of it to the widow and children of Mr. Hubard, who had been killed in battle, on 
 the Confederate side of the civil war, by the explosion of a shell. 
 
 The sixth statue, cast in i860, is now placed in Madison Square, Richmond, and is 
 the property of Mrs. William J. Hubard. The same artist reproduced the statue in plaster. 
 
 No one can doubt that it would have been a far better investment for the United- 
 States Government to have purchased one of the bronze statues rather than the plaster 
 cast in Statuary Hall of the Capitol at Washington. The cost of the latter is given in 
 the " Statement of Appropriations and Expenditures from the National Treasury for Pub- 
 lic and Private Purposes in the District of Columbia, from July 16, 1790, to June 30, 1876," 
 as follows : — 
 
164 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 " Hubard's statue of Washington. To compensate the widow of the late W. J. Hubard, for the 
 statue of Washington executed by him, said sum in full of all demands for said statue, $2,000. 
 "July 15, 1870." 
 
 While a' comparison cannot be instituted between the original Richmond statue and 
 the reproductions, yet there is a certain individual value in these bronze casts that will 
 increase an hundred-fold in the event of any disaster happening to the original. Could 
 not a more secure place, or a more perfect provision, be made for this original Houdon, — 
 this statue, which, according to the historian, Virginians prize as did the Cnideans their 
 peerless Aphrodite ? 
 
 BUSTS OF WASHINGTON BY HOUDON. 
 
 It is known that Houdon rendered in marble several busts of Washington ; but the 
 number is not fixed. A medallion from his hand, more recently owned by the family of 
 D. B. Latimer of Baltimore, was obtained by T. W. Griffith, many years ago United-States 
 consul at Havre. 
 
 Deville, a French artist, who had a studio in London, owned, or had in his possession, 
 a Houdon bust, from which he made casts. The casts brought by Emmanuel Leutze to 
 the United States were doubtless taken by Deville. Leutze gave one to George W. Riggs 
 of Washington, D.C. ; and another is owned by Mrs. Emily Edson Briggs of the same 
 city. 
 
 The most interesting and best authenticated bust of Washington in marble by Houdon 
 now belongs to Hon. Hamilton Fish of New York. Its history is briefly told in an extract 
 from a letter written by that gentleman, June 27, 1879: — 
 
 " The bust of Washington by Houdon which I now own was executed by Houdon, as I was told 
 very soon after his return to France from the United States, whither he had come to take the like- 
 ness, etc. The bust was ordered and made for the late Rufus King ; but, for some reason unknown 
 to my informant, he did not take it, but it was taken by the Hon. Oliver Wolcott, secretary of the 
 treasury under the administrations of Washington and of John Adams. On his death it became 
 the property of his daughter, Mrs. Gibbs, who sold it to Henry K. Brown the sculptor, who modelled 
 the head and features of the fine equestrian statue of Washington in Union Square, New York, from 
 it. When Mr. Brown had completed the statue, I purchased the bust from him. This was about 
 1854. It was from Mrs. Gibbs that I learnt that the bust had been ordered by Mr. King: he and 
 Gen. Wolcott were intimate friends, and the latter may have prevailed upon the former to yield it 
 to him. I understand that it was brought to the United States during the last century ; and Mrs. 
 Gibbs was under the impression that it had left the artist's studio before the completion of the full- 
 sized statue in Richmond." 
 
Busts, Statues, Momtments and Medals. 
 
 Houdon died in Paris, July 15, 1828. He was undoubtedly the finest of French 
 sculptors ; and his statue of Voltaire, in the vestibule of the Theatre Frangais, is a title- 
 deed to immortality in plastic portraiture. The Houdon Washington at Richmond has not 
 been often engraved. The engraving by St. Memin, which is very rare, is among the 
 best. The bust engraved for the American Bank-note Company, which was published in 
 Boston in 1859, is beautifully executed. Durand, Storm, Hall, and several other artists, 
 have made plates after this sculptor. Powers, Crawford, Macdonald, Clark, Mills, and 
 nearly every American sculptor of note, have reproduced Houdon's Washington. 
 
 There is no discussion as to the acceptance of Houdon's head as the type of Wash- 
 ington, and as such it must forever remain. The national seal was given when it was 
 placed upon the United States letter postage-stamps, and from it several of the finest 
 Washington medals have been made : therefore as a standard this head will ever be adopted. 
 Stuart, with discrimination and generosity, placed it before his portraits. 
 
 PLASTER CASTS. 
 
 Houdon made the casts for his works in plaster, using it at Mount Vernon, as 
 explained in Washington's diary. Jefferson, in a letter written early in 1800 from the 
 United States senate-chamber, thus replied to an inquiry from Mr. Parker as to the best 
 means of securing a plastic portrait of Washington : " Unless Ceracchi's busts of Gen. 
 Washington are any of them there" [in Rome or Florence], "it would be necessary to 
 send then for one of Houdon's figures in plaster." Houdon left a bust at Mount Vernon, 
 which has been the cause of much speculation. In the inventory made by the sworn 
 appraisers at Mount Vernon, in 1800, of the personal effects of Washington, are these 
 entries : — 
 
 " 1 bust of General Washington in Plaster from the Life $100.00 
 
 1 do. Marble 1 . 50,00 
 
 1 Profile in Plaster 25.00." 
 
 This plaster bust was on a bracket in the library, and apparently considered of little 
 importance. It remained at Mount Vernon over threescore years. In 1849 consent was 
 given by G. W. P. Custis and Col. John A. Washington, — then proprietor of the home- 
 stead, — to Clark Mills the sculptor, to copy this bust, from which to model the Wash- 
 ington head for the equestrian statue then commissioned by Congress. Mr. Mills left 
 a reproduction at Mount Vernon in lieu of the original Houdon, which he retained 
 in his possession a number of years. When it was known that the Houdon life- 
 cast was in existence, there were various expressions of satisfaction, one of which, though 
 
 1 The marble bust may be in existence, but no other record of it is found. It is not known by whom executed. 
 
Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 coupled with sharp criticisms on the marble rendering at Richmond, appeared in "The 
 Washington Star" July, 1857: — 
 
 " This bust was attained by Houdon as a model for his celebrated Richmond statue of Wash- 
 ington. But now comes out the most singular fact of all. Who has not felt a sense of dissatisfaction 
 at the narrow retreating forehead and the perked-up chin of the Houdon statue? All criticism and 
 questioning being debarred by the assertion that the head was an exact copy from life. Such is not 
 the fact. Houdon, following the wretched taste of his time, must needs alter his divine model, and 
 give his Washington the features and port of the effeminate and sensual royalty of that day ; viz., 
 the narrow retreating forehead, with heavy jowls, and thrown-up chin. Providentially, the original 
 head, from the cast, though overlooked, has been preserved intact, and is now in the hands of an 
 artist tremblingly alive to its priceless value, as the only true presentation of Washington in exist- 
 ence. Despite which, Lafayette stood mute before the Richmond statue, and then, in a voice 
 choked with emotion, said, 'That is the man himself: I can almost believe he is about to move.'" 
 
 In 1873 the bust was presented by Clark Mills to Wilson Macdonald, sculptor, of 
 New York, and by him has been given to his daughters. This plaster head is most 
 exquisitely modelled, bearing the assurance of the master's touch. Its age is testified by 
 its surface and hardness ; and no sculptor was ever at Mount Vernon, save Houdon, who 
 could have made it. The whole is in plaster, except the tip of the queue, and that is 
 finished in wax (unmistakably by the same hand), probably on account of a fracture, or 
 because (see Washington's diary) the plaster had become too brittle for use. A second 
 testimony establishing its genuineness is its near exactness to the Houdon statue, as 
 given by accurate measurements made by Mr. Macdonald, which can also be taken by 
 others skilled in the use of the calipers. The truth in this matter is very desirable, above 
 all personal ownership or consideration, and may be reached on the theory that " figures 
 won't lie : " therefore the following communication is inserted : — 
 
 " These measurements were made by the undersigned. The original life-size marble statue by 
 Houdon in Richmond, Va., Nov. 27, 1878. The clay bust at Mount Vernon on the 18th of December, 
 1878. The life-mask, Jan. 2, 1879. 
 
 From the chin to the top of the head (centre) 
 From roots of hair to chin (in front) . 
 Width of face at zygomatic arch (against hair) 
 Width of face at lobes of ears 
 
 Width of mouth 
 
 From under side of nose to bottom of chin . 
 From bottom of nose to lower crease at root of nose 
 Width from outer corner of right eye to outer corner of left eye 
 From top of ribbon on queue behind to the middle of chin 
 
 STATUE. 
 
 CLAY BUST. 
 
 LIFE-MASK. 
 
 
 9l 
 
 9i 
 
 7i 
 
 7l 
 
 7* 
 
 6 
 
 Si 
 
 55 
 
 
 5l s - 
 
 Si 
 
 2 
 
 2 s. 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 2f 
 
 ■2I 
 
 z 8 
 
 *i 
 
 Z 6 
 
 
 
 3f 
 
 3tV 
 
 9h 
 
 9 
 
 9* 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 167 
 
 
 STATUE 
 
 CLAY BUST. 
 
 LIFE-MASK. 
 
 From the end of the nose to the top of the queue (same point as above) . 
 
 IO+ 
 
 ioi 
 
 IO 
 
 
 O 
 
 I* 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 
 V*4 
 
 ft 
 
 y 
 
 y? 
 
 
 8k 
 
 
 84- 
 4 
 
 From the right corner of the mouth to the edge of the upper lid of the right eye, 
 
 li- S 
 
 
 
 
 *1 
 04 
 
 1 
 
 •7 1 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 i3i 
 
 
 7ft 
 
 Si 
 
 5& 
 
 From bottom of nose to first wrinkle in forehead . . 
 
 3g 
 
 
 
 Distance between the pupils of the eyes 
 
 
 • 4 
 
 ■ft 
 
 Distance from the roots of hair to crease under the chin ..... 
 
 81 
 
 
 aft 
 
 Circumference of the head .... 
 
 28! 
 
 2 5 
 
 2 6| 
 
 WILSON MACDONALD, 
 Sculptor, Booth's Theatre Bui !di tigs, Neiu-York City. 
 
 The importance of determining the authenticity of a work like the cast in question 
 is apparent, and the evidence should be nicely weighed. The above measurements abun- 
 dantly demonstrate that the bust in plaster is from the same hand which made the Rich- 
 mond statue ; for marble rendering is not often truer to life than these tables exhibit. 
 
 The dilapidated bust, claimed to be the original Houdon, left by him at Mount Vernon, 
 and which has provoked such discussion, is ridiculously out of proportion, — a discrepancy 
 not to be explained by the reason suggested ; i.e., the shrinking of the clay. That would, 
 indeed, give a smaller head, but would not destroy its relative proportions. 
 
 The history of this bust is given by Mr. Mills, on the authority of Col. John A. 
 Washington, who told him that a German artist once came to Mount Vernon with a pro- 
 posal to copy in gutta-percha the Houdon cast, from which, without taking it away, he 
 would make a number of reproductions. He made two, when Col. Washington, finding 
 it a very expensive enterprise, dismissed him ; and the artist departed, leaving one of his 
 copies. This is the broken one now in the case of relics at Mount Vernon ; and the fact 
 that it is of gutta-percha, whitewashed, explains its disproportions. The bust, in good 
 condition, in the glass case, is the one left or exchanged by Mr. Mills. 
 
 It should be remembered that Houdon was a prudent, unselfish man, and an enthu- 
 siastic admirer of Washington. As a sculptor, he saw more fame in coming to America 
 to take moulds and casts of Washington from life than in receiving the patronage of the 
 greatest empress of the world, though she tauntingly rebuked him for relinquishing such 
 a dazzling fortune, and risking his life in crossing the ocean "to make the statue of a 
 colonial rebel." Therefore it is not probable that he was willing, in event of shipwreck, 
 
i68 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 to leave no counterpart of that reverend head ; and the conclusion is irresistible, that the 
 plaster cast now in New York is a legacy from the great French sculptor. Its lines of 
 grace and dignity would, in the eyes of a connoisseur, need little corroboration ; and, as 
 a life-bust by Houdon, it is a relic of national interest. 
 
 When making arrangements for his return voyage, Houdon separated the moulds of 
 the head from those of the limbs and body, intending to take the first himself, while he 
 committed the latter to his assistants. A gentleman who remarked upon it received this 
 answer: " If they are lost, I am determined to perish with them." This incident strengthens 
 the theory that the provident French artist would not be content with one perishable rep- 
 resentation of the features of Washington, especially as he had the assurance of Mr. 
 Jefferson that he should receive the commission for the national equestrian statue of 
 Washington. No doubt, however, has been entertained as to a life-cast having been left 
 at Mount Vernon. 
 
 The profile in plaster (mentioned in the inventory with the plaster bust) has been 
 inherited from his mother by Gen. G. W. Custis Lee of Lexington, Va. It is the bas- 
 relief which Houdon presented to Washington, and, until the death of the latter, " hung 
 over his chair in the library." It is described, in the " Recollections and Private Memoirs 
 of Washington," by G. W. P. Custis, as " a half-bust by Houdon, after the manner of the 
 antique." The present owner says, "It is full-size, — the head and part of the neck, — 
 and is in an oval gilt frame, dingy from age. The plaster is also somewhat discolored 
 from some cause, but in all other respects is in good condition." This is invaluable as 
 data for medals ; and the people of America may be congratulated upon possessing two 
 originals from Houdon, each proving the other. 
 
 Several masks are scattered through the country, claiming to be original ; but they 
 were taken by Deville in London, either from a life-cast or a Houdon bust. Two in 
 Philadelphia are absurdly labelled as " modelled after death." A life-mask, whose history 
 is well authenticated, is the property of W. W. Story, the eminent American sculptor, now 
 in Rome. First in the chain of evidence is a memorandum in possession of George H. 
 Moore, superintendent of the Lenox Library, New York. 
 
 The original cast made by Houdon from the face of Washington, to assist him in modelling 
 his well-known bust, was in 1866, and I presume is at present, in possession of Mr. Pettrick, sculptor, 
 at Rome, who values it chiefly, I think, on account of the advantage it gives him over the other 
 sculptors there in reproductions of the subject. It was bought in Paris, at the sale of Houdon's 
 effects, by an acquaintance of Mr. Pettrick, and presented to him. I have often examined the cast 
 critically, and am satisfied of the genuineness of it. Among other evidence is the presence of some 
 of the hairs of the eyebrows and lashes, pulled out in taking the cast off the face, and yet remaining 
 in the plaster. 
 
 H. K. BROWN. 
 
 Due. 13, 1876. 
 
» 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 169 
 
 Even more unanswerable and conclusive proofs are in the following extracts from a 
 letter received by a gentleman in Washington from Mr. Story, written in Rome, June 13, 
 1879: — 
 
 " After Houdon had made all the use of it he desired, he either presented or sold it to Mr. 
 Walsh, who was then in Paris ; and Mr. Walsh, on his return to America, carried it with him to 
 Philadelphia. Shortly before his death, he parted with it to a certain John Struthers, a stone-cutter, 
 who presented it afterwards to Ferdinand Pettrick, a sculptor who lived many years in America, and 
 was then engaged on a model for a statue of Washington. When Mr. Pettrick left America, he 
 carried with him this mask, which to the day of his death he preserved with the greatest care, and 
 which it was his great pride to exhibit to visitors to his studio. He afterwards came to Rome, 
 where he lived many years ; and often he has shown me this mask, and recounted to me its history 
 and the great value he set upon it. Many an American, and I myself among the number, vainly 
 sought to buy it. He constantly refused, though I know he was offered large prices for it. ... " 
 On his death-bed he ordered his wife to bring the mask to me, and offer it to me for sale, saying 
 he wished that I should possess it. ... I was then absent from Rome, and his widow and children 
 went to live at Palestrina. On my return, the mask was brought to me, and it has been ever 
 since in my possession. ... It has never been moulded. I myself well remember — for Mr. Pet- 
 trick took great pride in showing them — the hairs of Washington, which still adhered to the mask, 
 having been pulled out in the casting. As a great favor to specially distinguished personages, 
 he now and then would extract one from the plaster, and present it as a valuable gift. In this 
 manner most of them disappeared, though their imprint in the plaster confirms their original exist- 
 ence. A few, however, still remain, to authenticate beyond all question the originality of the mask. 
 That it has never been moulded is plain from its appearance : no oil or soap has ever touched it. 
 It is still fresh and in perfect condition, and there is not the slightest indication that any attempt 
 to mould it has ever been made. Had it ever been moulded, these indications of the fact could not 
 be concealed. Mr. Pettrick kept it with the most jealous care, and would scarcely allow any one 
 to touch it. It was preserved in a box lined with wadding, under lock and key, and is still in the 
 same box. I have a certificate of the facts of the possessors, into whose hands it passed, under Mr. 
 Pettrick's own hand, made and signed by him in 1839. . . . In respect to its value as a likeness of 
 Washington, I think no one could see it without agreeing that it is far the noblest presentation of 
 him that exists. There is more character, strength, and individuality than is to be found in any 
 of the portraits in painting or sculpture that we possess. It gives us a higher idea of the man, and, 
 for a mask from life, is exceptionally fine in expression. Houdon copied it with great care ; but 
 he failed to give it strength of character. The mouth of the bust, in especial, is weak as compared 
 with that of the mask ; and altogether it is a weaker face in the bust. Stuart's portraits are more 
 flabby and less firm in texture than the mask ; and, in fine, there is nothing I ever have seen which 
 gives me so strong a notion of the man himself in his prime." 
 
 These works in plaster — bust, bas-relief, and mask — are indeed invaluable, rivalling 
 the original statue in Richmond, inasmuch as that is marble : they are life. 
 
GIUSEPPE CERACCHI. 
 
 ITALY, 
 i 760-1801. 
 
 HE name of this artist is associated with one of the tragic incidents of the 
 French Revolution, and linked in fame with that of Canova, the greatest 
 sculptor of modern Italy; Ceracchi having been employed by Pope Pius VI. 
 to assist that artist in designing sculptural works for the Vatican. He was an 
 ardent republican, and came to America in 1 79 1 for the purpose of securing the order for 
 the monument, proposed by Congress in 1781, to commemorate the independence of the 
 United States. It appears he was a man of great personal magnetism ; for he soon won 
 the favor of the most eminent men of the country, even Washington being practically 
 interested in him and his proposals, writing for him a circular letter, and putting his name 
 at the head of a subscription for a monument to " Liberty." It was to be one hundred feet 
 high, of finest marble, and to cost thirty thousand dollars. The letter and descriptive paper 
 is given entire by Dunlap, in the first volume of his " History of the Arts of Design." 
 
 Ceracchi secured the likenesses of many of the distinguished actors in the Revolution 
 as a basis for his monument; and during the years 1794 and 1795 he executed in marble 
 portraits of Jefferson, Jay, Clinton, and others, the models for which he afterwards took 
 with him to Europe. Congress ordered from him a colossal bust of Washington, for 
 which four thousand dollars were paid. It was destroyed in the burning of the Library 
 of Congress, in 185 1 . Washington made no note of the date of these sittings; but there 
 is not a doubt but the bust was from life, as it was executed about 1793. 
 
 He made three busts of Washington. The first was the one purchased by Congress ; 
 the second became the property of the Spanish ambassador, which he sent as a gift to 
 the " Prince of Peace," Godoy, who was exiled before the marble reached Cadiz. This 
 work was never unpacked in Spain, but was presented to Richard Meade, then United- 
 States minister at Madrid, who brought it to this country. After Mr. Meade's death, it 
 was purchased by Gouverneur Kemble of Cold Spring, N.Y. ; and it is at present deposited 
 at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. It has been exquisitely engraved for 
 
 a bond-note embellishment, but is more familiar through Hall's print. 
 
 170 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 171 
 
 Mr. Jefferson had a very exalted idea of this sculptor's genius, and became anxious 
 that he should be commissioned by Congress to make the statue of Washington. In a 
 letter to Ceracchi at Munich, written from Philadelphia, Nov. 14, 1793, it seems that Jeffer- 
 son was so fascinated as to give him the preference, even over Houdon ; for he says, — 
 
 '•'The assurances you received that the monument of the President would be ordered at the 
 new election were founded in the expectation that he meant to retire. The turbid affairs of Europe, 
 however, and the intercessions they produced, prevailed on him to act again, though with infinite 
 reluctance. You are sensible that the moment of his retirement, kindling the enthusiasm for his 
 character, the affection for his person, the recollection of his services, would be that in which such 
 a tribute would naturally be resolved on. This is now put off to the end of the next bissextile ; 
 but, whenever it arrives, your title to the execution is engraved in the minds of those who saw your 
 works here." 
 
 The third bust was retained by the artist. It is of colossal proportions ; and Ceracchi 
 doubtless intended it as the model for the Washington which should be conspicuous in 
 his monument to Liberty. This marble is closely connected with the fate of the artist. 
 Through it he was finally tempted to a crime which led to his death. He took it 
 to London, through the Italian states, and then exhibited it in Paris, where the work 
 was so greatly approved, that' the First Consul was induced to give a commission for his 
 own bust. 1 This afforded opportunity to the sculptor to obtain, for himself and two 
 fanatical artist-friends, free access to the presence of Napoleon ; and, but for timely 
 discovery, they would have assassinated him with the famous " infernal machine," the 
 invention of which was accredited to the Italian Ceracchi. He gave not the least evidence 
 of contrition for his guilt, but rode to execution in a triumphal car, arrayed in a flowing 
 toga, and upon his brow the wreath of a victor. After his death the bust of Washington 
 fell into the hands of his devoted friend, Canova, who modelled from it his statue of 
 Washington for the State of North Carolina. In 1820 Mr. John Izard Middleton of South 
 Carolina, a gentleman of aesthetic taste and culture, purchased the colossal bust in Rome, 
 and sent it to this country. It is now in the possession of his nephew, Mr. Williams 
 Middleton of Middleton Place, the old seat of this distinguished family. It is in a perfect 
 state of preservation, having escaped all injury during the Rebellion. Mr. Middleton says, 
 " I buried it in 1864, and twelve months after dug it up uninjured, having taken the 
 precaution to have a strong box made for it." But two engravings have been made of 
 Ceracchi's Washington, — the first in 1835, by G. F. E. Prud'homme ; and the second, by 
 H. B. Hall, for Irving's " Life of Washington." Tuckerman, with fine discrimination, calls 
 Ceracchi's portrait of Washington " noble T The face is strong and pure ; the eye direct 
 and unflinching; the lines of the mouth decisive, lifelike, and full of character. 
 
 1 A bust of Napoleon by Ceracchi is now owned by Mr. Thomas Jefferson Coolidge. 
 
WILLIAM RUSH. 
 
 PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 T the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, there was in the Art Gallery a 
 model labelled "Bust of Washington (clay, made from life). By Rush." It 
 is owned by Mr. Alfred Young of Philadelphia. 
 
 William Rush was a "cunning worker" in wood; and, though not many 
 of his efforts survive, they are so graceful and refined, it is regretted that there are not 
 more of them. One of them was copied in marble, by Beck, for Mr. Ferdinand J. Dreer 
 of Philadelphia ; and it is exceptionally beautiful. Rush also carved a statue in wood, of 
 life-size, in 1 8 14, from studies taken years before, which is now in Independence Hall. 
 This a very admirable work, and was intended by the artist as the figure-head of a ship 
 to be called " Washington ; " but when completed the city, of Philadelphia purchased it. 
 The drapery — a military cloak — is very artistic. The head is bare ; and in his hands 
 he holds a scroll. 
 
STATUES. 
 
 ANTONIO CANOVA. 
 
 ITALY. 
 
 1757-1822. 
 
 ANOVA received in 18 14 a commission from Gov. William Miller, for the 
 State of North Carolina, for a statue of Washington, to be of Carrara marble. 
 It was a sitting statue, executed in Italy at a cost of twenty-five thousand 
 dollars. One writer says of this statue, that "it is especially interesting as 
 the first work of sculpture executed in the Old, and publicly commissioned in the New 
 W r orld." 
 
 Upon its arrival in 1824, this statue was transported with triumphal honors from 
 Wilmington to Raleigh, drawn by a team of twenty-four mules, and was placed with 
 appropriate ceremony in the State House. June 12, 183 1 , the building was burned, and 
 the statue unhappily destroyed. Montfort Stokes, then governor of the State, engaged 
 an English sculptor to restore the charred statue. He received a payment of twenty-five 
 hundred dollars, and left the .State without fulfilling his commission. 
 
 Canova's statue was strictly of the Italian school, representing Washington as a law- 
 giver, in senatorial toga, holding in his hand a stone tablet upon which he has begun to 
 inscribe laws, and with his sword under his feet. He has given to the past the chieftain, 
 and is now the statesman. The portrait was after the life-study of his companion in 
 art, Giuseppe Ceracchi. Upon the pedestal was this inscription: — 
 
 Giorgio Washington. 
 
 Alia Grande Nazione degli Stati 
 
 Uniti di America. 
 
 ANTONIO CANOVA. 
 
 There is a fine folio engraving by Bertini, and a quarto by Marchetti ; so that the 
 Italian sculptor's conception of the great American is not utterly lost. An old folio 
 engraving hangs in the Pennsylvania Room at Mount Vernon. 
 
 j 73 
 
SIR FRANCIS CHANTREY. 
 
 ENGLAND. 
 1782-1844. 
 
 N a vaulted recess built for its reception, in the main hall of the State House 
 at Boston, stands Chantrey's noble statue, which was executed, upon an order 
 given by the " Washington Monument Association " of that city, at a cost of 
 fifteen thousand dollars. 
 The figure is seven feet in height, of spotless Carrara marble. The head and face 
 are finely modelled. The right hand holds a scroll, and the left supports the graceful 
 folds of an ample cloak. 
 
 The statue was uncovered in October, 1827. The face is after Stuart's head. The 
 work is of distinguished grace and majesty, and the citizens regard it with just pride. 
 
 In the pavement before the statue are inserted facsimiles of memorial stones to the 
 ancestors of Washington from the parish church at Brington, near Althorp, Northampton- 
 shire, Eng. They were presented by Earl Spencer to Charles Sumner, and by him to 
 the Commonwealth, Feb. 22, 1861. 
 
 This statue is familiar through Thomson's engraving and various woodcuts. 
 
HORATIO GREENOUGH. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 1805-1852. 
 
 PPOSITE and facing the east central portico of the Capitol at Washington is 
 Greenough's statue. It was ordered in 1832, upon the centennial anniver- 
 sary of the birth of Washington; completed in 1840. The cost amounted to 
 forty-five thousand dollars, the sculptor receiving thirty-four thousand. This 
 colossal statue was intended to be placed in the rotunda, over and marking the spot pre- 
 pared for the remains of Washington, — a vaulted chamber in the crypt, to which place 
 Congress, in 1832, made a second effort to have them removed. 
 
 The statue is of Cararra marble ; and on the sides of the square pedestal is inscribed 
 the terse immortal eulogy of Richard Henry Lee: "First in Avar, fust in peace, and first 
 in the hearts of his countrymen." The figure of Washington is seated in a chair, his 
 body almost nude to the waist. From his right arm the ample folds of a toga fall to his 
 sandalled feet. In his left hand is a sheathed sword ; with his right he points heavenward. 
 The chair is carved in basso-relievo, with acanthus-leaves, lions' heads, and symbolic figures 
 of both classic and modern significance. A small figure of Columbus and one of an Indian 
 chief rest against its back. On one side is Apollo driving the chariot of the sun, which is 
 presented as the crest of the arms of the United States. On the other side is the infant 
 Hercules strangling the serpent ; his twin-brother, timid and shrinking, lies on the ground : 
 by these figures the sculptor indicated the genii of North and South America. 
 
 The statue was transferred from the rotunda to the Capitol grounds, despite the protest 
 of the artist, who said, " I modelled the figure without reference to an exposure to rain 
 and frost ; so that there are many parts of the statue where the water would collect, and 
 soon disintegrate and rot the stone, if it did not, by freezing, split off large fragments of 
 the drapery.". On the back of the chair is the Latin inscription : " Simulacrum istud ad 
 magnum Libertatis exemplum, nec sine ipsa duraturum. Horatius Greenough. Faciebat." 
 
 This production has been the subject of the highest encomium from art-lovers, as well 
 as the most severely pungent jests from witty critics ; but time will doubtless decide its 
 right place in the art world. 
 
 »75 
 
THOMAS CRAWFORD. 
 
 NEW YCRK. 
 1813-1857. 
 
 IS early as Feb. 12, 18 16, the Virginia House of Delegates adopted a resolu- 
 tion for the removal of the remains of Washington to Richmond, for inter- 
 ment "beneath a monument to be erected at public expense, and to serve as 
 a memorial to future ages of the love of a grateful people." Not obtaining 
 consent, there was no further movement in the matter until 1849, when it was resolved 
 to offer five hundred dollars for the best design or drawing' for a monument. Of the forty- 
 one designs submitted, that of Thomas Crawford was selected, which was to be executed 
 in bronze, and consisted of a group of heroes and allegorical figures, Washington being 
 the central one. 
 
 The grasp of this work of art includes a large proportion of the sentiment and history 
 of the Revolutionary War, — from Lexington to Yorktown, — a story which is thrice told by 
 heroic names, great events, and symbolic groups. The heroes selected were those whom 
 it is the delight and duty of " the Old Dominion " to honor, as is done by their association 
 with her greatest son in this monument. They are Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, 
 Patrick Henry, George Mason, Thomas Nelson, and Andrew Lewis; and their peculiar 
 services are represented by the allegorical figures of " Independence," " Justice," " Revolu- 
 tion," " Bill of Rights," " Finance," and " Colonial Times." 
 
 The spot selected was in the Capitol grounds ; and the ceremony of laying the corner- 
 stone took place Feb. 22, 1850. Zachary Taylor, then President of the United States, 
 and a large assemblage of distinguished people, were in attendance. The equestrian group 
 arrived in November, 1857, ar, d was conveyed to the Capitol square by enthusiastic citizens, 
 only a month before the gifted sculptor died in London. Crawford finished all the models 
 save those of Lewis, Nelson, and the Trophies, which were completed by his brother-artist, 
 Randolph Rogers. The total cost of the monument was two hundred and fifty-nine thou- 
 sand nine hundred dollars ; and it was unveiled with imposing ceremonies Feb. 22, 1858. 
 
 A pleasing incident connected with the casting of the statue of Washington is thus 
 
 related by Tuckerman, as he received it from the artist: — 
 
 176 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 177 
 
 " On the evening of his arrival at Munich, Crawford went for the first time to see his Wash- 
 ington in bronze. He was surprised at the dusky precincts of the vast arena. Suddenly torches 
 flashed illumination on the magnificent horse and rider, and simultaneously burst forth from a hundred 
 voices a song of triumph and jubilee. Thus the delighted Germans congratulated their gifted brother, 
 and hailed the sublime work, to them typical at once of American freedom, patriotism, and genius." 
 
 This gratifying demonstration was truly after the manner of the Germans, into whose 
 daily lives enters finer sentiment than is often found among more frivolous nationalities. 
 
 As is most appropriate, the State which claims Washington by right of birth has given 
 more evidence of her appreciation of his virtues than any other, or indeed, thus far, than 
 the nation. The memorial at Richmond — so replete in truth, grace, and sentiment — would 
 do credit to people centuries older in art. The history it records, the principles it honors, 
 and the gratitude it expresses, present lessons, which, if heeded, must foster true national 
 strength. 
 
 This monument has been well engraved by George E. Hall. 
 
HENRY KIRKE BROWN. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 1814- 
 
 HE first equestrian statue of Washington was placed in Union .Square, New- 
 York City, July 4, 1856, for which Henry Kirke Brown received the contract 
 in 1852. The sum of thirty-one thousand three hundred and thirty-one 
 dollars was collected from leading New- York merchants, through the energy 
 and patriotism of Col. James Lee. There was a liberal response generally, but the colonel 
 occasionally met with a rebuff in his mission. He once made application to a flourishing 
 business-man, who replied in a lofty manner, " I will give nothing, sir ; for Washington 
 lives in my heart." — "Well," promptly rejoined Lee, "I must say, the Father of his 
 Country has a very poor home." 
 
 The statue occupies, as nearly as could be determined, the spot upon which Wash- 
 ington stood when he was formally received by the citizens of New York, Nov. 25, 1783, 
 on the evacuation of the city by the British. The work has been highly approved ; and, 
 though carefully criticised, it is conceded to be both true and effective. The description 
 found in "The Crayon," July, 1856, after the unveiling, is chosen as being just and 
 historic : — 
 
 " The statue represents Washington on horseback ; not in the heat of battle, when the dignity 
 of manhood is to a certain extent lost in the excitement of conflict, but at the close of it, in the act 
 of recalling his successful troops to moderation and repose. ■ He sits bareheaded, his hat resting upon 
 his bridle-arm, which restrains his horse's ardor, his sword sheathed, and his right arm and hand 
 extended in the attitude of restraining or commanding quiet. His head is slightly thrown back ; and 
 the position of the whole figure is one of easy dignity, without the slightest show of self-importance. 
 The costume is the old Continental uniform, treated with entire simplicity, and great attention to 
 realization, without presenting any points which would interfere with the general impression. The 
 likeness is a copy from Houdon's bust, which was taken from life, and is considered most correct. 
 The bust is now in the possession of ex-Gov. Fish. The uniform is a copy of that which was worn 
 by Washington and which is still preserved at the Capitol. Unlike most other statues, the model 
 of this was formed in plaster, instead of clay ; and much time and expense were saved by the process. 
 When clay is used, it is necessary to keep the model constantly moist by sprinkling with water until 
 » 7 8 
 
Henry Kirke Brown. 
 
 179 
 
 it is finished ; while the plaster hardens at once, and can be easily cut or scraped into the required 
 shape. The height of the statue is fourteen feet. It is of a superior quality of bronze, and weighs 
 about eight thousand pounds. The body of the horse — not including the tail or legs, which were 
 cast separately — is the largest casting in bronze ever made in this country, and weighs thirty-five 
 hundred pounds. All the castings were made at the works of the Ames Manufacturing Company, at 
 Chicopee, Mass. ; and the chasing, filing, etc., were completed at Mr. Brown's studio in Brooklyn, 
 under his own superintendence. The pedestal is of Quincy granite, fourteen feet and a half high, 
 and was designed by Upjohn & Co." 
 
 A lifelike statue of Lafayette, recently placed near the Washington, is the work of the 
 enthusiastic French artist, Bartholdi, whose gigantic statue of Liberty, which was gracefully 
 presented by France to America, July 4, 1876, is to be significantly placed at the entrance 
 of New- York harbor. 
 
 An engraving, by George R. Hall, of this equestrian statue, appeared in a monologue 
 published by Col. James Lee, 1864, which contained a description of the statue and a list 
 of the names of subscribers. 
 
EDWARD SHEFFIELD BARTHOLOMEW. 
 
 CONNECTICUT. 
 1822-1858. 
 
 PON the order of Noah Walker of Baltimore, Mr. Bartholomew executed a 
 statue of Washington at Rome in 1857. This beautiful statue of white 
 marble has for a long time adorned the front of the store of the well-known 
 merchant. The sculptor's native State wished to buy the statue ; but Mr. 
 Walker refused to sell, intending to donate it to Druid Hill Park. Its removal to that 
 locality was delayed by the civil war ; but, as soon as a suitable foundation is prepared, it 
 will be placed there. 
 
 Mr. Bartholomew died of malignant fever soon after he shipped the statue to this 
 country, and was much lamented as a young artist in the full promise of his genius. 
 
 The expression of feature and the entire pose of the figure in his statue of Washing- 
 ton are admirable ; while in drapery and detail it is worthy of the hand that executed 
 "The Repentant Eve." 
 
 A very interesting collection of this artist's works is in a hall of the " Wadsworth 
 Gallery," at Hartford, Conn. Among them is the plaster model of his Washington. 
 
Plate XXVI II 
 
 Sir Francis Chantry 
 
 See page 174. 
 
 [ohn Q. A. Ward 
 
 See page 189. 
 
CLARK MILLS. 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 1815- 
 
 N the thirty-second Congress, 1852-53, seventy years after the passage of 
 a resolution ordering " a bronze military equestrian statue of Washington," 
 Mr. Dean of New York introduced a bill to carry into effect that resolution. 
 The committee in 1783 had made a minute report, deciding " that the statue 
 be of bronze ; the general to be represented in a Roman dress, holding a truncheon in 
 his hand, and his head encircled with a wreath." The basso-relievos of the pedestal were 
 determined, also the inscription; and it was further resolved, "The plan be executed by 
 the best artist in Europe, under the supervision of the minister of the United States at 
 Versailles." Upon the proposal of Mr. Dean to carry this resolution of the last century 
 into effect in detail, a spirited discussion ensued, in which its salient want of harmony 
 with the character of Washington and the truth were warmly portrayed. In regard to the 
 dress, Mr. Breckenridge of Kentucky said, "The American people never will consent to 
 have another statue of Gen. Washington erected in the Roman costume, or in any other 
 than the Continental." A bill was finally passed as follows : — 
 
 " Be it enacted that the sum of fifty thousand dollars is hereby appropriated to enable the 
 President of the United States to employ Clark Mills to erect at the city of Washington a colossal 
 equestrian statue of Gen. Washington, at such place in said city as shall be designated by the 
 President of the United States." 
 
 The inauguration of this statue took place on the 2 2d of February, i860, in the pres- 
 ence of a large concourse of citizens of this country, and the representatives of foreign 
 nations, when an eloquent oration was delivered by the Hon. Thomas S. Bocock of Vir- 
 ginia. President James Buchanan selected the site, at the intersection of Pennsylvania and 
 New Hampshire Avenues, now called " Washington Circle." Mr. Buchanan made the 
 address of dedication, one clause of which, commended by its fraternal sentiment, is here 
 introduced : — 
 
 " Standing here upon this elevated and commanding position, surrounded by the senators and 
 representatives of the different States of the Confederacy, and by this vast assemblage of my fellow- 
 
 1S1 
 
1 82 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 citizens, civil and military, in full view of the noble Potomac, so well beloved by Washington, and 
 of the shores of the ancient Commonwealth which gave him birth, I now solemnly dedicate this 
 statue to the Father of his Country, in perpetual memory of his talents, his sacrifices, his heroic 
 efforts, and his Christian character. I perform this act of pious duty, not in the name of those 
 who dwell on the waters of the Atlantic, or those of the far Pacific, but in the name of the whole 
 American people, united, one and indivisible, now and forever." 
 
 At the conclusion of this address the statue was unveiled ; and the artist, being enthu- 
 siastically called upon, responded in a few sentences explanatory of his work, that should 
 be remembered. He said that the statue was intended to have been placed at an elevation 
 of thirty feet, and the pedestal as designed by him was to carry out the original resolution 
 of 1783; viz., to present the four great events in the military career of Washington; and 
 that three stories, including the lower and middle portion of the pedestal, were to give 
 an epitome of American history from the discovery to the Revolution. Being hurried in 
 the execution of his work, and the appropriation not covering this expense, he was com- 
 pelled to present it in an incomplete condition. 
 
 This work is spirited, the position of the horse, and pose of the figure especially 
 approved. The features are reproduced from the life-cast by Houdon, then in possession of 
 the sculptor. The incident selected for perpetuation in this military statue occurred at the 
 battle of Princeton, when Washington, after ineffectual efforts to rally his troops, advanced 
 so near the enemy, that his horse, refusing to move, stood trembling with terror, while 
 the cannon tore the ground on either side. 
 
 Mr. Mills also executed several busts in bronze of Washington. One is in the Corcoran 
 Gallery of Art, and bears the following inscription : — 
 
 "George Washington. 
 
 "This Bust is from the living face of Washington. Monsieur Houdon. 1785. Permission was granted to 
 Clark Mills in 1849, by Colonel Washington at Mount Vernon, to make a coppy (sic) of the original cast in 
 bronze. CLARK MILLS, Sculptor. 
 
 Another of these busts was slightly injured in the fire at the Capitol in 1851 ; which 
 the sculptor presented to Miss Dorothea Dix, by whom it was placed in the Boston 
 Athenaeum. An outline engraving of this statue, with the pedestal as originally designed, 
 was published in a pamphlet giving an account of the ceremonies of unveiling. 
 
Plate XXIX. 
 
 Clark Mills. 
 
 See Page 181. 
 
 Thomas Ball. 
 
 See Page 183. 
 
THOMAS BALL. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 1819- 
 
 HE organization, in Boston, of the " Washington Statue Committee," took 
 place on the eighty-fourth anniversary of the battle of Lexington, April 19, 
 1859, for the purpose of raising funds for a bronze equestrian statue of 
 Washington. The ladies of Boston realized ten thousand nine hundred 
 dollars by a fair ; Edward Everett's statue committee contributed five thousand dollars ; and 
 Hon. Robert C. Winthrop donated the proceeds of a lecture to the fund. The commission 
 was given to the sculptor Thomas Ball in i860; and the statue was completed in 1869, 
 at a cost, including pedestal, of forty- two thousand four hundred dollars. The casting was 
 done by the Ames Manufacturing Company of Chicopee, Mass., Aug. 3, 1867 ; and the 
 artist and workmen were all of that State. 
 
 Washington, in this splendid example of American art, is presented as the commander- 
 in-chief, in the picturesque uniform of the Revolution. It is very appropriately placed in 
 the Public Garden of Boston, in a position facing the city of Cambridge, where he first 
 assumed the active duties of the commander. It was formally delivered to the keeping 
 of the city of Boston by Hon. Alexander Rice, president of the " Washington Statue 
 Committee," Saturday, July 3, 1869; and his Honor Mayor Shurtleff said in response, — 
 
 " Boston, through its municipal authorities, accepts and now formally receives this magnificent 
 equestrian statue of the great Washington, promising to protect and preserve it most faithfully. 
 Long may it continue unblemished and uninjured, to ornament these public grounds, a remembrance 
 of the virtues and patriotism of the Father of our Country, and to incite and encourage all by his 
 noble example. And may it be a lasting memorial of the talents and skill of one of Boston's most 
 gifted sons, and of the public spirit and munificence of our citizens." 
 
JOSEPH A. BAILEY. 
 
 FRANCE. 
 1825- 
 
 N July 5, 1869, a statue in white marble, of colossal proportions, was unveiled 
 in the space opposite the central front of Independence Hall. A large and 
 enthusiastic concourse of people was present to receive, through Daniel M. 
 Fox, mayor of Philadelphia, this patriotic present from the First School 
 District of Pennsylvania. "The day we celebrate" occurred that year on Sunday: conse- 
 quently the ceremonies took place on Monday, or, as a recorder of events wrote, " the 
 calendar was made to yield to the feast." The accompanying incidents were pleasant and 
 fraternal. Telegrams from various distant localities were read, and received with shouts of 
 appreciation ; and " everybody seemed happy in the fact that the day whose summer heat 
 had been so dreaded should have dawned as cool and gentle as May." 
 
 The following is the programme of the exercises ; and the author gives a full ac- 
 count of the proceedings, not only because they were interesting, but they impress the 
 fact that this statue was an expression of patriotism from children. 
 
 MUSIC. 
 SINGING. 
 
 INVOCATION PRAYER, BY REV. ALBERT BARNES, D.D. 
 
 MUSIC. 
 
 SINGING — "Hail Columbia." 
 
 UNVEILING OF THE STATUE, 
 BY TWO YOUNG LADIES OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
 
 SINGING — "Washington." 
 
 MUSIC. 
 
 SALUTE, — BY KEYSTONE BATTERY, Capt. John V. Creely. 
 
 ADDRESS, BY REV. HENRY D. MOORE. 
 
 SINGING — "Star-Spangled Banner." 
 
 PRESENTATION ADDRESS, 
 BY GEORGE F. GORDON, ESQ. 
 
 RECEPTION OF THE STATUE, 
 BY HON. DANIEL M. FOX, Mayor. 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 185 
 
 MUSIC. 
 SINGING — " America." 
 BENEDICTION, BY BISHOP SIMPSON. 
 GUARD OF HONOR, — CADETS ATTACHED TO NORTH-EAST GRAMMAR-SCHOOL, Capt. Brodie. 
 
 On the north side of the base of the statue is simply the name " Washington ;" but 
 the story is told in a few modest words on the south side : — 
 
 Erected 
 By the 
 
 Washington Monument Association 
 Of the 
 
 First School District of Pennsylvania. 
 
 The initiatory steps for this statue were taken in August, 1858, by the issuing of 
 circulars to the several school sections of the city, proposing that the " Washington Monu- 
 ment Association " should be organized. The scheme was favorably received ; and soon a 
 considerable amount of money was realized from "The Great Fair of the Public Schools," 
 which was opened in the National Hall, Market Street, on the 2 2d of February, 1859, and 
 continued for three weeks. 
 
 The first intention of the association was to erect a grand monumental structure in 
 Fairmount Park ; but the interest in the undertaking languished during the war, and at 
 one period was almost abandoned. When peace was proclaimed, however, the officers of 
 the association, with the teachers of the public schools and the little ones, who had caught 
 their spirit, felt the greater importance of binding together the Union by honoring a name 
 beloved by all ; and the work was renewed with greater zeal. The design of a monument 
 was relinquished, and that of a statue substituted ; a contract for which was entered into 
 in 1867 with Mr. Bailly, who, though a native of France, had for some years been an 
 honored citizen of Philadelphia. 
 
 In 1869 the city council passed an ordinance to locate the statue " in front of Inde- 
 pendence Hall ; " and a circular was printed, requesting teachers to furnish the names of 
 those scholars who had contributed to the fund, that a record of them might be placed 
 in the base of the pedestal. A final entertainment for the benefit of the fund was given 
 in June, 1869, by the pupils of the grammar-schools and of the "Girls' and Boys' High 
 School." On the 2d of July following, the granite for the base was delivered ; and on 
 the morning of the 4th, by great diligence, the statue was placed in position, where, 
 enfolded in the American flag, it awaited the greeting of music and song, of shouting and 
 cannon, of prayer and eloquence, and, what was still more significant, the chorus of hundreds 
 of eager children. 
 
1 86 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Conspicuous and honored among the vast multitude who joined in this ovation was 
 a small company from the fast- thinning ranks of the "veterans of 1812;" while hundreds 
 of soldier-boys but lately returned from Southern battle-fields shouted aloud at the happy 
 change from war to peace. One announcement, when made, was received with pleasant 
 excitement, which was, that the handsome pedestal upon which the statue stood was of 
 Virginia granite, cut and finished by Richmond mechanics. The two young ladies who 
 officiated at the unveiling were Miss Josephine Freeborn of the tenth school section, and 
 Miss Mary McManus of the third school section. As the flag which covered the statue 
 was removed, a number of miniature American flags floated away over the throng and the 
 platform. A spirited scramble ensued to secure them as mementos of the occasion. 
 The idea of unveiling in the mode adopted was that of Mr. John Pizard, the well-known 
 rigger, who also placed the statue in position for Mr. William Struthers. 1 In the centre 
 of the foundation was placed a box containing the names of those who assisted in the 
 successful accomplishment of the work, — children, teachers, board of controllers, mayor, 
 and city council. The statue is eight feet four inches high. The left hand is laid upon 
 the hilt of a sheathed sword ; the right rests upon the Bible ; the Bible, upon the Consti- 
 tution ; and the flag of the Union drapes the column beside the figure, which upholds 
 the two great books, " the Law and the Gospel." The work is very pleasing, and was 
 thus apostrophized by one of the orators of the day : — 
 
 "Behold it, colossal, grand! But a moment ago it was wrapped in the folds of a starry banner; 
 now its beauty is unveiled. Nay, more : admire it as a work of American art. Every mallet, every 
 chisel and hammer, every square and compass, and the mechanical heads and hands, all American!" 
 
 The situation of this statue is eminently suggestive, standing as it does at the portals 
 of a building, which, more than any other, is sacred to the memory of the men who 
 redeemed with grand fidelity the pledges of " their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred 
 honors" in the cause of freedom, and beneath the shadow of that great bell which rang 
 out the New World anthem on the Fourth of July, 1776. The following ode, by Benjamin 
 F. Taylor of Chicago, is one of the most exquisite gems that the hundredth birthday of 
 our country called forth : — 
 
 CENTENNIAL BELLS. 
 
 Ye belfried blacksmiths in the air, 
 
 Smite your sweet anvils, good and strong ! 
 Ye lions in your lofty lair, 
 
 Roar out from tower to tower, along 
 
 1 The sarcophagi in which the remains of Gen. Washington and his wife were placed Oct. 7, 1837, were presented 
 by a member of this family, Mr. John Struthers, who wrought them with his own hands from solid blocks of Pennsylvania 
 marble. 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 The wrinkled coasts and scalloped seas, 
 Till winter meets the orange-breeze 
 From bridal-lands that always wear 
 The orange-blossoms round their hair : 
 Centennial Bells, ring on ! 
 
 Pour out, ye goblets far and near, 
 
 Your grand melodious iron flood, 
 Till pine and palm shall think they hear 
 
 The axes smite the stately wood, 
 Nor dream the measured cadence meant 
 The clock-tick of the continent, 
 The footfall of a world that nears 
 The field-day of a hundred years : 
 Centennial Bells, ring on ! 
 
 Ye blossoms of the furnace-fires, 
 
 Ye iron tulips, rock and swing, 
 The People's Primal Age expires, 
 
 A hundred years the reigning king. 
 Strike one, ye hammers overhead ; 
 Ye rusty tongues, ring off the red, 
 Ring up the Concord Minute-men, 
 Ring out old Putnam's wolf again : 
 Centennial Bells, ring on ! 
 
 Where prairies hold their flowery breath 
 Like statues in the marble ledge ; 
 
 Where mountains set their glittering teeth 
 Through wide horizon's rugged edge, 
 
 And hold the world with granite grip 
 
 As steady as a marble lip, 
 
 And here and there, and everywhere, 
 
 With rhythmic thunder strike the air, — 
 Centennial Bells, ring on ! 
 
 Ring down the curtain on To-day, 
 And give the Past the right of way, 
 Till fields of battle red with rust 
 Shine through the ashes and the dust 
 Across the Age, and burn as plain 
 As glowing Mars through window-pane. 
 How grandly loom like grenadiers 
 These heroes with their hundred years ! — 
 Centennial Bells, ring on ! 
 
1 88 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Ring for the blue-eyed errand-boy 
 
 That quavered up the belfry-stair, 
 "They've signed it! signed it!" and the joy 
 
 Rolled forth as rolls the Delaware. 
 The old man started from a dream ; 
 His white hair blew, a silver stream ; 
 Above his head the bell, unswung, 
 Dumb as a morning-glory hung ; 
 The time had come awaited long ; 
 His wrinkled hand grew young and strong ; 
 He grasped the rope as men that drown 
 Clutch at the life-line drifting down ; 
 The iron dome as wildly flung 
 As if Alaska's winds had rung. 
 
 Strange that the founder never knew, 
 When from the molten glow he drew 
 That bell, he hid within its rim 
 An anthem and a birthday hymn. 
 So rashly rung, so madly tossed, 
 Its old melodious volume lost, 
 Its thrilled horizon rent and cleft, 
 Of sweet vibration all bereft ; 
 And yet, to hear that tocsin break 
 
 The silence of a hundred years, 
 Its rude discordant murmurs shake, 
 
 And rally out the soul in cheers, 
 Would set me longing to be rid 
 
 Of sweeter voices, and to bid 
 Centennial Bells be dumb. 
 
 Although no mighty Muscovite, 
 
 No iron welkin rudely hurled, 
 That bell of Liberty and Right 
 
 Was heard around the Babel world ! 
 Land of the green and golden robe ! 
 
 A three-hours' journey for the Sun. 
 Two oceans kiss thee round the globe ; 
 
 Up the steep world thy rivers run 
 From geologic ice to June. 
 A hundred years from night to noon ! 
 
 In blossom still, like Aaron's rod ! 
 The clocks are on the stroke of one, 
 
 One Land, one Tongue, one Flag, one God! 
 Centennial Bells, ring on ! 
 
JOHN Q. A. WARD. 
 
 OHIO. 
 
 1830- 
 
 HE most recent statue of Washington was erected at Newburyport, Mass., on 
 the 22d of February, 1879. It is of heroic proportions, and was cast in 
 bronze by George Fischer & Brothers of New -York City. It represents 
 Washington in the uniform of a general, the right arm raised, and the left 
 resting upon the hilt of his sword. The face is not so strong, but exhibits greater benev- 
 olence of expression than would be expected in a countenance usually so grave if not 
 severe. All the details are finely executed, and the costume has not the stiffness that so 
 often offends. From the hi(jh coat-collar down to the lonQf boots, the entire dress is 
 historic and elegant. The coat is carelessly fastened at the middle button, and sweeps 
 gracefully back over the thighs. The ruffles of the shirt, the silk lapels of the coat, and 
 even the displacement of the cords of bullion on the epaulets caused by the movement 
 of the arm, are all fully shown. 
 
 The statue stands upon a pedestal of light-gray granite, which bears the inscription : — 
 
 Presented by 
 Daniel I. Tenney. 
 
 This gentleman, now of New -York City, who was born in Newburyport, wished to give 
 some substantial token of regard for his native city, and invited models for a statue of 
 Washington. From a number sent to him, he selected the one submitted by J. Q. A. Ward 
 of Ohio, well known through his chef-aceuvre, "The Indian Hunter," in Central Park, 
 New York, than which no work of greater spirit and truth has ever been produced in this 
 country. Mr. Tenney made a contract for the statue, to be completed within two years, and 
 informed the city council of Newburyport of his design in the following manner : — 
 
 To his Honor the Mayor and City Council of the City of Newburyport. 
 
 Gentlemen, — I have the honor to announce to you that Daniel I. Tenney of New -York City, 
 a native of Newburyport, feeling a very deep interest in his birthplace, has contracted with the 
 celebrated artist J. Q. A. Ward for a bronze statue of Washington, which, when completed, he 
 proposes to present to this city. 
 
 .89 
 
190 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 As his representative, I would respectfully petition your honorable body for leave to locate the 
 statue on the triangular spot at the east end of the Bartlett Mall, and for permission to occupy 
 the ground during its erection. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 EDWARD F. COFFIN. 
 
 This request was immediately granted by the city council, which appointed a committee 
 to prepare the foundations, and arrange for the ceremonies upon the erection of the statue. 
 
 Early on this the one hundred and forty-seventh return of the birthday of Wash- 
 ington, the town-hall was filled with eager citizens. Back of the rostrum, which was 
 draped in the stars and stripes, and filled with invited guests and officials, was a copy of 
 Trumbull's portrait of Washington, presented to Newburyport by her distinguished son, 
 the late Hon. Caleb Cushing. After prayer, Keller's "American Hymn" was sung by a 
 chorus of sixteen voices ; and then followed the address, by Rev. Thomas M. Clark, 
 bishop of Rhode island, another distinguished native of the place. The speaker, by way 
 of enforcing the lesson of the hour, recalled the most prominent events in the career of 
 Washington, as exhibiting the perfect truth of his life, which should shine as a beacon- 
 light to those who love their country. At the close of this chaste and eloquent effort, 
 the statue was formally presented by Edward F. Coffin, on behalf of the donor, as " an 
 American work, designed and executed by American artisans." This was responded to by 
 the mayor of the city ; and a procession was formed, which marched to Brown's Square, 
 where the ceremony of unveiling was witnessed. 1 
 
 One of the poetical offerings of the day was the following sonnet, written by Hon. 
 George Lunt, a native of the old town, who was unable to be present: — 
 
 WASHINGTON. 
 
 Throughout the world, among the sons of men, 
 What fame like thine, beyond the reach of time? 
 Heroes and kings, by History's supple pen 
 Emblazoned stand, too oftenest for crime ; 
 But thy pure record, generous and sublime, 
 Reveals no stain nor blot the light to mar 
 That shines through all those living lines that show 
 How honest Duty was thy guiding star ; 
 
 « When the day set apart for this occasion arrived, there was an imposing celebration in the City Hall, New York, 
 in which the Society of the Sons of Newburyport participated by a committee, reproducing through them the proceedings 
 of a meeting which had been held in Cooper Institute, on the 29th of January, 1879, and presenting an address prepared 
 for this event by the chairman, Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, D.D. 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 191 
 
 In the hard present, patient ; and afar 
 
 Seeing the glorious future's radiant bow ; 
 
 Great in the field, and in the chair of State, 
 
 Won for thy country's honor, simply great. 
 
 Thy country saw thee chiefest citizen ; 
 
 The world proclaimed, " Behold, the chief of men ! " 
 
 EDWARD V. VALENTINE. 
 
 VIRGINIA. 
 
 HIS popular sculptor, after making a study of the Houdon statue, has pro- 
 duced, in compliance with a request from the secretary of the Grand Lodge 
 of Virginia, what is known as the "Masonic Bust," — a work having the 
 merit of being a conscientious reproduction of the statue so dear to the 
 "Old Dominion," and commending itself directly to the great brotherhood of Masons. 
 The sash and jewel worn by Washington as Past Mason, when presiding in Lodge 22, 
 Alexandria, Va., which he founded in 1788, are presented on this bust, making it a per- 
 petual remembrance of his fraternity with the institution he sincerely venerated, " Whose 
 liberal principles," he said, " are founded on the immutable laws of truth and justice." 
 
 Washington joined the Masonic fraternity at Fredericksburg, Va. A record of this 
 event is found in the journal of that lodge, Nov. 6, 1752, and that his admittance-fee 
 was £2 $s. On Aug. 4, 1753, he had advanced to Master Mason. 
 
MONUMENTS. 
 
 RIBUTES to George Washington span an hundred years, beginning by a 
 recognition of obligation from the government before he reached the zenith 
 of his fame, and renewed even in the acts of the Forty-seventh Congress ; 
 nor is it possible that his name will be less honored in all our future. Thus 
 far no national endeavor, no monument, no shaft, has answered the demands of the 
 people. Territories, cities, and mountains, halls and stately edifices, societies and organi- 
 zations, bear his name ; but the Washington Memorial which will fill the hearts of those who 
 revere his character has not yet been conceived. This should not be a matter of regret 
 or self-condemnation, even to the greatest enthusiasts : ages passed ere a fitting monu- 
 ment was reared by the Germans to " Herman the Liberator ; " and many years may be 
 numbered before the same is accomplished for the hero of the eighteenth century. 
 
 The United States is yet young in art ; and it should not be forgotten that a clause 
 in Washington's will laid the financial corner-stone for national art-education. When there 
 is a national school of art, doubtless the most perfect expression of reverence this nation 
 can utter in that school will be inscribed, Washington. 
 
 Notwithstanding there are so many portraits, statues, medals, and memorials of 
 Washington, only four monuments have been erected to his memory. The first, it is 
 
 true, had but slight claim to be called a monument ; as it was merely a plain slab of 
 
 192 
 
* 
 
 Orzgina/ Portraits of Washington. 193 
 
 freestone, which was placed by G. W. P. Custis on the site of the old Washington home- 
 stead, in Westmoreland County, Virginia, June, 1815. It bore this inscription: — 
 
 Here, 
 
 The 11 th of February, 1732, (old style,) 
 George Washington 
 was born. 
 
 A succinct account of the placing of this slab was given by Mr. Custis in " The Alex- 
 andria Gazette" as late as 185 1. The old gentleman's fervor, in the remembrance of this 
 " act of filial love," warmed into genuine eloquence while making a quaint picture of the 
 scene. 
 
 On a bright morning in " the leafy month of June " he glided in his own schooner, 
 the " Lady of the Lake," down the broad Potomac, until he reached the mouth of Pope's 
 Creek, where he took a small boat to the old " Wakefield farm." He was accompanied 
 by three gentlemen, and fell in with a hunting-party of friends, who joined them, swelling 
 their number to eight or ten. Mr. Custis says, — 
 
 "Desirous of making the ceremonial of depositing the stone as imposing as circumstances would 
 permit, we enveloped it in the 'star-spangled banner' of our country; and it was borne to its 
 resting-place in the arms of the descendants of four Revolutionary patriots and soldiers. . . . We 
 gathered together the bricks of an ancient chimney that once formed the hearth around which 
 Washington in his infancy had played, and constructed a rude kind of pedestal, on which we rever- 
 ently placed the first stone, commending it to the respect and protection of the American people in 
 general, and the citizens of Westmoreland in particular. Bidding adieu to those who had received 
 us so kindly, we re-embarked, and hoisted our colors ; and, being provided with a piece of cannon 
 and suitable ammunition, we fired a salute, awakening the echoes that had slept for ages around the 
 hallowed spot. And while the smoke of our martial tribute to the birthplace of our Pater Patria 
 still lingered on the bosom of the Potomac, we spread our sails to a favoring breeze, and sped 
 joyouslv to our homes." 
 
 The paternal estate of the Washingtons, known as " Wakefield," is situated several miles 
 from the west bank of the Potomac, and remained in the family about one hundred years. 
 The dwelling in which Washington was born was an unpretending two-story frame-house, 
 the central building of a group of offices, out-houses, and servants' quarters, as it was the 
 usage in those days to build plantation residences. It was destroyed by fire caught from 
 some Sea-Island cotton stored in the garret, while the family, with relatives and neighbors, 
 were making merry one evening during the Christmas holidays. The ruins were visited 
 by an artist in 1875, who was requested by Dr. Joseph M. Toner of Washington to make 
 a sketch of the place. Only a part of the chimney remained standing at that date ; and 
 
« 
 
 194 Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 the bricks — brought from England — were in a fair state of preservation. The memorial 
 slab, of which the insatiate relic-hunter had left but a small portion, was in a clump of 
 fig-trees and shrubbery. The spot where the house stood, the yard, garden, and orchard, 
 were all under cultivation ; and the sketch of the artist showed a stubble-field, with shocks 
 of golden grain grouped about a tall, half-fallen chimney. 
 
 The estate passed out of the family in the early part of the century, except a small 
 reservation of the site of the old house, which was in after-years presented to the State 
 of Virginia under certain conditions. In the revised State code, 1873, is found this 
 clause : — 
 
 " Whereas Lewis W. Washington has, through the governor, presented to the State of Virginia 
 the sites of the birthplace of George Washington and of the homes and graves of his progenitors 
 in America, in perpetuity, on condition solely that the State shall cause these places to be perma- 
 nently enclosed by an iron fence, based on stone foundation ; and shall mark the same by suitable 
 and modest though substantial tablets, to commemorate for the rising generation these notable spots : 
 therefore the said grant is hereby accepted ; and the governor of this Commonwealth shall cause a 
 proper conveyance of the title to said sites to be secured to the State, and shall cause the same to 
 be enclosed in the manner set forth in the preamble of this Act, Section 8. The sum of five thousand 
 dollars is hereby appropriated for the purpose of the Act, to be paid from any moneys not otherwise 
 appropriated." 
 
 This official movement of securing a title to the sites was the only effort of the State 
 of Virginia in her sovereign capacity. Her daughters, however, ever sensitive of the 
 fair fame of the revered old State, were so humiliated by the neglect of these sacred spots, 
 that in 1878 the "Mary Washington Association of America" was formed, the purpose 
 of which was to preserve and protect the three places more nearly connected with the 
 name of Mary Washington and her illustrious son : first, the birthplace of Washington ; 
 second, the home of his mother in Fredericksburg ; third, the " Pope's-Creek Church," 
 where he was christened. It is proposed, that, at the two places first mentioned, durable 
 but unostentatious slabs or shafts shall be reared ; while on the site of the third a memo- 
 rial asylum (for a charitable purpose not yet determined upon) shall be erected, and named 
 in honor of Mary Washington. This clause in the Constitution of the Association more 
 fully sets forth the proposed memorial work : — 
 
 " The acquisition, by grant from the Legislature of Virginia, of the sites of the birthplace of 
 Washington and grave of Mrs. Washington, and, by purchase from the owners of the Washington 
 residence in Fredericksburg, of the old cemetery at Pope's Creek, and of the remains of the old 
 ' Pope's-Creek Church,' in which he was baptized. 
 
 " The enclosure with a substantial iron railing, and the erection of stones suitably inscribed, 
 on the sites of the two last ; of monuments creditable to the nation over the two first ; and, in 
 
Busts, Statues, Monument Si and Medals. 
 
 195 
 
 connection with the third, the establishment of a memorial asylum, to be dedicated to the memory, 
 and called by the name, of the mother of Washington." 
 
 The Legislature of Virginia in 1878 was petitioned, and incorporated this association. 
 A national interest was sought, as the name indicates, by the patriotic women, who thought, 
 by thus together working to imbue the mind of the youth of the land with renewed venera- 
 tion for its foremost citizen, was the best way to serve the whole country. 
 
 The following year (June 10, 1879) a resolution was introduced in the House of 
 Representatives, by Mr. Harris of Virginia, making a small appropriation for a monument 
 to mark the spot where Washington was born ; which was adopted without a dissenting 
 voice. In the Senate, Mr. Voorhees of Indiana introduced the same resolution ; and, 
 referring to its unanimous passage in the House, the senator said, " I think it would be 
 a graceful thing to mark the conclusion of a somewhat acrimonious session of Congress, 
 for the Senate to take up the joint resolution, and pass it in a similar spirit and a similar 
 way." Obeying the suggestion of the eloquent speaker, the following was adopted : — 
 
 (PUBLIC RESOLUTION NO. 5.) 
 
 Joint Resolution directing a monument to be erected to mark the birthplace of George 
 Washington. 
 
 . Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in 
 Congress assembled, That the sum of three thousand dollars be and is hereby appropriated out of any 
 money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of erecting a monument at and 
 and to mark the birthplace of George Washington ; which said sum shall be expended under the 
 direction of the secretary of state, who shall have the management and control of the erection of 
 said monument. [Approved June 14, 187Q. 
 
 On the 2 2d of February, 1881, the following resolution was also adopted: — 
 
 Joint .Resolution amending and re-enacting joint resolution approved June 14, 1879, directing 
 a monument to mark the birthplace of George Washington. 
 
 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America hi Con- 
 gress assembled, That joint resolution entitled " Joint Resolution directing a Monument to be erected 
 to mark the Birthplace of George Washington, approved June 14, 1879," be amended and re-enacted 
 so as to read as follows : " That the sum of thirty thousand dollars be and is hereby appropriated 
 out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of erecting a monument 
 at and to mark the birthplace of George Washington ; which sum shall be expended under the 
 direction of the secretary of state, who shall have the management and control of the erection of 
 said monument : provided no part of the sum hereby appropriated shall be expended until the secre- 
 tary of state shall be satisfied with the title to the land to be occupied by the monument, and the 
 securement of a public right of way thereto. [Approved Feb. 26, 1881. 
 

 
 
 
 X ' • " >7 
 
 IS? 
 
 HE inquiry has frequently been made as to the existence of a portrait of 
 Washington's mother. None has been discovered by the author, and only 
 one suggestion found in regard to such a portrait : that was quite a number 
 of years ago, when a gentleman in England wrote to Thomas Sully that he 
 
 had seen a beautiful likeness of a Miss Mary Ball, who had married a Mr. Washington, 
 both of that country, and that their son George could be none other than our first Presi- 
 dent. This statement called forth an earnest letter from the obliging pen of the then 
 venerable G. W. P. Custis, who rather amused the public by an indignant arraying of 
 facts, patent to all, upon the parentage and birth of his father by adoption. In Fred- 
 ericksburg, Va., stands an unfinished, almost a demolished, monument to Mrs. Mary 
 Washington, the corner-stone of which was laid by President Jackson, May, 1833. It 
 was undertaken by a gentleman of ample fortune, but never quite completed ; and during 
 the battle of Fredericksburg was almost destroyed, being in line of one of the most 
 effective batteries of the Union army. In this condition its broken column and chipped 
 base became an easy prey to relic-hunters. One of the prominent citizens of the place 
 
 says, " The unfinished monument to Mary Washington is near Kenmore, an old mansion on 
 196 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 197 
 
 the western limit of the town, near the spot to which she was accustomed to retire for 
 meditation at evening." It is of Vermont marble ; the square base ten feet high, support- 
 ing a pedestal composed of four Doric pillars on either side of a square of smaller dimen- 
 sions. Upon this pedestal it was intended to raise a shaft thirty feet. The undressed 
 marble for the shaft lies on the ground beside the ruined memorial. The cut preserves 
 the original design and the touching simplicity of the inscription chosen : — 
 
 Mary, 
 the Mother of 
 Washington. 
 
 In 1874, at the suggestion of Hon. James B. Sener, representative from that district, a 
 committee was appointed to visit Fredericksburg, and consider the advisability of re-erect- 
 ing this monument. The report warmly recommended an appropriation for that pur- 
 pose ; and, though meeting with no opposition, it was lost in the inscrutable mazes of 
 legislation. The sooner this pious duty is discharged to the mother, the more evident will 
 be the nation's gratitude to her illustrious son. The desire to find a counterpart of the 
 features of Mary Washington is very natural, the world never fully measuring a great man's 
 greatness until it has become acquainted with his mother. Our knowledge of Mrs. 
 Washington only outlines a character of truth and strength. Lafayette, after visiting her, 
 said he never felt such veneration for man or woman. Washington, even in the very 
 zenith of his glory, delighted to bow with childlike obedience to her slightest command. 
 In the glimpses of their happy association given to the public, one of the most dis- 
 tinguishing traits of his character was conspicuous, which was reverence, — reverence for 
 his mother, reverence for the rights of man, reverence for civil authority, reverence for 
 all the institutions of justice, and a sublime reverence for truth. 
 
WASHINGTON MONUMENT. 
 
 BALTIMORE, MD. 
 
 HE State of Maryland erected the first monumental column to the Father 
 of his Country. In 1809 certain patriotic citizens of Baltimore met, and 
 resolved that a monument should be raised to Washington. It was deter- 
 mined that an elegant column should express to posterity the sentiments of 
 the people of that State, and that the special event commemorated should be the last 
 act of the commander's great career, — the resignation of his commission at Annapolis, 
 
 To collect means for this work, John Comegys, James A. Buchanan, and David Win- 
 chester obtained permission from the Legislature to raise a hundred thousand dollars by 
 lottery. The enterprise progressed rapidly and with 'enthusiasm. Designs were submitted, 
 and the one selected by a board of managers was from Robert Mills, the well-known 
 architect of Charleston, S.C. His drawing was a Doric column of majestic proportions 
 arising from a grand square base. The chaste Doric capital was surmounted by a circular 
 pedestal, on which was a colossal statue of Washington. The base was fifty feet square, 
 and twenty-five feet in height, and the column twenty feet in diameter at its base, with 
 an altitude of one hundred and eighty feet, upon which was placed the statue, measuring 
 sixteen feet. 
 
 July 4, 1815, the thirty-ninth anniversary of the declaration of American Independ- 
 ence, and six years after the inauguration, in Baltimore, of the movement to erect a Wash- 
 ington monument, was the day selected for the laying of the corner-stone. Perhaps no 
 event since the solemn obsequies of Washington had produced such a profound sensation 
 in that part of the country as the laying of the corner-stone of the first monumental 
 column to his memory. Its erection, with that of the "Battle Monument" a few years 
 later, won for the devoted metropolis the well-established sobriquet of " The Monu- 
 mental City." 
 
 The site first determined upon was the spot where the " Battle Monument "was after- 
 wards placed. The veteran Col. John Eager Howard, who resided in the suburbs of the 
 city, gave an elevated location in his park, which the managers accepted, glad to secure 
 
 the association of their great monument with the hero of Cowpens. 
 
 198 
 
* 
 
 Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 199 
 
 The corner-stone was laid in the presence of an enthusiastic crowd of thirty thou- 
 sand. The entire official, civic, and military population, not only of Baltimore, but of 
 the State, united in making the occasion one to be remembered as long as the city shall 
 exist. The Masonic fraternity took conspicuous part ; and the president and members of 
 the Order of the Cincinnati of Maryland were present. A portrait of Washington, by 
 Rembrandt Peale (the one afterwards purchased by the United-States Government, and 
 now at the Capitol), was placed in an elevated position, that it might be distinctly seen. 
 Below the portrait was a drawing of the completed monument as designed by Mr. Mills. 
 These pictures were draped with elegant banners and flags ; and beneath them were 
 rifles, drums, and cannon captured in the wars of the Revolution and of 1812. 
 
 A salute of thirty-nine guns, indicative of the number of years of the life of the 
 republic, followed by martial music, introduced the ceremonials of the day. A short address 
 was made by Mr. James A. Buchanan, president of the board of managers, who, in referring 
 to the many expressions of veneration given to Washington in Baltimore, carefully related 
 the proceedings of the corporation on the occasion of his Excellency's passing through the 
 city, en route for Mount Vernon, March 11, 1797, after his retirement from public life. 
 Following the address of Mr. Buchanan, an "invocation" was made by the Right Rev. 
 Bishop Kemp. The president and managers then descended to where the stone was 
 suspended, and invited his Excellency Levi Winder, R. W. G. M., Col. John Eager Howard, 
 president, and Gen. Samuel Smith, vice-president, of the Cincinnati, and Mayor Edward 
 Johnson, to assist in laying the stone. The president of the board presented the Grand 
 Master with the square, the plumb, and the level ; requesting that officer to ascertain and 
 report the fitness of the stone. The master took the implements, and proclaimed the stone 
 " true and trusty." The secretary of the board then placed upon it a copper plate, and 
 a sealed glass bottle containing a likeness of Washington, his " Farewell Address," several 
 Baltimore papers, and a series of United-States coin up to date. On one side of the stone 
 were cut three names, "William Steuart and Thomas Tomson, stone cutters — Sater Steven- 
 son, stone mason." On the plate was engraved : — 
 
 On the 4th of July, A.D. 1815, 
 was laid this 
 Foundation stone 
 of a 
 Monument 
 to be erected to the 
 memory 
 of 
 
 George Washington. 
 
2QO 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 The reverse of the plate contained twenty-six names, comprising the directors, secretary, 
 architect, and the mayor of the city. Below the names was this line : " The site was 
 presented by Colonel John Eager Howard." 
 
 Four gentlemen — the president of the board, the president and vice-president of the 
 Cincinnati, and R. W. Grand Master — then proceeded to insert and settle the stone. 
 After a prayer by the Grand Master, he received from the president of the board three 
 vessels containing corn, oil, and wine, and said, — 
 
 " Sir, as the scattering of corn, the pouring-out of wine and oil, are a part of our ancient 
 ceremonial, with your assent I will perform that duty." 
 
 Having received permission, he scattered the corn, and poured the wine and oil, 
 saying, — 
 
 " May the all-bountiful Author of nature bless this city with an abundance of corn, wine, and oil, 
 and with all the necessaries and conveniences of life ! And may the same Almighty Power preserve 
 this city from ruin and decay to the latest posterity ! " 
 
 The formula prescribed for such occasions by the ritual was solemnly recited, conclud- 
 ing the grand Masonic ceremony. Mr. Buchanan then addressed the architect, and formally 
 placed in his hands the authority to proceed with the work, giving him also the symbolic 
 square, plumb, and level, and enjoining him to faithfully erect a monument in accordance 
 with the design accepted ; which trust Mr. Mills thus publicly received, and promised to 
 honor. A prayer by Rev. Dr. Ingalls was followed by music ; and the exercises were 
 concluded by a salute of a hundred guns, and three volleys fired by the whole line of 
 infantry. 
 
 An eye-witness of the event says, with a quaintness worthy of repetition, — 
 
 " The evening sky was beautifully bespangled by rockets thrown from the Java frigate and from 
 the mansion of Col. Howard in the park. They rose in a brilliant line of fire, and, forming a graceful 
 arch, broke into stars as they descended. Divine Providence seemed to smile on the occasion : the 
 air was delightfully cool, and the firmament serene. The evening silence and tranquillity that closed 
 the joyful turbulence of the day formed a striking contrast, and seemed to display that sobriety of 
 pleasure which the solemnities of the occasion demanded." ■ 
 
 Mr. Mills prosecuted the work with zeal, and at the close of the second year the 
 foundation and the sub-foundation were finished. The column went steadily up, allowing 
 only time for the structure to firmly settle ; and when the capital was completed, the 
 plummet indicated that the deviation from line was not the eighth of an inch. In 1824 
 the scaffolding was removed, in compliment to Lafayette, who visited Baltimore. During 
 the interval of the next two years the marble terraces and marble steps to the four 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 201 
 
 entrances of the base were made. Two hundred and twenty steps were built inside of the 
 column, around a central column of solid brick masonry, by which circling way the summit 
 is attained. The interior work is of brick, with an outer layer of thick blocks of marble. 
 The marble, stone, and all other materials were found within twelve miles of Baltimore, 
 — a fact that was received with decided satisfaction. 
 
 The architect, in 1827, invited a competitive display of models for the statue; and 
 the commission was given to Andre Causici, a sculptor from Verona, then engaged on 
 historic relievos for the Capitol at Washington. A block of white marble seventeen feet 
 long, of the required proportions, and, as was proven in the cutting, of beautiful quality, 
 was presented to the board. The circumstance of the finding of this marble a few miles 
 from the city, in an open field, near the quarries of Mrs. Taylor, caused a great deal of 
 surprise, and was considered of happy significance. In commenting upon a report relating 
 to the marble in that region, it was said of this block, "It was found solitary and alone, 
 as if waiting for the honors to be conferred upon it." Causici worked for two years without 
 intermission upon the statue, following the accepted model by Houdon, and developing 
 the design of Mr. Mills, — to present Washington in military garb, and in the act of ten- 
 dering his resignation to the president of Congress. The artist, though trammelled by 
 the conception of another, created a majestic, graceful, and impressive statue, — a work 
 altogether acceptable. In truth, no statue of Washington has called forth less adverse 
 criticism. With true art instinct, Causici learned to love the responsive marble that had 
 grown to life-semblance under his chisel ; and he became very nervous as to the possi- 
 bility of ever safely raising it to the dazzling height, and securely placing it upon the 
 square of four feet awaiting its reception. His mind became so imbued with the dread, 
 that, during the last few months of his labor, he was often heard to exclaim in rapid 
 succession, "One hundred and sixty feet high! One hundred and sixty feet high!" Mr. 
 Mills had no want of faith in his own calculations, and calmly committed the placing of 
 the statue into the competent hands of Capt. John D. Woodside, whose success in the 
 Herculean task was not only a relief to the anxiety of the Italian artist, but also to the 
 public mind, which was becoming quite exercised upon the matter. The architect was 
 earnestly enjoined to spare no expense in machinery, and on one occasion jocosely said 
 to a friend that he hoped to convince him that he would "at least take no risks by 
 being too economical, as his bill for new cordage was one thousand dollars." The whole 
 cost of raising the statue was three thousand dollars. 
 
 On Nov. 25, 1829, Mr. Mills published an invitation, couched in glowing, patriotic 
 phrase, to the authorities and citizens generally, to be present in Howard Park at twelve 
 o'clock, to witness the final elevation of the statue of Washington to the summit of the 
 column. On the fine autumnal morning a large crowd convened long before the appointed 
 
202 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 hour. They watched in anxious silence the steady, sloth-like ascent of the immense mass 
 of marble. Section after section was safely hoisted and securely fastened ; and when at 
 last the entire statue stood revealed — a grand figure, a life-thought — before the eyes of 
 this " cloud of witnesses," their enthusiasm broke forth in loud shouts, while tears coursed 
 down the furrowed cheeks of many a veteran present. 
 
 Clouds which had lowered darkly a few moments before now broke away ; and 
 Washington appeared to the exalted imaginations of the spectators as almost a heavenly 
 vision. To add to the intense feeling of the hour, a star appeared, sending its rays earth- 
 ward — a mid-day greeting ; and at the same moment, it is testified by many persons, an 
 immense gray eagle encircled the statue with a screaming salute ; while music and the 
 boom of cannon proclaimed aloud that the ordeal was passed, and the Baltimore Monument 
 was crowned with the statue of Washington. 
 
 The figure faces south ; and the criticisms passed upon it at the time were, almost 
 without exception, eulogies. One writer said, — 
 
 "The great desideratum in statuary has been at length effected in the model of this great 
 work, executed by Causici ; namely, to retain the modern costume, and not offend the classic eye. 
 The model before us does this in an eminent degree ; and it is now sincerely to be hoped that we 
 shall hereafter never have occasion to clothe statues of our great men in the Roman garb or Grecian 
 robe, which estranges them completely to our eyes. . . . The tout-ensemble of the figure is all that we 
 could wish, and creates a confidence that posterity will award us praise for a departure from the estab- 
 lished forms and prejudices of the old school, and daring to think for ourselves in matters of taste 
 in the fine arts, as well as in matters of mild government and in politics. The fine expression and 
 benignity in the face of this figure, the graceful, modest manner of presenting the parchment-scroll 
 containing the commission, and the noble mien of the whole person, strike the beholder with surprise 
 and pleasure; and the whole character of the man seems developed before him." 
 
 There was yet much work to be done in the details of ornamentation, which was full 
 of character and national meaning. A broad frieze, running under the cornice around the 
 exterior wall of the grand base, was to receive a series of civic wreaths encircling the 
 names of the States then forming the Union ; and above each doorway was to be placed 
 a large tablet inscribed, in bronze letters, — 
 
 "To George Washington, by the State of Maryland." 
 
 The lower terrace of marble slabs, the granite footways, and the marble plinth for the 
 iron railing, were completed in 1835. In the succeeding year the circular iron fence — 
 composed of shields, fascial columns, and spears — enclosing the whole was finished. The 
 bronze inscriptions on the four facades of the ground base give the dates of the chief 
 events of Washington's life: — 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 203 
 
 Soitth. 
 
 "Born 22 nd February 1732. Died 14 th December 1799." 
 "Commander-in-chief of the American Army, June 25 th 1775. 
 
 East. 
 
 Resigned his Commission at Annapolis, December 23 rd 1783." 
 North. — "Trenton, 25 th December, 1776 — Yorktown 19 th October, 1781." 
 West. — "President of the United States, 1789. 
 
 Returned to Mount Vernon, 4 th March, 1797." 
 
 The plat of ground, in the centre of which the monument stands, is two hundred feet 
 square, and is divided by four broad gravelled walks running up a gentle slope. The 
 spot, which is known as " Mount Vernon Place," is surrounded by very handsome residences ; 
 and the Peabody Institute is diagonally across from the monument. The entire work 
 is altogether more satisfactory and of greater elegance than will probably be erected in 
 another city for generations ; and the people of Maryland can never realize greater pleasure 
 and pride through the expenditure of two hundred thousand dollars. 
 
 The books of the custodian show that the fine view from the summit of the monument 
 (nearly three hundred feet above tide-water) is annually enjoyed by thousands of visitors. 
 The scenery embraces land and water, the busy streets and by-ways of the metropolis, 
 belts of heavy woodland miles away, the broad Chesapeake covered with the white sails 
 of commerce, and wreaths of circling smoke, which indicate the great avenues of inland 
 trade ; but the most notable spot discerned from this elevation is Fort McHenry, associated 
 in the American mind with our national anthem, — • 
 
 " The Star-spangled Banner!' 
 
WASHINGTON MONUMENT. 
 
 ORDER OF THE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI. 
 
 N July 4, 1810, the order of the Society of the Cincinnati, State of Penn- 
 sylvania, inaugurated a movement to collect within their membership a sum 
 sufficient to raise a handsome equestrian monument to their first President. 
 The sum could only be gradually gathered from so limited a number : so it 
 was placed in hands of trustees appointed by the society, and in i860 had reached 
 forty-five thousand dollars. Several years ago a sufficient amount was declared to justify 
 negotiations for a work, that, when completed, would cost two hundred thousand dollars. 
 To the German sculptor Siemering of Berlin the commission was given ; his model hav- 
 ing not only been approved by the trustees, but received encomiums from art critics. A 
 resolution allowing its free, entry was secured. It is to be completed within eight years, 
 and placed in Fairmount Park. 
 
 The following is an accurate description of model : — 
 
 On the four corners of the foundation are four figures, symbolizing four rivers of 
 the United States, — 
 
 The Mississippi Bear and buffalo. 
 
 Hudson ......... Doe and stag. 
 
 Potomac . . . . . . . . Cow and horse. 
 
 Ohio . . . . . . . . . Panther and black bear. 
 
 Out of the centre of this foundation arises the pedestal, in the form of a quadrangle, 
 to the narrow sides of which are attached semicircles. Over this hollow circle is Wash- 
 ington mounted on a powerful horse. In his left hand he holds the reins ; in his right, 
 a field-glass. Behind is a female figure representing the Colonies at the outbreak of the 
 war. Aroused by the cry of war, she awakes her slumbering sons. At her left, one of 
 them offers her his sword, whilst with the other hand he grasps the sheath. She is in 
 the act of arousing the son on her right. In front, a woman, representing the liberated 
 Union, sits majestically, with a Phrygian cap and long waving hair, clad in a cloak hang- 
 ing far down from her shoulders, and a magnificent dress sustained by a costly girdle. 
 204 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 205 
 
 In her left hand she upholds the trident, whilst her right arm embraces the overflowing 
 horn. Under her feet are the broken chains. Two young heroes kneel beside her. One 
 offers her the conquered flags ; the other, a wreath, whilst he presses to his heart the 
 star-spangled banner. The connection between the two groups is formed by two eleva- 
 tions (relief) along the length of the pedestal. On one side is the train of the American 
 army, surmounted by flags and moving figures of cavalry leaders and generals. On the 
 other side is represented the movement of emigrants and others toward the Great West. 
 In front of the foundation is an eagle bearing the coat-of-arms of the Union ; at the 
 back, the coat-of-arms of Pennsylvania. The whole on a raised platform, reached by 
 thirteen steps on the four sides. The statue and other figures to be in bronze, the 
 pedestal and steps in granite. 
 
WASHINGTON AND LAFAYETTE MONUMENT. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 N the 19th of March, 1838, was incorporated "The Monument Cemetery" in 
 what was then suburban Philadelphia. It received its name from the inten- 
 tion of the company to erect on a high central spot a joint memorial to 
 the "Father of his Country" and his devoted compeer Lafayette. 
 The monument was designed by the celebrated engraver, John Sartain, who also 
 executed the models for the medallions of the heads of Washington and Lafayette, and 
 wrote the inscriptions. It was commenced in 1858, and completed and dedicated on 
 Saturday, May 29, 1869. Made entirely of granite, with bronze decorations, it presents 
 an interesting though complicated symbolic study, and embodies in marble immortality 
 no less than five facts ; and the ingenious artist has singularly combined grace in form 
 with historic record. This elaborate monument, so full of thought and suggestion, is 
 seldom shown to strangers in the city of William Penn, though to see it is well worth 
 the slight effort. 
 
 The design is an obelisk (not in the original sense, as it is composed of many 
 blocks), and surmounts a pedestal, making a combined height of eighty-five feet. The 
 obelisk is fifty-six feet high, — exactly the altitude of Cleopatra's Needle, — in number of 
 feet corresponding to the number of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The 
 sub-shaft upon which it is placed is ornamented with deeply-cut vertical grooves, below 
 which, on the four sides, are thirteen steps, in remembrance of the sturdy old Colonies ; 
 while the grooves — eight on either side — indicate the thirty-two States of the Union at 
 the time the monument was constructed. The age of Washington is told by the distance 
 from the pedestal to the apex, which is sixty-seven feet ten inches ; i.e., sixty-seven years 
 and ten months. The surface measure of the pedestal is seventy-seven square yards and 
 'eight-twelfths; i.e., seventy-seven years and eight months, — the age of Lafayette. Clus- 
 ters of rods bound together with a fillet, the classic emblem of strength in union, encircle 
 the base of the obelisk. At each corner is a funeral urn, below which is an eagle's head 
 
 in bold relief, bearing a wreath of laurel. On the south side is a medallion, with a pro- 
 
 206 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 207 
 
 file head of Washington of heroic size ; and on the north side, in similar style, is the 
 head of Lafayette. The inscriptions are as follows : — 
 
 \South.~\ 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 First in war, First in peace, 
 and 
 
 . First in the hearts of his countrymen. 
 As a warrior 
 He served refusing pay 
 and led in the achievement of our Independence. 
 As a statesman and lawgiver 
 His guiding wisdom assisted in framing the 
 
 fundamental law. 
 As first President of the United States 
 He governed with firmness and moderation. 
 
 as a patriot 
 he bequeathed 
 his bright example 
 and earnest counsel 
 an immortal legacy 
 to his country. 
 
 Bas-relief. 
 [HEAD OF WASHINGTON.] 
 
 AS A MAN 
 HIS CHARACTER 
 STOOD SUPREME 
 
 DM ITS 
 GRAND EQUIPOISE 
 OF NOBLEST QUALITIES. 
 
 Modest as great — Prudent as brave 
 He gave the best years of his life to the public weal, 
 and died in voluntary retirement 
 The brightest star in the constellation 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Great men of all time. 
 
 {Norths 
 Gilbert Motier de Lafayette 
 Benefactor 
 Of two hemispheres. 
 Born a Noble of France 
 he served a citizen soldier of American liberty. 
 The cherished friend of Washington 
 by whose side he fought 
 and bled 
 in defence of a great principle 
 that the only legitimate government 
 is that which derives its authority from the governed. 
 
208 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 A PATRIOT 
 FEARLESS AND FIRM 
 IN 
 
 DAYS OF TERROR. 
 
 Bas-relief. 
 [HEAD OF LAFAYETTE.] 
 
 The constant supporter of constitutional freedom. 
 Like Washington 
 he died in voluntary retirement 
 leaving a name that belongs to history, 
 the lesson of his life to future generations, 
 his most revered memory 
 to 
 
 every American. 
 
 A MAN 
 OF UNCHANGING 
 INTEGRITY 
 UNDER CHANGING 
 DYNASTIES. 
 
WASHINGTON NATIONAL MONUMENT. 
 
 HE history of the Washington National Monument is a part of the country's 
 legislation, preserved in her archives, where it is attainable by the humblest 
 citizen. Apart, and yet intertwined with that, is a chronicle of individual 
 enterprise ; and these together present a curious chapter of national action 
 and personal endeavor. 
 
 The progress of the work has necessarily been fitful, swayed by the condition of the 
 country and the humor of the people. At first it advanced so rapidly, in theory, that 
 there were sanguine expectations of its completion before the expiration of Washington's 
 second presidential term. Houdon was induced to believe that the commission would be 
 given to him ; and, later, Ceracchi had equally good reason to expect the same. Then 
 nothing was done, and very little said, about the monument for years. In this way, almost a 
 century has elapsed since its conception, — a delay not seriously to be regretted, as it is 
 now full early in the existence of this republic to erect a satisfactory memorial to its 
 founder. Reference has several times been made to the initiative action of the Govern- 
 ment in regard to a Washington monument embodied in the resolution which unanimously 
 passed the Continental Congress Aug. 7, 1783: "That an equestrian statue of Washing- 
 ton should be erected at the place where Congress shall be established." It was also 
 determined that it should "be of bronze, and placed upon a marble pedestal, on which 
 should be represented four of the principal events of the war in which he commanded in 
 person." The following inscription was adopted : — 
 
 "The United States, in Congress assembled, ordered this statue to be erected, in the year of 
 our Lord 1783, in honor of George Washington, commander-in-chief of the armies of the United 
 States of America, during the war which vindicated and secured their liberty, sovereignty, and 
 independence." 
 
 After the adoption of this resolution, both Houdon and Ceracchi were approached in 
 respect to the work ; and Joseph Wright advanced so far as to make a bust from a life- 
 cast. A site was selected, and approved by the President ; but it only progressed theo- 
 retically during, the life of Washington. 
 
 209 
 
2 IO 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Dec. 24, 1799, Congress, when taking action upon the death of Washington, adopted 
 a second resolution, which differed from the first, and may be claimed to define more 
 clearly the wishes of the nation in regard to an adequate memorial. This resolution, 
 passed on the last Christmas Eve of the century, was thus worded: — 
 
 "That a marble monument be erected by the United States at the city of Washington, and 
 
 that the family of Gen. Washington be requested to permit his body to be deposited under it, and that 
 
 the monument be so designed as to commemorate the great events of his military and political life." 
 • 
 
 This permission was granted by his widow, though with unconcealed reluctance ; but, 
 Congress being dilatory in its subsequent action, the plan was not carried into effect. A 
 second application, on the centennial anniversary of his birth, Feb. 22, 1832,' to have the 
 body removed to a vaulted chamber prepared for it in the crypt of the Capitol, was 
 refused by the executors of his will. 
 
 It will be seen that the Government had under consideration two memorials to 
 Washington, — an equestrian statue of a military character, and a monument recording 
 the career of the General, the President, and the Citizen. 
 
 May 8, 1800, a special committee upon Washington monuments was appointed by the 
 House of Representatives, which made a report advising the immediate execution of the 
 resolution passed in 1783, in regard to the equestrian statue; approving, also, of the more 
 comprehensive monument. The President was directed to carry out this order, and the 
 sum of one hundred thousand dollars was mentioned ; but no appropriation was made 
 until January, 1801, when the Lower House voted that two hundred thousand dollars be 
 
 1 This the centennial of Washington's birth was thus officially noted, and the 22d of February has never since 
 that year been allowed to pass unmarked by acts of either public or private veneration for the memory of Washington. 
 
 A very interesting paper upon the observance of Washington's birthday was sent to the Virginia Historical Society 
 on Feb. 22, 1878, by Dr. J. M. Toner, the closing part of which, by permission, is here given: — 
 
 "The earliest reference I have met with as to a celebration of the birthday of Washington was on Feb. II, 1782, in Virginia, 
 by some of his persona! friends, when the general had attained his fiftieth year. The Revolutionary struggle was at the time still 
 undecided. A brief record is made in the Virginia Gazette of Feb. 15, 1783, of a public meeting in Richmond, as follows: — 
 
 "'Richmond, Feb. 15, 1783. — Tuesday last being the birthday of his Excellency Gen. Washington, our illustrious commander- 
 in-chief, the same was commemorated here with the utmost demonstration of joy.' — Virginia Gazette, or The American Advertiser, 
 Feb. 15, 1783. 
 
 "In Maryland, Feb. II, 1783, a public celebration of Washington's birthday took place at the court-house in Talbot County, 
 a complete record of which has fortunately been preserved, which I quote in full. 
 
 " From the Remembrancer, or Important Repository of Public Events for the Year 1783, London, part 2, p. 52. 
 "Extract of a letter from Talbot Courthouse, date Feb. 11, 1783 : — 
 
 " ' This being the first year that the birthday of our great and worthy general hath been announced to the public, Henry 
 Hooper, Esq., lieutenant of Dorchester County, Maryland, with a respcctahle body of the truly patriotic officers and gentlemen of the 
 county, assembled at Cambridge to celebrate the auspicious day which gave birth to the great defender of American liberty, where, a 
 public dinner being provided, the company assembled at noon, and after dinner drank the following toasts: — 
 
 " ' 1. Gen. Washington : long may he live, the boasted hero of liberty I 
 
 " ' 2. Congress. 
 
Bttsts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 2 I I 
 
 devoted to this purpose. Strange to say, the Senate failed to indorse this measure, and the 
 matter thus remained for more than a generation. 
 
 The fact that all the congressional resolutions upon a national monument to Wash- 
 ington remained practically "a dead letter" created a great deal of disapproval among his 
 surviving personal friends and companions in arms, who, being heartily tired of the 
 sinuous paths of legislation, determined to make a practical effort in the matter. In 1833 
 a few distinguished citizens of Washington met, and organized a " Washington Monument 
 Society," electing John Marshall president. The venerable chief justice died in a few 
 months after his appointment; and James Madison, Ex- President, was selected to succeed 
 him. Mr. Madison was then more than fourscore, yet that his heart still felt enthusiasm 
 in honoring the name of Washington was evident in his utterances upon his acceptance 
 of the office. When, in after-years, his widow replied to an invitation to witness the 
 laying of the corner-stone, she quoted a portion of this letter of acceptance, which may 
 harmoniously be introduced here. After expressing regret that his extreme age and deli- 
 cate health would render the position no more than "honorary," he wrote: — 
 
 " A monument worthy the memory of Washington, reared by the means proposed, will com- 
 memorate at the same time a virtue, a patriotism, and a gratitude truly national, with which the 
 friends of liberty everywhere will sympathize, and of which our country may always be proud." 
 
 The amount of subscription to the fund was restricted to the sum of one dollar, and 
 at first the progress was slow ; but, after the restriction was removed, the collections soon 
 reached the amount of nearly one hundred thousand dollars. It should not be forgotten 
 
 "'3. Governor and State of Maryland. 
 
 "'4. Louis XVI., the protector of the rights of mankind. 
 
 "'5. Continental army. 
 
 " ' 6. Maryland line. 
 
 " ' 7. May trade and navigation flourish I 
 
 "'8. The seven united provinces, our allies. 
 
 " ' 9. The Count Rochambeau and French army. 
 
 "'10. May the union between the powers in alliance ever continue on the basis of justice and equity! 
 
 "'11. May the friends of freedom prove the sons of virtue 1 
 
 "'12. Conversion to the unnatural sons of America. 
 
 " ' 13. May the union of the American States be perpetuated ! 
 
 '"The evening was spent with the utmost festivity.' 
 
 "The nth of February was celebrated in New York in 1784 with festivity and poem-song, 'God bless America I' The 
 occasion is referred to by William Keltz of the New- York Historical Society as the first public celebration of Washington's birthday, 
 which you will see is an error. . . . 
 
 "Other celebrations took place in New York, the nth of February being selected until 1792, when the 22d was recognized. 
 The nth of February was the day celebrated in the various cities of our country as the birthday of Washington, up to 1791, when 
 in Philadelphia the 22d was observed. The nth was, however, celebrated in Boston as late as 1792: the same was observed in 
 Baltimore, Md., in 1792. In Alexandria, Va., the nth of February was celebrated as late as 1793. After this date the 22d of 
 February seems to have been generally regarded as the birthday of the illustrious George Washington." 
 
2 I 2 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 that it was money which came direct from the people that was used during the first six 
 years in building the National Washington Monument. 
 
 Congress passed a resolution Jan. 31, 1848, authorizing the "Washington Monument 
 Society" "to erect a monument to the memory of George Washington upon such portion 
 of the public ground or reservation in the city of Washington, not otherwise occupied, as 
 shall be selected by the President of the United States and the board of managers of 
 said society on which to erect said monument, and for the necessary protection thereof." 
 The; society, in an address to the public generally, and to the many associations formed 
 throughout the country to aid the work, detailed the considerations which led to the 
 selection of the site, as follows : — 
 
 " The site selected presents a beautiful view of the Potomac ; is so elevated, that the monument 
 y.'ill be seen from all parts of the surrounding country ; and, being a public reservation, it is safe 
 from all future destruction of view. It is so near the river, that material for constructing the monu- 
 ment can be conveyed to it from the river with but little expense. 
 
 " In addition to this and kindred reasons, the adoption of the site was further and impressively 
 recommended by the consideration that the monument to be erected on it would be in full view of 
 Mount Vernon, where rest the ashes of the chief, and by the evidence that Washington himself, 
 who with unerring judgment had selected this site to be the capital of the nation, had also selected 
 this very spot for a ' Monument to the American Revolution,' which in the year 1795 was proposed 
 ' should be erected or placed at the permanent seat of government of the United States.' This 
 monument was to have been erected by Ceracchi the Roman sculptor, and paid for by the contri- 
 butions of individuals. The same site is marked on Major L'Enfant's map of Washington City as 
 the site for the Equestrian Monument of Gen. Washington ordered by Congress in 1783 ; which map 
 was examined, approved, and submitted to Congress by him when President of the United States." 
 
 Though this site has been abundantly objected to, it is doubtful if a more fitting spot 
 could have been selected. The area, then consisting of thirty-five acres, and now enlarged 
 to forty-five, is called " Monument Place." The surroundings are such, that, under the 
 management of a tasteful landscape-gardener, one of the most exquisite pictures on the 
 continent may be developed. 
 
 After the organization of the " Washington Monument Society," the board of managers 
 submitted a design ; 1 and the execution of the gigantic work was placed in the hands of 
 
 1 A lithograph of this design was shortly afterwards issued, with this inscription : — 
 
 The Washington National Monument 
 The loftiest Monument on Earth to a 
 Nation's Greatest Benefactor. 
 Earnestly Recommended to the Favor of Our ♦ 
 Countrymen. 
 
 F. Pierce, J. Q. Adams, Z. Taylor, J. K. Polk, Albert Gallatin, Millard Fillmore, H. Clay, Daniel Webster. 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 213 
 
 Mr. Robert Mills, the successful architect of the Baltimore Monument. Under his engi- 
 neering, the site was soon prepared for the foundation-stone. This was a superb block 
 of Maryland marble, weighing twenty-four hundred pounds, and was taken from the quarry 
 of Mr. Thomas Symonton, near Baltimore, who generously presented it for this purpose. 
 The excavation and cover for the stone were gratuitously made by Messrs. Dougherty and 
 Berry of Washington. The cavity was carefully lined with zinc, and the stone beautifully 
 dressed by the same artisans. In this cavity were deposited nearly one hundred articles 
 of more or less value, which were selected from numerous contributions. These will prove 
 a rich treat for Macaulay's mythical New-Zealander, for in them is comprehended a com- 
 plete register of our civilization. There were portraits of Washington (engravings, and 
 daguerrotypes from paintings), his family coat-of-arms, seals, medals, and all the coins 
 of the United . States, from the Washington cent . (issued in England in 1783) up to 
 date, Continental money and bank-notes of various denominations, a description of the 
 magnetic telegraph, with Bibles, maps, almanacs, guides, surveys, reports, histories, poems, 
 autograph letters, government archives, the design of the monument, a banner, and a 
 number of newspapers, including the day's issue, also a variety of Masonic publica- 
 tions, etc. 
 
 < 
 
 When the cavity was being hewn out, the chips of marble were coveted as relics ; 
 and the board of managers ordered square bits of this marble to be polished and inscribed, 
 as souvenirs, to be presented to the State delegations, and deposited in the library or 
 museum of each State or Territory. The label on these mementos was : — 
 
 " To the State of this piece of the corner-stone of the Washington National Monument, 
 
 laid July 4, 1848, is presented by the board of managers." 
 
 The copper-plate on the foundation-stone was engraved in handsome style, and pre- 
 sented by Mr. D. O. Hare. This inscription was adopted : — 
 
 July 4 th 1776. 
 Declaration of Independence of the United States of 
 America. 
 July 4 th 1848. 
 This corner-stone laid of a monument by the people of 
 The United States to the memory of George Washington. 
 James "K. Polk, President of the United States, and, ex officio, President of the Society. 
 William Brent, First Vice-President. 
 
 William W. Seaton, Mayor of Washington, and, ex officio, second Vice-President. 
 Gen. A. Henderson, Third Vice-President: 
 
 J. B. H. Smith, Treasurer. George Watterson, Secretary. 
 
214 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Board of Managers. 
 Major-Gen. Winfield Scott Peter Force 
 
 Gen. N. Towson 
 Col. J. J. Abert 
 Col. J. Kearney 
 Gen. Walter Jones 
 Thomas Carbery 
 
 W m A. Bradley 
 P. R. Fendall 
 Thomas Munro 
 Walter Lenox 
 M. F. Maury 
 Thomas Blagden. 
 Elisha Whittlesey, General Agent. 
 
 Thomas Carbery 
 William Bradley 
 
 Building Committee. 
 
 George Watterson 
 Col. J. J. Abert. 
 
 Committee of Arrangements. 
 
 Gen. A. Henderson Walter Lenox 
 
 Lieut. M. F. Maury. 
 Joseph A. Bradley, Chief Marshal. 
 Robert Mills, Architect. 
 
 The country was now interested and excited over the laying of the corner-stone of 
 the great monument. It was at first determined that the ceremony should take place on 
 the 22d of February, 1848 ; but it was postponed until July 4 of the same year. Depu- 
 tations were sent from societies formed in the different States ; and the nation with one 
 voice determined to mark the event with every possible consideration. 
 
 The orator first selected was " the old man eloquent," John Ouincy Adams ; but his 
 death occurred in the interim ; and the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, speaker of the House 
 of Representatives, was chosen to deliver an address. Invitations were sent throughout 
 the Union, requesting that the States be represented by delegations, " with banners and 
 other insignia." In addition to the invitations which were sent to the chief civil and 
 military officials, this compliment was extended to ex-presidents and other distinguished 
 persons, among whom were Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Lewis Cass, G. W. P. 
 Custis, and others. Three ladies, widows of eminent statesmen who were conspicuous in 
 the first act of the great American drama, were also cordially solicited to be present on 
 the auspicious day. They were Elizabeth Hamilton, Dorothea Payne Madison, and Louisa 
 Francis Adams. Their invitations and replies were all published in " The Baltimore Sun " 
 of that day's issue, and a copy of the paper was deposited in the corner-stone. 
 
 Of these three elegant women, whom history will rank with the grand dames of the 
 Old World, only Mrs. Hamilton was present. The recent affliction of Mrs. Adams, and 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 2 1 5 
 
 her delicate health, debarred her from the gratification of attending. Mrs. Madison grace- 
 fully accepted, but was unable to attend. The venerable widow of Alexander Hamilton 
 said in her note of acceptance, — 
 
 " The ceremony in which I am invited to participate calls back recollections so deeply interesting 
 to me, from my early and intimate association with the illustrious man to whom this tribute of a 
 nation's gratitude is so justly due, that I cannot deny myself the great gratification of witnessing it." 
 
 She was then in her ninety-first year ; and the eyes of the multitude sought eagerly 
 for a glimpse of her stately form, which had refused to bow before age, as her courageous 
 heart had not yielded in early life to affliction. In the carriage with her were her daugh- 
 ter (Mrs. Holly), Gen. Walter Jones, and George Washington Parke Custis. Mr. Custis 
 wore the sword which Washington had borne at Cambridge and Charlestown Heights, on 
 the hilt of which was inscribed " 1775." This sword (with several others to his nephews) 
 was bequeathed to his adopted son by the general, with this injunction : " not to unsheath 
 them for the purpose of shedding blood, except it be for self-defence, or in defence of 
 their country and its rights ; and in the latter case to keep them unsheathed, and prefer 
 falling with them in their hands to the relinquishment thereof." 
 
 Extensive preparations were made for the accommodation of visitors ; and Mr. Petti- 
 bone generously superintended the arrangement of tents, seats, and booths in the area 
 surrounding the site for the day's ceremony. For nearly a week, guests had arrived at 
 the capital from all parts of the Union. The day, which had been dreaded on account 
 of anticipated heat, was breezy and pleasant. 
 
 The procession formed on Pennsylvania Avenue, and was chiefly military. The post 
 of honor was given to a few of the surviving soldiers who had shared in the struggle 
 for independence; then came the veterans of 1812; and .following them were hundreds 
 of those whose services in the Mexican War had just ended. At the head of the proces- 
 sion were the President and his cabinet, who were followed by sixty different bodies, 
 associations, and societies, — a magnificent display of civil and military deputations, — lodges 
 of Masons, Odd-Fellows, and Sons of Temperance ; fire-companies ; State delegations ; 
 members of the diplomatic corps ; chiefs of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, and Sawbridge 
 Indians ; and an immense number of citizens ; the whole forming the grandest procession 
 which had then been seen on this continent. The last in the line were the officers and 
 members of " The Washington Monument Society," to whose efforts this splendid ovation 
 was mainly due. During the progress of the cortege, which was an hour passing a given 
 point, salutes were fired, the church-bells were tolled, and all flags were displayed at half- 
 mast. The scene was impressive, and well illustrated the sentiments of veneration called 
 forth by the memory of the man whom the nation " delighted to honor." Triumphal arches 
 
Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 decorated with flowers and mottoes spanned the avenue and the entrance to " Monument 
 Place." On the last arch was placed a living eagle forty years of age, — the same bird 
 which had welcomed Lafayette to Alexandria almost a quarter of a century before. After 
 the day's ceremony, it was presented to Monsieur Vattemare as a contribution to the 
 National Museum at Paris. 
 
 The exercises began with a prayer by the Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of 
 Maryland, followed by an address by the speaker of the House. Though much had been 
 anticipated from Mr. Winthrop's ability, and well-known enthusiasm for the character of 
 Washington, it is probable that the eloquent orator never did fuller justice to his native 
 gifts, his scholarship, or his heart, than in this effort. He doubtless realized that such an 
 opportunity did not often occur in the career of a public man. "The National Monument 
 Society" issued an edition of this chaste oration, a paragraph of which is here quoted: — 
 
 "Just honor to Washington can only be rendered by observing his precepts, and following his 
 example. Similitudine decoremus. He has built his own monument, and those who come after us in 
 successive generations are its appointed and privileged guardians. This wide-spread republic is the 
 true monument to Washington. Maintain its Independence. Uphold its Constitution. Preserve its 
 Union. Defend its Liberty. Let it stand before the world in all its original strength and beauty, 
 securing peace, order, equality, and freedom to all within its boundaries, and shedding light and hope 
 throughout the world. Washington needs no other monument. Other structures may fitly testify 
 our veneration for him : this alone can adequately illustrate his services to mankind. Nor does he 
 need even this. The republic may perish. The wide arch of our grand Union may fall ; star by 
 star of its glories may expire ; stone after stone its columns and its Capitol may moulder and crum- 
 ble ; all other names which adorn its annals may be forgotten : but as long as human hearts shall any- 
 where pant, or human tongues shall anywhere plead, for a true, rational, constitutional liberty, those 
 hearts shall enshrine the memory, and those tongues shall prolong the fame, of Geo7'ge Washington" 
 
 The Masonic address, next in order, was delivered by Grand Master Benjamin B. 
 French, and was a brief but fervent and finished eulogy upon Washington as a Mason. 
 The ceremony of the consecration of the stone by corn, wine, and oil, was then observed, 
 with the impressive Masonic ritual, — a ceremony in which Washington had taken part 
 nearly fifty-five years previous, in laying the corner-stone of the national Capitol, Sept. 18, 
 1793. After the blessing and grand Masonic honors, the symbolic tools — the square, the 
 plumb, and the level — were solemnly delivered to Robert Mills, the architect. 
 
 The multitude received a benediction, and then slowly dispersed. A brilliant display 
 of fireworks at Monument Place, the Navy Yard, and the Arsenal, was a fitting termina- 
 tion to the Fourth of July, 1848. Circles, stars, banners, mottoes, and various significant 
 devices, blazed in the air ; but that which aroused the wildest shout of enthusiasm was 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 the last piece, which presented a design of the monument, fort)' feet in height, across 
 which, in glowing flames of a contrasting color, flashed the name of Washington. 
 
 During the six ensuing years the work on the monument progressed rapidly. In 
 1854 the funds of the society, amounting to two hundred and thirty thousand dollars, 
 had been expended ; and, their efforts to collect additional means not proving effective, 
 they appealed to Congress for a sufficient appropriation to complete the work. This 
 application was eloquently presented before the House of Representatives by Mr. May of 
 Maryland, Feb. 22, 1855 ; and the two hundred thousand dollars voted more than half a 
 century previous was again appropriated by the House : again (through an unfortunate 
 schism or rivalry which had arisen in relation to the management) the Senate did not 
 concur in the action of the House. 
 
 Meantime an equestrian statue answering the chief demands of the resolution of 1783 
 had been erected by the Government, and placed in " Washington Circle." A change of 
 plan in conducting the management of the monument having been deemed advisable, 
 Congress, Feb. 22, 1859, granted a charter to "The Washington National Monument 
 Society." Both of these societies have done faithful work : and an examination into the 
 accounts shows that their officers have received no salaries, but have freely expended 
 both time and money ; also that the sums donated have been scrupulously devoted to 
 the purpose intended. 
 
 But the disagreements of managers were most disastrous in result, for during thirty- 
 one years only four feet were added to the height of the monument ; and the worst 
 feature in this crisis was the loss of popular faith in the enterprise. The devoted architect 
 had died, and scarcely one of the original projectors survived. Enthusiasm was turned 
 to distrust, praise to jeers ; and the unfinished shaft was dubbed " the nation's disgrace." 
 Every thing was criticised, — the obelisk and pantheon were declared to be inharmonious, 
 the selection of the site a blunder, and the work insecure. Every critic had a est at the 
 expense of the towering column ; every artist had a design which would change it magi- 
 cally to a " thing of beauty." So, for a quarter of a century, the monument was in this 
 crucible of criticism and abuse. No country was probably ever more utterly dissatisfied 
 with a national memorial. 
 
 But another stage in this "strange, eventful history" was reached in a resolution of 
 the House of Representatives, Jan. 13, 1874, "that a committee be appointed to confer 
 with ' The National Monument Society ' upon the practicability of completing the Wash- 
 ington Monument by the approaching centennial year." The adoption of the resolution 
 was eloquently advocated by Messrs. Chipman, McCormick, Ward, Storm, Sener, and 
 S. S. Cox of the House of Representatives ; and a committee was appointed. The com- 
 mittee recommended an appropriation of two hundred thousand dollars, and also advised 
 
218 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 that a thorough examination of the condition of the work should be made under the 
 order of the secretary of war. To Lieut. William L. Marshall of the First Corps of 
 Engineers was assigned this responsible duty. The result of the examination was satis- 
 factory as far as the solidity of the work was concerned, though it was deemed advisable 
 to strengthen the foundation, and to lessen the height of the shaft. It was estimated, 
 that, if the work could be vigorously prosecuted from that date, the monument would 
 be complete by July 4, 1876; and that, on the centennial anniversary of the birth of 
 the republic, the people could dedicate with fitting ceremonial a national tribute to 
 Washington. 
 
 Another delay in the work ensued which it is not easy to understand ; and no visible, 
 or at least rapid, advance was made. There was so much discussion, and so great discon- 
 tent, in regard to the obelisk, that suggestions were made to tear it down, and adopt a 
 more artistic design ; and it was soon evident that it could not be finished by 1876. 
 
 Aug. 2, 1876, the Forty-fourth Congress appointed a "Joint Commission for the 
 completion of the Washington Monument," composed of the former society, officers of 
 the army, and citizens. W. W. Corcoran of Washington, D.C., was made chairman of 
 this commission. 
 
 June 14, 1878, a portion of the money heretofore appropriated was ordered to be 
 used in strengthening the foundation ; which work, under the direction of Col. Thomas 
 Lincoln Casey, U.S.A., was completed in the summer of 1880. " The Washington Evening 
 Star " of Aug. 7 gives the following account : — 
 
 " To-day, about eleven o'clock, the first stone in the work of completing the shaft of the Wash- 
 ington National Monument was laid on the north-east corner of the shaft, and the work will now be 
 rapidly pushed forward. After the foundation had been strengthened by the underpinning, it was 
 found that since the work stopped, in 1854, about three courses of stone on top of the unfinished 
 shaft had, by the action of the elements, scaled somewhat, and the mortar had disintegrated. These 
 courses were therefore ordered by Col. Casey to be taken down, and were lowered to the ground to 
 be used hereafter in the backing. This reduced the height of the marble pile as it stands to a hun- 
 dred and fifty feet. Yesterday several stones were hoisted by the elevator to the top of the shaft ; 
 and Col. Casey, in charge, invited the President and Mrs. Hayes to be present at the laying of the 
 first one to-day. This invitation was accepted by President Hayes ; and about half-past ten o'clock, 
 accompanied by Col. Casey, Capt. Davis, Dr. J. M. Toner, and Dr. J. B. Blake, and several others, 
 the party, entering the east door, took seats in the elevator, and in a short time were at the top of 
 the monument. Here the magnificent view was enjoyed for a few minutes, and the machinery for 
 moving the stone examined, as also the draft of plan for course of stone next to be laid. The 
 President, Col. Casey, Capt. Davis (of the Fourteenth Infantry), and others of the party, in anticipa- 
 tion of the laying of the stone, had some coin marked with their initials, and the day, month, and 
 year, to place under it. For want of time to do the stamping, one or two of them were marked ' 8-7,' 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 2 1 9 
 
 for the number of the month and the clay, suggesting again the vote of the electoral commission. 
 This, however, did not seem to occur to any one until after the stone was set. At a few minutes 
 before eleven o'clock, a bed of mortar having been laid on the corner, the stone was attached to one 
 of the derrick-arms, raised, and moved to its place; but, before it was set, President Hayes stepped 
 forward, and laid his coin in the centre of the cement, Col. Casey, Capt. Davis, and others depositing 
 their coins after him. At fifty-nine minutes past ten the stone — six feet in length, and two feet 
 wide and deep — was set in its place. In strengthening the foundation, the deflection of the shaft — 
 an inch and a half north, and three-eighths of an inch east — was remedied, and the shaft is now 
 plumb. It will probably take a week to lay the first course of stone ; but, after the workmen get 
 familiar with the work, it is expected that they will lay three courses or more per week, and that it 
 will take about four years to finish it. There are at present a hundred and ( thirty-three men 
 employed on the work, forty-two being stone-cutters. Col. Casey is in full charge of this work, 
 Capt. Davis being his assistant ; and Mr. McLaughlin is the general superintendent. They will 
 push the work on as rapidly as possible. 
 
 " In removing the three upper courses of stone, the fine block from the city of Baltimore, 
 marked ' 1850,' was found to be the only stone uninjured, and was left in its place. As it has been 
 determined to hereafter use the other memorial stones by cutting tablets off their lettered faces, to 
 be inserted in niches in the inner wall, the Baltimore stone will thus be highest of the stones used 
 in original form." 
 
 The original design of the monument was a white marble obelisk, seventy feet square 
 
 at the base, forty feet square at the apex, and rising to the height of six hundred and 
 
 ten feet. The grand circular pantheon at the base was to be two hundred and fifty feet 
 
 in diameter, and one hundred feet high. The rotunda surrounding the base was to be 
 
 encircled by thirty massive columns, surmounted by an entablature twenty feet in breadth, 
 
 « 
 
 and finished with a balustrade fifteen feet high. From the centre of the rotunda rose the 
 gigantic obelisk, almost imperceptibly diminishing in diameter to the apex. It was after- 
 wards determined to dispense with the grand pantheon, and to substitute a terrace of 
 seventeen feet elevation, and two hundred feet square. 
 
 The summit of the shaft was to be reached by a square stairway, and at each turn 
 was to be placed a block of marble contributed to the National Washington Monument. 
 These blocks, sent by almost every State in the Union, — by Indian tribes, Masons, Odd- 
 Fellows, Temperance and other societies, schools, individuals, and by foreign governments, 
 — make by far the most magnificent tribute ever offered to the memory of man. Tyrants 
 of old forced their prisoners-of-war to build pyramids, which have perpetuated their 
 names ; cities have borne the names of other conquerors down the stream of time ; gov- 
 ernments have adopted the appellations of heroes ; nations have reared statues, columns, 
 temples, and mausoleums to their great dead : but the World unites in this offering to 
 Washington. 
 
220 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 The determination to retain the original design on the part of those, who, through 
 years of devotion, had shown their approval of it, was only partially successful ; but if 
 finished as at present proposed, with a reduction of ninety feet in height, it will still be 
 a massive column, and the loftiest in the world. What changes will yet be made in the 
 monument, or what inscriptions may hereafter be adopted, cannot be conjectured ; as at 
 this stage of its erection it is difficult to anticipate what it will be when finished. 
 Various devices in statuary and bas-relief were included in the original plan, compris- 
 ing a history in imperishable marble, not only of Washington, but of the men who 
 stood by his side in the sanguinary struggle of the Revolution ; but all this is subject 
 to change and the touch of passing generations. Mr. Larkin G. Mead, the sculptor, 
 who is now in Florence, some years ago made a proposition to embellish the monument 
 by four bronze panels on the sides of the shaft, near the base, giving bas-relief repre- 
 sentations of scenes marking epochs in Washington's life. Mr. Mead has already made 
 designs in clay for two of these panels. The first represents the surrender of Cornwallis. 
 The second has just been completed ; and Mr. Mead has sent a photograph of the 
 design to the Monument Association. It represents the inauguration of Washington on 
 the portico of the old custom-house in New York. The proposition to place these 
 panels on the sides of the shaft has met with some favor, though no official action was 
 taken. 
 
 It is not intended that the expenditure shall exceed a million and a half of dollars ; 
 and this must be from time to time appropriated by Congress, as concerted action in 
 other ways seems impracticable. Although California collected fifteen thousand dollars at 
 one election, and the Legislature of New York once voted ten thousand dollars, such 
 sources are too uncertain to be relied upon. 
 
 The work, under the management of the Commission, goes steadily on ; but the 
 tedious official record need not be given. The chairman, Mr. W. W. Corcoran, who for 
 "sweet charity's sake" has builded to his own name so many monuments, is giving a 
 portion of the evening of his days to this national work. The following report on July 
 15, 1 88 1 , shows progress up to that date: — 
 
 " The shaft is now two hundred and twenty-seven feet high, sixty feet having been added since 
 the work was resumed. It is expected, that, before the 1st of January next, at least forty feet more 
 will be added to its height." 
 
 In September of this year the authoritative announcement is made, — 
 
 "That the setting of course 230 on the Washington Monument has been finished, making a net 
 addition to the height of the monument, since the work of construction was resumed, of eighty feet. 
 
Plate XXXI 
 
 THIS HEAD WAS carved between 
 2000 AND 30CJO YEARS AGO 3.Y THE. 
 ANCIENT EGYPTIANS rOR-THt 
 
 temple erected inhqmokof 
 Augustus. on the banks oftv* 
 
 N.ILE . BROUOHT FROM THEREBY 
 L.A.LEHMAN AND PRESENTER To 
 THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT . 
 
 165b. 
 
 tvJiHr, marble with fts/ntf of /7rctr/ Ofsrrti Sr 
 ./•:«.>•/ /Ml ' • 
 
 /ff/X //X in.. 
 
 BR I CKS 
 
 ^ fl. O M T h, £ 
 
 Bl KTH PL AGE of WASHINGTON 
 
 THE Grand lodge: 
 of 
 
 1.6. of QT. 
 
 O F 
 
 KENTUCKY 
 
 IN UNION THERE IS STRENGTH 
 
 Zafrictit 
 
 CH RRL LS T O W H 
 
 the: 
 
 Bunked Hill BflTTLS. &flouN d 
 
 I 
 
 V 5 
 
 ALL THAT LIVE MUST D I F_ 
 
 A TRIBUTE OF RESPECT 
 FRONV THE LADIES Ano CtLNTLEMEN ..ft« 
 DRAMATIC PROFESSION oi AME.P.ICN 
 I 853 
 
 V it 
 
 |V| EMDr^lAL Bin CKp . 
 Wasjh i n gton Rational JvfoN u^ient . 
 
 See Page 221. 
 
Busts, Statues ■, Monuments, and Medals. 221 
 
 The last four courses, each weighing a hundred and seventy tons, have been laid at the rate of a 
 square every two days. The iron-work and machinery will now be shifted, when the work of 
 laying stone will be prosecuted to course 250, where it will be necessary to make another ' shift.' 
 There are one hundred stone-cutters at work ; and it is probable, that, before the work closes for 
 the season, the monument will have reached two hundred and sixty feet. 
 
 CONTRIBUTIONS OF MEMORIAL BLOCKS TO THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT, WITH THEIR 
 
 SYMBOLS AND INSCRIFriONS. 1 
 
 ALABAMA. 
 
 White marble. " Alabama. A union of equality, adjusted by the constitution." 
 
 White marble, lettered in black, and ornamented with the seal of the Grand Lodge. "Alabama marble. 
 Presented by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Ala- 
 bama, to the National Monument Society. Dec 6. A.L. 5849." (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 ARKANSAS. 
 
 Red marble. " Arkansas." 
 
 Granite. (East wall, 48 X 24.) "Little Rock, Arkansas." 
 
 White marble, with Masonic emblems. "The Grand Lodge of American Free Masons of the State of Arkansas. 
 Ad gloriam Fratris nostri et Patris Patriae." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Black-and-white moitled marble. " California, youngest sister of the Union, Brings her Golden tribute to the 
 Memory of its father." 
 
 Granite. "The citizens of Stockton San Joaquin County California. A Tribute of Respect to The Father of his 
 Country. — George Washington." [Thirteen stars.] "1859." (Lapidarium, 47X53.) 
 
 CONNECTICUT. 
 
 White marble. " From the Grand Division of Sons of Temperance, State of Connecticut. A tribute to the 
 memory of Washington." Triangle, with the "All-seeing Eye." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Brownstone, with the State coat-of-arms and motto, " Qui transtulit sustinet." " Connecticut." (East wall, 
 48 X 24.) Badly disintegrated on surface. 
 
 DELAWARE. 
 
 1 
 
 Wliite marble, with a panel of gray granite, on which is a head of Washington in bas-relief. " Delaware. First 
 to adopt — The last to desert The Constitution. 1849." (East wall, 60X48.) 
 
 1 Of the hundred and eighty blocks, nearly one-half have been placed in the monument. This list was made 
 under difficulties, but is as nearly as possible correct. 
 
222 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 White marble. "The city of Washington to its Founder." (West wall, 72 X 34-) 
 
 Light-gray marble. " Presented by the Association of the Oldest Inhabitants of the District of Columbia July 
 
 4 th 1870." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 White 7iiarble, with the inscription in raised letters, "Chairman of the Building Committee from the foundation to 
 
 this height, — 100 feet." Thomas Carbery. (South wall, 42 X 24.) 
 White marble. "Presented by the Columbia Typographical Society, Instituted January, 1815, as a memento of the 
 
 veneration of its members for the Father of his Country." (West wall, 60 X 24.) 
 White marble. " Presented by the German Benevolent Society of the city of Washington, D.C. instituted Oct. 
 
 3 rd , 1836, incorporated July 27 th , 1842, — as a memento of the veneration of its members for the Father of 
 
 his Country." (West wall, 54 X 24.) 
 White marble, with Masonic emblems, and the inscription in black letters, " Presented by Washington Naval 
 
 Lodge Ancient Free Masons." 
 Potomac bluestone. "Peter Force." (East wall, 52 X 24.) 
 
 Wliite marble. "Presented by the Franklin Fire Company, of Washington, D.C. Instituted A.D. 1827. We 
 
 strive to save." (East wall, 53 X 24.) 
 White marble, with Masonic emblems. "Grand Lodge of Masons, District of Columbia, to our Brother, George 
 
 Washington." (East wall, 64 X 24.) 
 White marble. "Presented by the National Greys, of Washington, D.C." (East wall, 60 X 24.) 
 Gray sandstone. " Presented by George Watterson, Sec? W. N. Monumental Society, as a testimonial of his 
 
 gratitude and veneration A.D. 1849." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Rough bluestone: " muds tone." "Little Falls Quarry, District of Columbia. Presented by Timothy S. Neal." 
 
 (East wall, 68 X 22.) 
 
 White marble. Inscription in black letters, "Washington Light Infantry, Washington, D.C. Organized Sep. 12 th 
 
 1836. Presented Oct. 19 th 1850." (East wall, 60 X 24.) 
 Dark marble. " Presented by the Anacostia tribe No. 3. I. O. R. M. — D.C. — on the 3 rd sun of the 3 X 7 suns > 
 
 warm moon. G.S. 5610. 
 
 Marble. "Presented by Tuscarora Tribe No. 5, Improved Order of Red Men. D.C. To Pater Patriae 7 th sun 
 Hunting moon. Grand sun 5615." 
 
 FLORIDA. 
 
 Block, ornamented with a globe. 
 
 Coarse white marble, with a square and compass in bas-relief. "Presented by the Grand Lodge of the State 
 
 of Florida." (Lapidarium, 58 X 28.) 
 Dark marble. Coat-of-arms in a circle. Motto : " Florida sees in His counsels safety, In His life an Example, 
 
 In his Memory a perpetual Bond of Union." (West wall, 48 X 24.) (Face of stone badly disintegrated.) 
 
 GEORGIA. 
 
 While marble, with State coat-of-arms. "State of Georgia. The Union as it was, — The Constitution as it is." 
 Wliite marble, with State coat-of-arms. "Georgia Convention, Dec. 1850." (Removed from east wall, 42 X 24.) 
 White marble, with a shield bearing Masonic emblems. "Grand Lodge of Georgia. Founded A.D. 1785. 
 " Prosunt omnibus — Fratrem meminisse." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 » 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 223 
 
 ILLINOIS. 
 
 Gray mottled marble, with inscription in black letters, "Illinois. State Sovereignty, National Union." (East wall, 
 48 X 24.) 
 
 White marble, with bas-relief carving, showing figures beneath an arch. A broken column. Peace with an 
 olive-branch, and Time with hour-glass and scythe. Inscription in black letters : " Masonic Grand Lodge of 
 Illinois. 1853." (West wall, 56 X 25.) 
 
 White marble, with a ring and open book, crossed sword, keys, and other emblems. Inscription : " Presented by 
 the Grand Division on behalf of the Sons of Temperance, of 111. Jan. 1. 1858." (Lapidarium, 54 X 37-) 
 
 INDIANA. 
 
 Redstone. "Indiana knows no North — no South — Nothing but the Union." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Dark marble. "Nov. 12 th , 1852. From the Postmasters and Asst. Postmasters of the state of Indiana. Dedicated 
 
 to Washington Monument. Washington. May his Principles be distributed Broadcast over the Land, and 
 
 every American be a D. P. O." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Mottled marble, with Odd-Fellows' emblems. Inscription in black letters : " R. \V. Grand Lodge I. O. O. F. 
 
 Indiana. In God we trust. Constitutional Liberty. The earth for its Domain, and eternity for its Duration." 
 
 (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 IOWA. 
 
 Fine-grained drab sandstone. " Iowa. Her affections like the Rivers of her Border, flow to inseparable Union." 
 (East wall, 48 X 28.) 
 
 Pink mottled marble. "Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. and A.M. 1876." (Lapidarium, 47 X 32.) 
 
 KENTUCKY. 
 
 Light cream-colored sandstone, with State coat-of-arms. " Under the auspices of Heaven, and the precepts of 
 
 Washington, Kentucky will be the last to give up the Union." (West wall, 84 X 40.) 
 Yellow marble, with Masonic emblems. " By the Grand Lodge of Kentucky to the memory of Washington, The 
 
 Christian Mason." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Gray marble, with fasces on either side. " The Grand Lodge of I. O. O. F. of Kentucky. In Union there is 
 
 strength." (Lapidarium, 53 X 30.) 
 White marble, with head of Washington in bas-relief, surmounting a harp, and numerous military emblems. "To 
 
 the Father of his country. The Addisonian Literary Society of the Western Military Institute, Kentucky. 
 
 Non nobis solum, sed Patriae et amicis." (Lapidarium, 48 X 37.) 
 
 LOUISIANA. 
 
 White marble, with State coat-of-arms. " The state of Louisiana. Ever faithful to the Constitution and the Union." 
 (In lapidarium, 47 X 23.) 
 
 White marble, with State seal. "Continental Guard of New-Orleans, La. to the Washington Monument. 22 nd 
 Feb. 1856." The names of the members of the guard are also inscribed on the tablet. (Lapidarium, 
 50 X 5i-) 
 
224 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 MAINE. 
 
 Polished granite. Inscription, "MAINE." (East wall, 48- X 24.) 
 
 Dark gray marble, light veins. "From Home of Knox. By citizens of Thomaston, Maine." (East wall, 48 X 34.) 
 
 MARYLAND. 
 
 White marble, with State coat-of-arms in the centre. Inscription in raised black letters : " Maryland. The Memo- 
 rial of her regard for the Father of his Country, and of her cordial, habitual and immovable attachment to 
 the American Union." 
 
 White marble, with Masonic emblems. " By the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Mary- 
 land, 1850." Names of the members on either side. (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 White marble, with a carved eagle bearing a scroll. " Grand Lodge of Maryland I. O. O. F. Friendship, Love 
 and Truth, 1850." (Lapidarium, 73 X 36.) 
 
 White marble, bearing a Roman cross. Inscription in black letters: "To George Washington, by the Maryland 
 Pilgrims Association. Organized Bait . 1847." (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 White marble, with Ionic column in the centre, a cedar-tree on the right, and a monument and urn on the left. 
 Inscription in raised black letters : " To the Father of his Country. Presented by the Independent Order of 
 United Brothers, State of Maryland. A.D. 185 1." (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 White marble, with an eagle displayed above the harp of Erin. " Hibernian Society of Baltimore. E. Pluribus 
 Unum. Memor et Fidelis." (Lapidarium, 48 X 37.) 
 
 Polished granite, with the Washington Monument in Baltimore carved in relief, and surrounded by other symbols. 
 Inscription in black letters: "By the City of Baltimore. 1856. May Heaven to this Union continue its 
 beneficence. May brotherly affection with union be perpetual. May the free Constitution which is the work 
 of our Ancestors be sacredly maintained, and its administration be stamped with wisdom and with virtue." 
 (West wall, 75 X 73-) 
 
 Clouded marble. " By the Pupils of the Public Schools of the City of Baltimore. M.D. C.C.C. L.I. Number of 
 Public schools, 35 ; number of pupils, 7500. Palmam qui meruit ferat." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Maryland granite. " Patmos Lodge, No. 70. Masons. Ellicotts Mills. Md. Feb. 22 nd 1852." (West wall, 
 48 X 28.) 
 
 White marble, with an ark, and dove bearing an olive-branch, in bas-relief. " From the City of Frederick, 
 Maryland. Civil and Religious Liberty first proclaimed by the Pilgrim Fathers of Maryland, — as emblemed in 
 the Ark of the Covenant of Freedom, and the Dove, the Harbinger of Peace and Fellowship, that guided 
 them through the dangers of the deep, — have been secured as the Birthright of the Nation, by the enduring 
 seal of the Minister of Justice, George Washington." (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 Dark granite, with State coat-of-arms. "Massachusetts." (East wall, 72 X 71.) 
 
 Gray granite, from Bunker Hill, with the Bunker-Hill Monument in bas-relief. (53 X 41-) 
 
 Granite, veined with green. Inscription in black letters : " City of Roxbury, Mass. The Birthplace of Gen. 
 
 Joseph Warren." (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Gray granite. "Salem, Mass." (Lapidarium, 57X28.) 
 
 Mottled granite, with a whale in bas-relief. "New-Bedford, Mass. 185 1." (Lapidarium, 48X24.) 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals, 225 
 
 Granite. " From the ladies of Lowell, Mass. 
 
 ' Here Industry her grateful tribute pays 
 To him whose valor won us prosperous days.'" 
 
 (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Granite. " Sicut Patribus sit deus nobis. Bostonia condita A.D. 1630. Civitatis regimine donata A.D. 1822." 
 (Lapidarium, 55 X 42.) 
 
 Granite. "Washington Lodge of F. and A. M. Roxbury, Mass. (In lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 IV/iite marble, with Odd-Fellows' emblems. " I. O. O. F. Massachusetts." (East wall, 30X24.) 
 Granite. Inscription on a shield: "First Regiment of Light Infantry, Mass. Vol. Militia. Boston. 1853." 
 (Lapidarium, 30 X 53.) 
 
 MICHIGAN. 
 
 Block of native copper two feet long by twenty-one inches and a half wide, and eleven inches and a half thick. 
 
 Handsomely cut and polished, and bearing the State coat-of-arms, with the inscription embossed in silver : 
 
 "Michigan. An emblem of her trust in the Union." 
 Native copper from Lake Superior, weighing twenty-one hundred pounds. (In lapidarium, 36 X 22.) 
 
 MINNESOTA. 
 
 Red pipe-clay, considered a sacred stone by the Indians of that State. "Minnesota." (In lapidarium, 24 X 21.) 
 
 MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 White marble. "The state of Mississippi to the Father of his Country." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Gray marble, with Masonic emblems. "The Grand Lodge of the state of Mississippi To their W. Brother, 
 George Washington." 
 
 Coarse-grained sandstone. "Oakland College Mississippi — 185 1." (East wall, 56 X 24.) 
 
 Graystone, with three links in bas-relief. " I. O. O. F. Grand Lodge of Mississippi." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 MISSOURI. 
 
 Polished marble. "The Tribute of Missouri to the Memory of Washington, and a Pledge of her Fidelity to the 
 Union of the States. (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 Polished granite. " New-Hampshire." 
 
 Granite. "From the Home of Stark. By the Ladies of Manchester." 
 Granite. "Durham. New-Hampshire." (East wall, 72 X 24.) 
 
 NEW JERSEY. 
 
 Brownstone, with State coat-of-arms. "New-Jersey. Trenton, Dec. 26, 1776. — Princeton, Jan. 3, 1777- — 
 
 Monmouth, Jan. 28, 1778 — Springfield, Jan. 23, 1780." 
 Sandstone, bearing hands clasped above an Irish harp, and an eagle. "Newark N.J. Washington Erina Guard." 
 
 (Lapidarium, 48 X 94.) 
 Brownstone, with coat-of-arms. " Newark. N.J." Classic symbols. (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
226 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 White marble, with a society badge of Princeton College. "American Whig Society. A tribute to Washington." 
 
 Badly broken. (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Brownstone, with Odd-Fellows' emblems. " Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of the 
 
 State of New-Jersey, To the Memory of Washington, The Father of his Country. We command you to raise 
 
 the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead, and educate the orphan." (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Sandstone, marble tablet. A bust of Washington and the society symbols, an altar, on which are the caduceus 
 
 and the inscription : " Instituted A. D. 1765. From the Cleosophic Society, Nassau Hall, N.J. To the Memory 
 
 of Washington." (Lapidarium, 66 X 37-) 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 
 Black marble, with State coat-of-arms. "New York." (In lapidarium, 58 X 41.) 
 
 Marble, with coat-of-arms. "Corporation of the City of New York, 1852." (East wall, 96 X 66.) 
 
 Black granite. "From the Battle Ground, Long Island, 1776. Kings County N.Y. 1853." (East wall, 72 X 24.) 
 
 Black granite. " From Fort Greene Battle Ground, Long Island. A tribute from the Fort Greene Guard of 
 
 Brooklyn. 1854." (East wall, 72 X 24.) 
 Dark 7narble, with Masonic emblems. "The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New 
 
 York." (Lapidarium.) 
 
 White marble, with Masonic emblems. "Washington Lodge, No. 21 of the City of New York. Instituted 
 A.L. 5800." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Wliite marble, with the " All-seeing Eye." "Presented by Athenian Lodge 268. I. O. O. F. Troy, N.Y." (Lapida- 
 rium, 37 X 21.) 
 
 Light-gray marble. "Presented by Eureka Lodge, 177, of City of New York. I. O. O. F." (Lapidarium, 
 72 X 28.) 
 
 Gray marble, with square and compass. " Our Tribute. Lafayette Lodge No. 64. F. A. M. New York City. 
 
 Sep. 16. A.L. 5853. A.D. 1853." (Lapidarium, 36 X 24.) 
 Black marble, with hands bearing a lighted torch. "A tribute from the teachers of the Buffalo Public Schools." 
 
 (Lapidarium, 42 X 22.) 
 
 White marble. " American Institute of the City of New York. Incorporated for the purpose of encouraging and 
 promoting domestic industry in Agriculture, Commerce, Manufactures and the Arts." (East wall 49 X 24.) 
 
 Wliite marble. "'The memory of the just is blessed.' Prov. 10. 7. Presented by the children of the Sunday 
 schools of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the City of New York, Feb. 22 nd 1855." (Lapidarium, 
 66 X 36.) 
 
 Light-gray marble, with a burning building carved in bas-relief. " Fire Department of the City of New York. 
 
 Incorporated March 20 th , 1798." (Lapidarium, 74 X 55.) 
 White marble. " New York. Presented by Masterson and Smith Morgan's marble Westchester County." (West 
 
 wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 Granite, with State coat-of-arms. Inscription in white marble letters : " North Carolina. Declaration of Inde- 
 pendence. Mecklenburg, May, 1775." 
 Dark marble. "Union Society of Hillsborough,- N.C." (East wall, 53 X 24.) 
 Granite. " From the Mechanics of Raleigh, N.C." Disintegrated. (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
Busts, S tatties, Monu7?tents, and Medals. 
 
 227 
 
 Light cream-colored marble. Star and triangle. Motto : " Love, Purity and Fidelity. Grand Division S. T. 
 
 North Carolina." Badly disintegrated. (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 White marble, with head of Shakespeare in bas-relief. Inscription in green letters : " North Carolina. Wilmington 
 
 Thalian Association." (Lapidarium, 40 X 24.) 
 
 OHIO. 
 
 Yellow marble. "The state of Ohio. The memory of Washington, and The Union of the States — Sunto 
 Perpetua." (East wall.) 
 
 Dark marble, with Masonic emblems. " In token of Respect for Washington as a Free Mason. By the Grand 
 
 Lodge of Ohio." (Lapidarium.) 
 Gray marble. " Love, Purity and Fidelity. Grand Division of Ohio Sons of Temperance. To (Dconje E23ash= 
 
 fncjton." (Lapidarium, 72 X 35-) 
 Yellow marble, with Odd-Fellows' emblems. " The Odd Fellows of Ohio To the memory of Washington. Honor, 
 
 Veritas et benevolentiae Pretium Permanebit." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 White marble, with a hose-cart wreathed with flowers. The inscription : " Cincinnati Independent Fire Engine 
 
 and Hose Company. Instituted 1829. Dissolved 1852." With the mottoes of the three companies, as 
 
 follows: "Pilot — 'Give us but elbow-room." — Witch — 'Fire and water, the witches' ordeal.' Rover. 'Our 
 
 war is with the elements. In storm or calm, always trim.' " (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 Limestone. " Presented to the Washington Monument, By the Proprietors of the Cincinnati Commercial. J. W. S. 
 
 Brown and L. C. Curtis. 1850." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 D?ab marble. "By the Invincible Co. No. 5, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1850. The memory of Washington." (West 
 
 wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Fossiliferous marble, from the bed of the Ohio River at Cincinnati. "The Young Men's Mercantile Library 
 Association of Cincinnati. Organized A.D. 1835. — A.D. 1853. 2400 Members. Proud to Honor Washington, 
 Contributes its humble quota to the swelling tide of National gratitude. Ohio — first-born of the ordinance 
 of '87, — every pulsation of her heart beats high, beats strong for Liberty and for the Union." (Lapidarium, 
 48 X 24.) 
 
 PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 White marble. In centre the keystone, with motto: "Pennsylvania, founded 1681, by Deeds of Peace." One 
 side, State coat-of-arms. The other side, William Penn's treaty with the Indians. (West wall, 73 X 37-) 
 
 Wliite marble. Inscription in black letters : " God and our native land. United Sons of America. Instituted 
 1845. Pennsylvania." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Light marble. " From Braddock's Field." 
 
 White marble. Masonic emblems in either corner, with eagle in centre, with scroll inscribed : " Presented by the 
 
 United American Mechanics, Pennsylvania." (Lapidarium, 49 X 25.) 
 Blue-veined white marble. " Pennsylvania. From D. O. Hitner's Quarry, Montgomery Co." (West wall, 
 
 48 X 24.) 
 
 Marble. " Honesdale, Wayne County, Pennsylvania." (Lapidarium, 45 X 22.) 
 
 White marble, with an open Bible. "Search the Scriptures. Suffer little children. From the Sabbath-school 
 children of the Methodist E. Church in the city and district of Philadelphia, July 4 th 1853. A preached 
 Gospel — A Free Press. Washington. We revere his memory." 
 
228 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 White marble, with corporation seal. Inscription on a scroll borne by an eagle : " Declaration of Independence. 
 Philadelphia, July 4 th 1776. Corporation of the city of Philadelphia/' (Lapidarium, 88 X 70.) 
 
 White marble, with a fountain and Other emblems. Inscription on a shield : " Sons of Temperance of Penn- 
 sylvania. Fidelity. The surest safeguard to our country is total abstinence from all that intoxicates." 
 
 (Lapidarium, 72 X 26). 
 
 White marble, with an altar in the centre, and Masonic emblems on either side. " Ad Majorem supremi architecti 
 gloriam. Holiness to the Lord. From the Keystone state Grand Lodge. A.D. 1851. A.L. 5851." 
 
 Native marble, drab veined with black. "Mount Lebanon Lodge No. 226, H.I.N, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, 
 present this block of native marble, as a testimony of their veneration and respect for the character and 
 service of George Washington. A.L. 5851. A.D. 1851." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 White marble, with Odd-Fellows' emblems. " I. O. O. F. of Philomathean Lodge, Mount Airy Lodge, Walker 
 Lodge, Mount Horeb encampment. Germantown, Penn a , M.D. C.C.C. L." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Veined white marble, with Odd-Fellows' emblems. " I. O. O. F. A tribute of veneration and gratitude from the 
 subordinate Lodges of I. O. O. F. of the city and county of Philadelphia, state of Pennsylvania, in commemo- 
 ration of the devoted patriotism, the exalted virtues, and the illustrious deeds of him, whose memory is an 
 adamantine link in the National Union." (Lapidarium, 72 X 47-) 
 
 Wliite marble. Work in high relief ; stone-cutter's tools and blocks of hewn stone. Association of Journeymen 
 stone-cutters of Philadelphia. "United we stand." (West wall, 72 X 36.) 
 
 White marble, with a locomotive in high relief on a panel. " Presented by the Employees of R. Norris and 
 Son, Locomotive works. Philadelphia. Feb. 22. 1856." (Lapidarium, 66 X 40.) 
 
 Yellow marble. " From the Templars of Honor and Temperance. Organized Dec. 5 th 1845. Truth, Love, Purity 
 and Fidelity. — Our pledge. — We will not make, buy, sell, or use as a beverage, any spirituous or malt liquors, 
 wine, cider, or any other alcoholic liquors ; and will discountenance their manufacture, traffic and use ; — and 
 this pledge we will maintain unto the end of life." 
 
 Wliite marble. Three elaborately carved blocks from the fire-department of Philadelphia, presented in 1854. 
 Each ornamented with appropriate scenes and emblems, and inscribed with the names of the fire-companies. 
 (Lapidarium, 46 X 26.) 
 
 White marble, with a globe. "From Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 1826. By the class of 1853." 
 (Lapidarium, 50 X 30.) 
 
 RHODE ISLAND. 
 
 Granite, with State coat-of-arms. Inscription in black letters : " Rhode Island." (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Granite. " S. of T. — R.I." (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 White marble, with coat-of-arms. " Warren R.I." 
 
 SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 White marble, with State coat-of-arms. " South Carolina." (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 TENNESSEE. 
 
 Polished Tennessee marble. Inscription in gilt letters: "Tennessee. The Federal Union, it must be preserved." 
 
 (In lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 Yellow-veined gray marble. " Nashville. Tennessee." Disintegrating. (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Light native marble. "From Hawkins County, Tennessee." (Cracked, and removed from east wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, a7td Medals. 
 
 229 
 
 UTAH. 
 
 W/iite sandstone, ornamented with fruits and flowers, and with the emblems of the Territory, — clasped hands, an 
 eye, and a bee-hive. " Holiness to the Lord." (Lapidarium.) 
 
 VERMONT. 
 
 White marble, with State coat-of-arms. "Vermont. Freedom and Unity." (In lapidarium, 45 X 53.) 
 
 VIRGINIA. 
 
 Red granite, with State seal. "Virginia, who gave Washington to America, gives this granite for his Monument." 
 
 (West wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Granite. " Richmond. Virginia." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 White marble. " Westmoreland County, Virginia, the birthplace of Washington " (bricks from the old home 
 
 inserted). (West wall, 43 X 24.) 
 Mottled granite. " From Otter's summit, Virginia's loftiest Peak, to crown a monument to Virginia's noblest son." 
 
 (In west wall, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Light-gray marble. " From the citizens of Alexandria, Va. — the descendants of the friends and neighbors of 
 
 Washington. 1851." (48X26.) 
 White marble. " From the Jefferson Society of the University of Virginia, To the National Washington Monu- 
 ment. Jan 7 th i860." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 Marble. " From the Alumni of Washington College at Lexington Virginia. The only college endowed by the 
 
 Father of his Country." (East wall, 59 X 24.) 
 Granite, with a Bible opened at Psalm CXXXIII. " By the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons 
 
 of Virginia. Lo ! she gave to the republic the chief corner-stone. Aug. 4. A.L. 5754." (Lapidarium.) 
 Granite, with marble facings, with Masonic emblems and an open Bible of white marble inscribed Psalm 
 
 CXXXIII. " Presented by St. John's Lodge No. 36. Richmond Va." 
 Black marble, mottled with white, with Odd-Fellows' emblems. Inscription in black letters: "Contributed by the 
 
 Grand Lodge of Virginia. A.D. 185 1." (East wall, 48 X 24.) 
 Black marble, with appropriate symbols. " Presented by the Grand Division, Sons of Temperance, State of Va. 
 
 1850." 
 
 Granite. "From Walter Gwynn, D. S. Walton, E. Loraine, Wash" Gill, John E. McRae, J. M. Harris, W. E. 
 Turpin. — Engineers 2 nd Division, James River and Kan a Canal." (West wall, 48 X 24. ^ 
 
 WISCONSIN. 
 
 Veined white marble. "Wisconsin, admitted May 29 th 1848." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24. 
 
 NATIONAL. 
 
 White marble, with figures of armed men and animals in bas-relief. "American Medical Association. Vincit amor 
 Patria. Instituted MDCCCXLVII." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Wliite marble, with the head of Shakespeare in high relief. "A tribute of respect from the ladies and gentle- 
 men of the Dramatic profession of America. All that live must die." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 Marble. "Company A. 4 th Regiment Infantry, U.S.A. March I st - 185 1." (East wall, 60 X 24.) 
 
2.30 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Light-gray marble, with an open Bible. "The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States 
 of America in session in Washington city, — May, 1852." (Lapidarium, 73 X 30.) 
 
 IVliite marble, with Odd-Fellows' emblems. " Presented by the Grand Lodge of the United States of the 
 I. O. O. F. We command you to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead, and educate the 
 orphan." 
 
 White marble, richly decorated with ancient and modern emblems, and an eagle bearing a scroll with the motto, 
 " Love, Purity and Fidelity. From the Templars of Honor and Temperance, 1846. Organized Dec. 5, 1845." 
 (Lapidarium, 63 X 39-) 
 
 Gray marble. "Cherokee Nation, 1854." (Lapidarium, 44X48.) 
 
 WJiite marble. "To Washington. An humble Tribute from Two Disciples of Daguerre." (Lapidarium, 46 X 22.) 
 
 FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
 BRAZIL. 
 
 Dark granite, with a crown over a shield in the centre, and a wreath of laurel below. "Brazil. 1878. '* (Lapi- 
 darium, 40 X 40.) 
 
 BREMEN. 
 
 Dark-brown marble, with coat-of-arms and crown in the centre, and brass ornaments in either corner. "Wash- 
 ington, dem grossen, guten und gerechten. Das befreundete. Bremen." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 CANADA. 
 
 Dark polished granite. "The sons of New England in Canada, to Washington. Contributed by the New Eng- 
 land Society in Montreal." (Lapidarium, 48 X 24.) 
 
 CARTHAGE. 
 
 Veined marble, yellow and gray, with a circular mosaic in the centre. On the black background are the figures 
 of a horse and a palm-tree in marble mosaic. "Carthage. Presented by David Porter Heap, M.D. July 4 th 
 1855." (Lapidarium, 18 X 18.) 
 
 CHINA. 
 
 Polished marble, four feet five inches by three feet five inches, with an inscription in Chinese. 
 
 Dark-gray granite, with a wreath encircling a central panel of black, on which is the inscription : " From the 
 
 citizens of the United States of America, residing in Foo Chow Foo, China, Feb 22, 1857." (Lapidarium, 
 
 32 X 24.) 
 
 EGYPT. 
 
 Irregular slab of white marble, in which is inlaid a head of gray stone in bas relief. "This head was carved 
 between 2 & 3000 years ago by the ancient Egyptians, for the temple erected in honor of Augustus on the 
 banks of the Nile. Brought from there by J. A. Lehman and presented to the Washington Monument. 
 1858." 
 
 Irregular pink granite. " From the Alexandrian Library, Egypt. Brought to this country by G. G. Baker." 
 (Lapidarium, 18 X 24.) 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 231 
 
 GREECE. 
 
 Block from the Parthenon. (49 X 34-) 
 
 "To George Washington — the Hero, General, Distinguished Citizen, — Founder of well-regulated modern 
 Liberty. The country of Solon, Themistocles and Pericles, — The Mother of Ancient Liberty — This Ancient 
 stone. As a token of honor and admiration. From the Parthenon." 
 
 rEQPriQ OYASIKTflNI 
 HPGI ZTPATHrO . AKPfl . IIOAITH . IAPYTH . NEAS . EAEY9EPIA2 EYNOMOY 
 H SOAftNOZ GEMISTOKAEOYS ITEPIKAEOY2 IIATP1Z 
 THS APXAIAS EAEYTQEPIAZ MHTHP 
 
 TON APXAION TOYTON AI90N 
 TIMH2 KAI OAYMAZMOY TEKMHPION 
 EK TOY IIAPeENQNuS. 
 
 ITALY. 
 
 Block of rare marble, an antique stone from the Temple of Concord, sent by Pio Nono, in 1854. "Rome 
 To America." (36 X 18.) 
 
 This gift of his Holiness was destroyed in a manner extremely mortifying to the people of this country. 
 The facts were fully given in "The National Intelligencer," March 8, 1854: — 
 
 "A deed of barbarism was enacted on Monday morning last, between one and two o'clock, by several persons 
 (number not known, but supposed to be from four to ten), which will be considered as belonging to some of the centu- 
 ries considerably in our rear, rather than to the better half of the nineteenth. We refer to the forcible seizure, from 
 its place of deposit in a shed at the Washington Monument, of a block of marble sent hither from Rome, as a tribute 
 to the memory of Washington, by the Pontiff, and intended to be a part of the edifice now erecting to signalize his 
 name and glory. It originally stood in the Temple of Concord at Rome, was of beautiful texture, and had for its 
 dimensions a length of three feet, a height of eighteen inches, and thickness of ten. 
 
 " The account we hear of the matter is this : that, at about the time above mentioned, several men suddenly sur- 
 rounded the watch-box of the night-watchman, and passed a cord, such as is used for clothes-lines, around the box, and 
 piled several stones against the door, calling to the man within, that if he kept quiet he would not be injured. At the 
 same time they pasted pieces of newspaper on the two or three window-openings that commanded the particular shed 
 containing the fated block, so as to prevent the watchman from seeing their operations. They then removed one of 
 the strips in front of the place where the block stood, and, passing in and out by the opening, carried it off by placing 
 it on a hand-cart used about the premises. Close to its side stood the block from Deseret, before described in this 
 paper. 
 
 " There is no doubt they took the block to the river-side, not less than a quarter of a mile off, and pitched it 
 over the steep bank upon the river-beach, where they enjoyed a favorable opportunity of breaking it up undiscovered, 
 or boating it off into the river, which they probably did, after defacing it. All this went on, it seems, without effective 
 remonstrance from the watchman, although he had with him a double-barrelled gun loaded with buckshot, and the 
 operations at the shed were within easy shot. As for the pasting on the windows, there was nothing in that ; for they 
 slide up and down like the sashes of an omnibus. These proceedings, the watchman says, took place at half-past one ; 
 but he gave no notice of it to the family residing at the Monument until four. For these, and other similar reasons, 
 he has been suspended. A meeting of the board took place yesterday, at which it was determined to offer a reward of 
 a hundred dollars for the discovery of the perpetrators." 
 
 A rebuke to the spirit that led to this outrage is found in an order issued by Washington, Nov. 5, 1775. 
 He refers to a report that preparations had been made to burn the Pontiff in effigy, and sternly says, — 
 
232 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 " The commander-in-chief cannot help expressing his surprise that there should be officers and soldiers in this 
 army so void of common sense as not to see the impropriety of this step," etc. 
 
 JAPAN. 
 
 Marble, with an inscription in Japanese, of which the following is a translation : " Exported from the harbor of 
 Simoda, in the province of Iddsin, the fifth month of the year Ansey Tora. April, 1853." 
 
 PAROS AND NAXOS. 
 
 Wliite marble. Inscription in raised black letters : " Presented by the Governor and commune of the Islands of 
 Paros and Naxos, Grecian Archipelago. Aug. 13, 1855." 
 
 PAROS. 
 
 White marble. " From the Temple of Esculapius, Island of Paros. Presented by the officers of the U. S. Steam 
 Frigate Saranac, August 13 th 1855." 
 
 SIAM. 
 
 Yellow marble {dark). Inscription in English, "Presented to the Washington Monument Association by His 
 Majesty the Second King of Siam." (12 X 6.) 
 The letter accompanying this stone states that it was excavated by his Majesty's orders from the royal 
 quarries in the Korat Hills, distant about a hundred miles from the city of Bangkok. His Majesty during his 
 youth, while a prince of the realm, conceived a peculiar fondness for America and her liberal institutions, derived 
 in great part from the instructions of our missionaries resident there, and assumed the name " George Washington ; " 
 and, many years prior to his elevation to the throne, he was familiarly addressed as " Prince George Washington," 
 and even to-day enjoys a reference to that circumstance. The King left it optional with his agents to have the 
 inscription on the stone engraved in English or Siamese. As it was found difficult to correctly engrave the Siamese 
 characters, the English were adopted. The original of the inscription in Siamese language is, however, enclosed 
 on a slip of paper. The full name and title of the royal donor is, " His Majesty Krom Phra Ratcha Wang 
 Borwang, Satan Mongkong. Second King of Siam." 
 
 ST. HELENA. 
 
 Dark granite. The inscription ordered was — 
 
 " Napoleon 
 to 
 
 Washington." 
 
 (Lapidarium, 24 X 12.) 
 
 COPY OF EXTRACT FROM "THE ST. HELENA HERALD," DEC. 29, 1859. 
 
 On Tuesday, the 20th inst, a most interesting ceremony took place at the tomb of Napoleon I. 
 
 The United-States consul, G. W. Kimball, Esq., met Monsieur le Commandant de Rougemont and the other French 
 officers of Longwood, in the presence of N. Solomon, Esq., vice-consul for France {ad interim), on the 20th, by invitation, 
 to receive a stone from the tomb of Napoleon L, which had been granted by the Emperor Napoleon III. to the Unrted- 
 States consul, to be placed in the National Monument now being erected in Washington City to the memory of the great 
 George Washington. . . . 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 233 
 
 Its interior will be embellished with memorial stones, slabs of marble, etc., with suitable inscriptions, placed in the 
 four walls at distances of twenty feet. Not only has each State in the Union contributed of its own quarries, but many 
 foreign nations have also presented beautiful specimens of stones. ■ 
 
 On the reception of the United-States consul, the despatch from the French minister for foreign affairs was read 
 to him. He then descended into the tomb with Commandant de Rougemont, Capt. Masselin of the engineers, and the 
 French vice-consul, where the ceremony of the removal of the stone was begun by Capt. Masselin first using the pick. 
 After its release, it was drawn up by a rope in the hands of the gentlemen themselves, and deposited at the entrance of 
 the tomb. ' 
 
 The following address of presentation was made by M. de Rougemont: — 
 
 " I am happy, Monsieur le Consul, in having been able to contribute to the negotiations which have brought about 
 the delivery which I have the honor to make you to-day, and in being able to deliver up to you, in the name of the 
 Emperor, a stone which shall testify to all those who shall visit the monument where it will be placed that France still 
 preserves towards the United States the same sentiments as at the time when Washington obtained his place in history." 
 
 To the above address, Mr. Kimball, United-States consul, made the following reply: — 
 
 "Monsieur le Commandant, — The occasion which has summoned us to this sacred spot fills me with profound 
 feelings. Before me lays the consecrated tomb of the illustrious captive, wherein his body found repose beneath the 
 shade of these drooping willows after a life fraught with glory, but who now sleepeth on the banks of his loved Seine. 
 By the gracious permission of his Imperial Majesty Napoleon III., I am here to receive at your hand, Monsieur le Com- 
 mandant, a sacred memento, — one of the stones on which rested for many long years the body of him who filled the 
 world with his fame, — as a contribution to a monumental column now growing heavenward in the capital of my own 
 nation to the memory of one of the most illustrious and best of those whom Heaven hath sent to earth. 
 
 " I beg, then, Monsieur le Commandant, that you will convey to his Imperial Majesty, in behalf of the Monumental 
 Association and of the people of the United States, as well as from my own heart, the deep sentiment of veneration 
 widi which for them I accept this gift, to be borne hence, and placed in a niche of that structure, growing by the com- 
 memorative gifts of many nations, to the memory of the great Washington. And as in future ages thousands shall gaze 
 on its inscribed tablets, they shall stand arrested as the eye falleth on this sacred stone, attesting in silent but impressive 
 language the strength of that friendship between the two nations, which, springing up at our birth, has continued on as a 
 golden cord until this present; and may its links only part when the graceful column shall fall at the consummation of 
 all things! And let" [here were laid on the stone the French and American flags] "this symbolize that fraternity. 
 
 '■ Allow me, Monsieur le Commandant, to express the gratification it affords me to receive this relic at your hands, 
 and to thank you for the ready attention you have given this matter, and the pleasing manner in which you have now 
 gracefully intrusted it to my keeping." 
 
 The stone was then placed in a box, with the flags of the two nations enveloping it, and, being fastened down, 
 was conveyed to the office of the United-States consul, and will remain there, under the seals of the two nations, until 
 sent by a favorable opportunity to Washington, together with papers of identification, where it will receive a fitting 
 inscription. It will then be placed in the Washington Monument as a tribute of the French nation, in token of its 
 acknowledgment of the glorious deeds and transcendent virtues of that man whom his country hath delighted to honor. 
 
 And we hope that many St. Helenians may look on that memorial stone with pleasure when on a visit to their 
 friends in the New World. 
 
 The secretary of the Washington Monument Association was notified of these proceedings, also that the 
 box containing stone would be shipped by United-States ship "Mystic," Jan. 5, i860. Through some misdirection 
 the stone was overlooked, and remained undiscovered in the store-house of the Washington Navy Yard until the 
 spring of 1880, when it was sent to the lapidarium. 
 
234 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 SWITZERLAND. 
 
 Variegated marble. Inscription in brass letters : " To the Memory of Washington. The Free Swiss Confederation. 
 M.DCCCLII." 
 
 TURKEY. 
 
 White marble, highly ornamented, with a Turkish inscription in gilt letters on a blue field, of which the following 
 is a translation: "So as to strengthen the friendship existing between the two countries, Abdul Madjid Kahn 
 has had his name written on the monument of Washington." 
 
 VESUVIUS. 
 
 Block of lava three feet long by eighteen inches wide. " Lava. Vesuvius. W m Terrell, Georgia." 
 
 i 
 
 These blocks are almost uniform in size, and are chiefly of marble or granite, though 
 varied in execution ; and among the number given in the foregoing list will be noted 
 several historic slabs and blocks of great interest. In ages to come, when this marble 
 record shall be deciphered, it will form a chapter of history, as well as a series of monu- 
 ments in miniature, within the gigantic column. The work on the monument is command- 
 ing the approval of the most accomplished engineers: and, if it were being constructed in 
 a foreign country, Americans would esteem it a privilege to be allowed to examine it ; as 
 it is, this country indicates little appreciation of it as a feat of engineering, or compre- 
 hension of the magnificent proportions of the structure. Whether it be artistically 
 approved or not, the fact remains, that as an individual and national memorial, in its 
 contributions, proportion, and dedication, this monument will ever have an interest placing 
 it apart from all the memorials raised to earthly greatness. 
 
MEDALS. 
 
 N imperishable and most important monument to the fame of George Wash- 
 ington is the medal ordered by the Continental Congress to commemorate 
 the "Evacuation of Boston," March 17, 1776. This country can never 
 produce a more notable memorial. It is the first medal of a nation, and a 
 record of that nation's first victory. 
 
 Congress, then sitting in Philadelphia, was surprised and delighted by the official 
 announcement that the British had left Boston ; and the representatives of the struggling 
 Colonies gave expression to their gratitude in the following resolution : — 
 
 "Resolved, That the thanks of this Congress, in their own name, and in the name of the 
 thirteen united Colonies whom they represent, be presented to his Excellency Gen. Washington, 
 and the officers and soldiers under his command, for their wise and spirited conduct in the siege 
 and acquisition of Boston ; and that a medal be struck in commemoration of this great event, and 
 presented to his Excellency ; and that a committee of three be appointed to prepare a letter of 
 thanks, and proper device for the medal. 
 
 "Monday, March 25, 1776." 
 
 The three members chosen were Messrs. Adams, Jay, and Hopkins. Further expres- 
 sion of mutual congratulation at this anxious crisis is found in letters interchanged at 
 the time. One from the president of Congress, Hon. John Hancock, and another from 
 the distinguished statesman John Adams, are characteristic. Mr. Hancock's official letter 
 was written in such a stiff and courtly style, that the conviction arises that he may still 
 have felt the sting of disappointment in regard to not having received the command of 
 the army. He announces, " The Congress has ordered a golden medal, adapted to the 
 occasion, to be struck, and when finished presented to you." 
 
 Meantime the commander-in-chief had the kindness to write to the president of 
 Congress that his residence had fortunately not been injured, — a princely home, which, 
 
 2 35 
 
236 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 though it escaped the cannon of the foe, was, when gray with memories of that struggle, 
 permitted to be swept away by the modern vandalism termed " improvement." 
 
 The warm friendship of John Adams for Washington, and a certain gratified pride 
 that he was almost solely responsible for designating him as best qualified for com- 
 mander of the army, are indicated in every line he wrote that officer during the struggle 
 for independence. As part of the history of the medal, this short note has a claim to 
 be here inserted : — 
 
 Phila. April 2nd 1776. 
 
 To General Washington. 
 
 Sir, — I congratulate you, as well as all the friends of mankind, in the reduction of Boston ; 
 an event which appeared to me of so great and decisive importance that the next morning after 
 the arrival of the news, I did myself the honour to move for the thanks of Congress to your 
 Excellency, and that a Medal of gold should be struck in commemoration of it. Congress have 
 pleased to appoint me, with two other gentlemen, to prepare a suitable device. I should be very 
 happy to have your Excellency's sentiments concerning a proper one. I have the honour to be 
 with great respect, Sir, Your most Obedient and Affectionate Servant, 
 
 JOHN ADAMS. 
 
 In reply, Gen. Washington wrote : — 
 
 New York, April 15th 1776. 
 
 To John Adams, Esq. 
 
 Sir, — I am impressed with the deepest gratitude for the high honour intended me by Con- 
 gress. Whatever devices may be determined upon by the respectable committee they have chosen 
 for that purpose, will be highly agreeable to me. I have the honour to be, Most respectfully, Sir, 
 Your most obedient and affectionate humble servant. 
 
 G°. WASHINGTON. 
 
 In "The Boston Gazette" of April 8, 1776, there is an account of a visit from the 
 selectmen of Boston to Gen. Washington, with an address thanking him for delivering 
 them from the siege. Their names are John Scollay, Timothy Newell, Thomas Marshall, 
 Samuel Austin, Oliver Wendell, John Pitts. Gen. Washington returned this answer: — 
 
 To the Select Men and Citizens of Boston. 
 
 Gentlemen, — Your congratulations on the success of the American arms, gives me the greatest 
 pleasure. I must sincerely rejoice with you on your being once more in the quiet possession of 
 your former habitations ; and what greatly adds to my happiness, that this desirable event has been 
 effected with so little effusion of human blood. I am exceedingly obliged by the good opinion you 
 are pleased to entertain of my conduct. Your virtuous efforts in the cause of freedom, and the 
 unparalleled fortitude with which you have sustained the greatest of all human calamities, justly 
 entitle you to the grateful remembrance of your American brethren ; and I heartily pray that the 
 
i LA T F 
 
Busts, Stahies, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 237 
 
 hand of tyranny may never more disturb your repose, and that every blessing of a kind Providence 
 may give happiness and prosperity to the town of Boston. 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 
 The following, written a few days after assuming' command at Cambridge, shows how 
 perfectly Washington comprehended the situation in the outset, and that the evacuation 
 on the 17th of March was the consummation of his plans made in the previous July. 
 The autograph letter was, in 1848, owned by Rembrandt Peale, who transferred it to Mr. 
 Charles Augustus Smith of Philadelphia : — 
 
 Camp at Cambridge about 2 miles from Boston. 
 July 20, 1775. 
 
 Dear Brother, — Agreeable to your request I am now set down to write to you, although in 
 the first place I have scarce time to indulge an Inclination of that kind and in the second place do 
 not know how, or whether it may ever get to your hands. 
 
 I came to this place the 2 d Instant & found a numerous army of Provincials under very little 
 command, discipline or order. I found our enemy who had driven our People from Bunker Hill 
 strongly Intrenching and from acc ts had reason to expect before this, another attack from them, but, 
 as we have been Incessantly (Sunday not excepted) employed in throwing up works of defence I 
 rather begin to believe now, that they think it rather a dangerous experiment, and that we shall 
 remain some time watching the Methods of each other, at the distance of little more than a mile, 
 and in full view. From best accts we have been able to get the number of the enemy amounts to 
 between 10 & 12,000 men part of which are in Boston and part at Bunker Hill just by. Our num- 
 bers including Sick, Absent &c are between 16 & 18000. But then, having great extent of Lines 
 and many places to defend, and not knowing where the attack* may be made as they have the entire 
 command of the water, and can draw their whole force to any one point in an hour or two's time 
 without any person but the commanding officer who directs it having the least previous notice of it. 
 Our situation is a little unfavorable, but not so bad but that we shall give them a pretty warm 
 reception, if they think proper to make any advances towards us — their situation is such as to secure 
 them from any attack of ours. By what we can learn, they are sadly distressed for want of fresh 
 Provisions, Beef & the milch cow in Boston sells from one shilling to i8 d Mutton higher, and 
 that only to be had for the Sick. The number of their killed & wounded in their engagement 
 on Bunker Hill could not fall short of 1100, ours did not exceed 450 — a few more such victories 
 would put an end to their army & the present contest. 
 
 The village I am now in is situated in the midst of a very delightful country & it is a very 
 beautiful place itself though small — a thousand pities that such a place should become the theatre 
 of war. A month from this day, will bring some capital change I expect, for if the enemy are not 
 able to penetrate into the country they may as well one would think give up the position & return 
 home ; for if they stay at Boston, and Bunkers Hill which is another Peninsula like unto it, and 
 separated by a small Ferry crossing to Charlestown which is part of the neck, I say if they stay at 
 those places the end which they expect cannot be accomplished and to compel them to remain there 
 
Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 is the principal object we have in view indeed the only — We have seen nothing of the riflemen 
 yet nor have we heard any thing certain of them — I have only time to add my love to my Sister 
 and the Family & assure you that I am with an fixed regard & truth D r Sir 
 
 Your affect 6 Brother & friend 
 
 G° WASHINGTON. 
 
 P. S. — In the late engagement of the 17 th ult° the enemy by the best account we can get had 
 1040 men killed and wounded of which 92 were officers. Our loss amounted to 136 killed, 278 
 wounded, 36 missing pray remember me with kindness to Mr. Warner Washington & family when 
 you see them. 
 
 The delay in the execution of the "Boston Medal" was probably consequent upon 
 the difficulty in procuring an acceptable model of the head of Washington for the engraver 
 to copy. Ten years after date of resolution, the order, as far as discovered, was first given 
 to the French artist Duvivier, to make dies for this medal, the design being approved. 
 The next letter that has been published in regard to the subject was written from Paris 
 in 1785, by Col. Humphreys, to Washington; though doubtless the committee in charge 
 had private correspondence with agents in France, where it was determined the medal 
 should be produced. 
 
 Meanwhile ten other medals had been ordered by the Continental Congress in com- 
 pliment to gallant officers. It appears that the " respectable committee " modestly declined 
 to accept the delicate responsibility of selecting "proper devices" for the Washington 
 Medal, very wisely appreciating its difficulties. 
 
 Col. Humphrey's letter to Washington is as follows — 
 
 My dear General, — Upon leaving America, Mr. Morris invested me with the power of pro- 
 curing the several honorary presents which have been voted by Congress to different officers in their 
 service during the late war. The Royal Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres, to whom I 
 have addressed a letter on the subject, have furnished me with the following device and inscription, 
 which is to be executed for your Excellency : On one side the head of the general. Legend : " Georgio 
 Washington, supremo Duci exercitum Adsertori Liberatis comitio Americano." On the reverse, Taking 
 possession of Boston. The American army advances in good order toward the town, which is seen 
 at a distance ; while the British army flies with precipitation toward the shore, to embark on board 
 the vessels with which the harbor is covered. In the front of the American army appears the 
 general on horseback in a group of officers, whom he seems to make observe the flight of the enemy 
 beyond. Legend: " Hostibus Primo Fugatio. Exergue, Bostonium Recuperatum Die XVII Martii, 
 MDCCLXXVI." 
 
 I think it has the character of simplicity and dignity, which is to be aimed at in a memorial 
 of this kind,' which is designed to transmit the remembrance of a great deed to posterity. You 
 really do not know how much your name is venerated on this side of the Atlantic. I have the 
 honor to be, my dear general, your sincere friend and humble servant, 
 
 D. HUMPHREYS. 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 239 
 
 Col. Humphreys left Paris for London before the work on the medal was begun, and 
 the matter was placed in charge of Thomas Jefferson. The following letter from Col. 
 Humphreys proves this to have been nearly ten years after the congressional order : — 
 
 London, Jan. 30, 1786. 
 
 To Thomas Jefferson, Esq., Paris. 
 
 Dear Sir, — Gatteau the engraver lives in the Street St. Thomas du Louvre, opposite the 
 treasury of the Duke de Chartres. Now that there is no obstacle to commencing the medal for 
 Gen. Washington since Houdon's return, I could wish, should it not be giving you too much trouble, 
 that you would send for Duvivier, who lives in ' the old Louvre, and propose to him undertaking it 
 upon exactly the terms he had offered, which, I think, were twenty-four hundred livres besides the 
 gold, and expense of coinage. If he should not choose it, we must let it rest until Dupre shall have 
 finished Gen. Green's. Gatteau has a paper on which is the description of Gen. Washington's medal. 
 
 I am, sir, your most obedient and humble servant, 
 
 D. HUMPHREYS. 
 
 Jefferson acted promptly on these suggestions ; and assuredly the commission was in 
 harmony with his taste and culture. To Col. Humphreys he wrote : — 
 
 Paris, May 7, 1786- 
 
 Dear Sir, — I have received the books and papers you mention, and will undertake to have 
 finished what you left undone of the medals, or at least will proceed in it till the matter shall be 
 put in better hands. I am, dear sir, your friend and servant, 
 
 TH. JEFFERSON. 
 
 When completed, the medal was formally presented, to Washington with the resolu- 
 tions of Congress ; but of this the author has found no official statement, nor, indeed, 
 any record until immediately after his death, when it was catalogued by the appraisers at 
 Mount Vernon, among the deposits in the famous " iron chest," as the " Large gold 
 Medal of General Washington [value] $150.00." This ridiculously low estimate provokes 
 a smile, though of course it was only a consideration of its intrinsic or metal value. At 
 a private sale, confined to the heirs, for the above valuation it became the property of 
 George Steptoe Washington, son of Samuel Washington, a deceased brother of the general, 
 and continued in the family, descending from father to son, until the winter of 1876. It 
 was then purchased, for the sum of five thousand dollars, from the widow of George 
 Lafayette Washington, Mrs. Ann Ball Washington, by fifty citizens of Boston, who gener- 
 ously presented it to the city with which it is inseparably identified. 
 
 The medal, thus transmitted through one branch of the family, by whom its true and 
 symbolic value as a memorial was fully appreciated, had been carefully preserved ; nor 
 would it have been sold save for the pressure of circumstances, and to a city in which, 
 to every one who considers " the eternal fitness of things," it seems right that it should 
 be deposited. 
 
240 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 This medal was executed by Duvivier, one of the most celebrated of French engravers, 
 and is a beautiful example of art. Its condition is perfect, without perceptible blemish 
 or wear. During the civil war it was in possession of George Lafayette Washington, whose 
 country-home, " Harewood," was not far from Harper's Ferry, and near the road to the town 
 of Winchester, of which thoroughfare the two armies held alternate possession. For purposes 
 of safe keeping, Mr. Washington placed the medal in its original case of green seal-skin 
 lined with velvet, and, enveloping it closely in cotton, buried it in a box in a dry cellar. 
 
 Prior to the war, this gentleman had received frequent offers for the purchase of the 
 cherished heir-loom ; but he would not part with it as long as it was possible to retain it, 
 and then was only willing that it should be purchased for the city which its association 
 would obviously designate. After his death, a relative in Texas made known this fact to 
 the mayor of Boston, who, with the co-operation of Hon. Robert C. Winthrop and Hon. 
 Otis Norcross, soon secured the names of fifty citizens, — forty-eight gentlemen and two 
 ladies, — who subscribed one hundred dollars each to secure this valuable medallic memorial 
 for " Boston Town." While in negotiation for the purchase of the medal, Rev. Dr. Clemson, 
 father of Mrs. Washington, — through whom the sale was made, — wrote, Feb. 22, 1876 : — 
 
 " I might say the medal was verbally purchased by Gov. Andrew of your State ; and on this 
 honored day (Washington's birthday) it was to have been presented to your citizens, but his prema- 
 ture death prevented the consummation." 
 
 March 17, 1876, the centennial of the reduction of Boston was observed with great 
 enthusiasm. The committee of arrangements ordered the celebration of the day to begin 
 "by firing salutes, and ringing the church-bells, at sunrise," which were repeated at noon 
 and sunset ; " that the occupants of stores and dwellings on Washington Street be re- 
 quested to decorate their buildings ; that the localities of the fortifications on Boston 
 Neck, and other places of historic interest in the city, be decorated ; that Bunker Hill 
 Monument, Dorchester Heights, and the principal public buildings, be illuminated ; that 
 the general Government be requested to fire salutes from the Navy Yard and the forts 
 in the harbor ; and that the State authorities be requested to illuminate the State House. 
 Citizens resident on the principal squares and thoroughfares are requested to illuminate 
 their dwellings on the evening of the 17th." The city was a scene of general rejoicing; 
 but the most interesting ceremony of the anniversary was the formal presentation of the 
 Washington Medal in Music Hall. 
 
 The harmonious coincidence of receiving this centennial memorial on the hundredth 
 return of the day was gracefully appreciated by the city authorities ; and the golden 
 remembrancer of the victory was welcomed to its own city by music, prayer, and elo- 
 quence. Rev. George E. Ellis, D.D., was the orator of the occasion ; and his able and 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 241 
 
 exhaustive address (part of which only was delivered, but which was afterwards published 
 in full) gives not only a sketch of the medal, but an historic discourse upon the siege 
 and capture of Boston. 
 
 When the mayor introduced the speaker, and gave to him the priceless relic, Dr. 
 Ellis pertinently said, — 
 
 "The memorial medal which you put in my hand is itself the golden text, and substantially 
 the orator and discourse of this day. I can at best but interpret the device, and expand the legend, 
 of this precious token." 
 
 At a meeting of the Board of Aldermen, March 20, Hon. Samuel C. Cobb, mayor, 
 officially announced the presentation to the city of the medal, which was " to be trans- 
 ferred to the Trustees of the Public Library, in whose custody it was to remain." The 
 preamble and names attached were read aloud ; and as they will from this time be links 
 in the history of the medal, it seems appropriate to introduce them here. 
 
 "The large gold medal 1 presented to Washington by Congress, for his services in expelling the 
 British forces from Boston on the 17th of March, 1776, having remained in the Washington family 
 for a hundred years, is now, owing to the circumstances of its owners, offered for private sale. 
 The undersigned, feeling deeply that such a memorial should be among the most cherished memo- 
 rials of our city, and should certainly go nowhere else, hereby agree to be responsible to the 
 amount, not exceeding one hundred dollars each, for the purchase of the medal, to be presented to 
 the city of Boston, and preserved forever in the Boston Public Library. 
 " December, 1875." 
 
 ROBERT C. WINTHROP. 
 
 JOHN AMORY LOWELL. 
 
 W. AMORY. 
 
 JOHN L. GARDNER. 
 
 SAMUEL C. COBB. 
 
 ROBERT M. MASON. 
 
 CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. 
 
 OTIS NORCROSS. 
 
 N. THAYER. 
 
 CORA F. SHAW. 
 
 MARTIN BRIMMER. 
 
 WILLIAM GASTON. 
 
 EDWARD AUSTIN. 
 
 ABBOTT LAWRENCE. 
 
 H. P. KIDDER. 
 
 JAMES PARKER. 
 
 H. H. HUNNEWELL. 
 
 S. D. WARREN. 
 
 NATHANIEL J. BRADLEE. 
 
 J. INGERSOLL BOWDITCH. 
 
 HENRY L. PIERCE. 
 
 T. G. APPLETON. 
 
 WILLIAM APPLETON. 
 
 WILLIAM ENDICOTT, Jun. 
 
 CHARLES FAULKNER. 
 
 HENRY LEE. 
 
 WILLIAM S. APPLETON. 
 
 MARY BREWER. 
 
 C. A. BREWER. 
 
 GEORGE C. RICHARDSON. 
 
 AMOS A. LAWRENCE. 
 
 EBEN C. JORDAN. 
 
 WALTER HASTINGS. 
 
 J. HUNTINGTON WOLCOTT. 
 
 GEORGE W. WALES. 
 E. R. MUDGE. 
 WILLIAM W. TUCKER. 
 HENRY G. DENNY. 
 JAMES L. LITTLE. 
 P. C. BROOKS. 
 SIDNEY BROOKS. 
 ISAAC THACHER. 
 HENRY A. WHITNEY. 
 RICHARD C. GREENLEAF. 
 THOMAS WIGGLESWORTH. 
 ALVAH A. BURRAGE. 
 ALEXANDER H. RICE. 
 JAMES DAVIS. 
 E. B. BIGELOW. 
 CHARLES WHITNEY. 
 
 1 In "The Medallic History of the United States," by J. F. Loubat, an exquisite translation of this medal is 
 rendered by the celebrated French engraver, Jules Jacquemart. 
 
 » 
 
242 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 Whatever device or monument may be produced in the future to honor the name of 
 Washington, Boston can point with pride to her gold medal, and claim it to be the first, 
 — unique. History teaches that to no agency can fame so confidently trust as medallic 
 mediums. Deeds of greatness, upon which tomes have been written, may be lost in the 
 destruction of a library ; monuments, columns, statues, must crumble in the lapse of time : 
 but a medal upon which is engraved an heroic name will carry that name safely down the 
 ages. It may be entombed for centuries, and suddenly, through the antiquarian's zeal, 
 flash deed and name upon a half-remembering world. If every effigy of Washington be 
 lost, every book containing his name be destroyed, every being speaking the English 
 tongue be annihilated, this medal, dug from the bowels of the earth, would bear witness 
 of a people and a hero. 
 
 The Massachusetts Historical Society is the fortunate possessor of specimens, in silver, 
 of the medals ordered by the Continental Congress, between the years 1776 and 1781, for 
 heroes of the Revolution whom they esteemed as being deserving of special recognition. 
 
 It is said that the French Government, ever thoughtful to compliment Washington, 
 ordered this complete series to be struck in silver, and sent to him at Mount Vernon, 
 which was done under the direct supervision of Lafayette. At the sale of Washington's 
 effects they were catalogued by the appraisers as "Medals in a case — [Value] $50.00," 
 and became the property of a nephew, Lawrence Lewis, from whom they descended to 
 his son. In 1825 Daniel Webster, while reading the morning paper at the capital, was 
 attracted by a pawnbroker's advertisement of " Washington medals for sale." He immedi- 
 ately investigated the matter ; and discovering that they had first been pawned, and then 
 sold, and that they were once undoubtedly the property of Washington, he bought the 
 case, and offered to return the valuable memorials to the family. Judge Bushrod Wash- 
 ington, one of the administrators then living, refused Mr. Webster's kind offer, saying, 
 " I am childless, and not rich ; in a few years at the longest the same process will have 
 to be gone over again ; and, as the medals are now in good hands, I pray you to keep 
 them." The case of medals remained in possession of Mr. Webster for a quarter of a 
 century, and then passed into the hands of the Hon. Peter Harvey. By him they were 
 presented to the Massachusetts Historical Society, as will be seen by an extract from the 
 Proceedings of the Society, 1875-76: — 
 
 "In accordance with a vote of the society, an inscription was placed on the case of medals: — 
 
 This case of 
 Eleven Medals, 
 originally the property of 
 Washington, 
 
 1 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments > and Medals. 243 
 
 afterwards of 
 Webster, 
 was presented to the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society 
 April 16 th 1874, 
 by the 
 Hon. Peter Harvey^ 
 
 Mr. Harvey, in his graceful presentation address, gives an interesting historic sketch, 
 concluding with remarks which are commended to the serious consideration of individuals 
 who own valuable relics. He said, — 
 
 " Mr. Webster placed a very high value on these memorials, as having been struck in Paris, 
 under the supervision of Gen. Lafayette, as a gift to Washington, and, it is believed, by order of the 
 French Government ; thus associating them with three of the most distinguished personages in our 
 history, — Washington, Lafayette, and Webster. The simple statement of the fact that less than 
 three-fourths of a century from the time they were presented to the illustrious Father of his Country 
 finds them in my possession is quite sufficient to show that such memorials and historic treasures 
 should not be left to the changes and chances of individual ownership. Entertaining these views, I 
 beg leave to place them in the custody of the Massachusetts Historical Society." 
 
 Of the many medallic offerings, none approach in importance the one designated in the 
 Mint Catalogue as "Washington before Boston ;" and yet offerings of this kind are counted 
 by hundreds. A volume containing notices of the most valuable of these was written by 
 Hon. James Ross Snowden. One hundred and thirty-eight specimens are accurately described 
 in this work, from the " Washington before Boston " to the latest official order of the Mint, 
 called "The Cabinet Medal," Feb. 22, i860. Not only medals are included in Director 
 Snowden's description, but all memorials of Washington deposited in the Mint. This 
 officer inaugurated a national cabinet of " Washington Medals," with the laudable purpose 
 of securing them from loss; and the "Cabinet Medal" was struck to commemorate that 
 act. 
 
 A small work published in 1873, entitled " Description of Washington Medals in the 
 Collection of W. S. Appleton," embraces three hundred and nine specimens, all of which, 
 save twelve, are in possession of that learned numismatist. So complete a series as this 
 cannot again be acquired ; so that Boston may be considered far more favored than other 
 cities in medallic memorials of Washington. With few exceptions, Washington medals 
 have been offerings of associations, lodges, and individual admirers ; and, as there is no 
 restriction in issuing medals, a number of them dedicated to Washington have been degraded 
 into advertisements. Nothing can cheapen the true value of a national medal.; yet the full 
 
244 
 
 Original Portraits of Washington. 
 
 license allowed in striking - medals, and trading in the same, has the unhappy effect of 
 vitiating public taste, and multiplying inferior numismatic specimens. 
 
 While it is impossible even to mention many of the more important Washington 
 medals, — much less to justly describe them, this paper having reference only to the one 
 ordered by Congress, — yet a few remarks upon some of the more famous are offered. 
 One peculiarity cannot fail to impress the numismatist ; which is, that, of the large number 
 of Washington medals in the Mint cabinet, one only perpetuates an event of war, and that 
 one the national medal, "Washington before Boston." All others illustrate some associa- 
 tion of personal friendship ; such as those having the heads of Washington, Lafayette, and 
 Kosciusko, or Washington and Franklin. Others are Masonic ; and others still portray 
 such events in his life as recall his interest in all the arts of peace, especially that occu- 
 pation which he loved so well, — agriculture. The author, W. Elliott Woodward, in an 
 interesting monograph entitled " List of Washington Memorial Medals," describes forty- 
 eight on which the dates of his birth and death are inscribed. Of this class, perhaps the 
 most desirable is known as the " Perkins Medal," or " Funeral Medal." Obverse : bust of 
 Washington facing left, crowned with a wreath of laurel. Legend : " George Washington." 
 Reverse : a tomb inscribed " Victor sine clade ; " the tomb surmounted by an urn, beside 
 which stands a child weeping. On the left, in the background, Grief is impersonated by 
 a female figure standing near the insignia of war, supporting the shield of the United 
 States. Inscription : " He in glory, the world in tears!' Three varieties of this medal were 
 issued in Massachusetts, and worn by old and young at the Washington obsequies, which 
 there, as throughout the Union and in many European countries, were solemnly cele- 
 brated Feb. 22, 1800. Such medals, known to have been worn on that occasion, are 
 retained in old families as highly-prized relics. The " Eccleston Medals," of which there 
 are two varieties, are graceful, and full of poetic strength. Obverse : bust of Washington. 
 Reverse : an Indian leaning on a bow, with an arrow in his hand. Encircling this figure 
 the significant words, "The land was ours;" the whole surrounded with this legend, "He 
 laid the Foundation of American Liberty in the XVIII century. Innumerable millions, yet 
 unborn, will venerate the man who obtained their country's freedom." This was designed 
 and executed upon the order of Mr. Eccleston, an English gentleman, and a devoted 
 admirer of Washington. 
 
 The first Indian or peace medal — tokens which have had conspicuous part in our 
 dealings with the aborigines — has on its obverse a bust of Washington on a pedestal, 
 on the right side of which is the figure of Liberty, and on the left an Indian chief. 
 An Indian medal, claimed to have been issued in 1786, was placed in the foundation- 
 stone of the Washington National Monument. If the date is correctly given, it was not 
 a government medal. The "Wright Medal" has a well cut, undraped bust of Washing- 
 
Busts, Statues, Monuments, and Medals. 
 
 245 
 
 ton on the obverse. It has two reverse sides, — one, a fine rendering of Trumbull's his- 
 toric painting, " The Signing of the Declaration of Independence ; " and the second, a 
 tablet of eighteen important events in the history of this country, beginning with the 
 " Discovery of North America by the English, July 3, 1497," and concluding with the 
 "Assault on Quebec, by Americans, Dec. 31, 1775." 
 
 The Manley, or " Blacksmith's Medal," demands attention, not only because it was 
 received by contemporaries of Washington as a striking representation of the President, 
 but because it was issued in 1790, and is one of the first medallic works known to have 
 been executed in this country. The medal is doubtless after the head of Washington by 
 Joseph Wright ; for the lines are strong and realistic, as was the manner of that artist. 
 It was engraved and sold by J. Manley, whose name it perpetuates. Obverse : bust of 
 Washington in uniform, facing to the left ; legend, " George Washington, Born, Virginia," 
 with the date beneath, "Feb. 11, 1732." Reverse: "General of American Armies, 1775. 
 Resigned, 1783. President of United States, 1789." The only example in gold known to 
 be in existence of the "Blacksmith's Medal" is owned by Mr. William S. Appleton. 
 
 Several of the one-cent pieces first issued by the United-States Mint displayed the 
 head of Washington ; but, as long as the Government endures, it will be remembered 
 that Washington would not allow his head to be placed upon coins ; and finally, in con- 
 sequence of this objection, a law was passed, that, " upon one side of said coins, there 
 shall be an impression emblematic of liberty." 
 
 Of foreign medals, the most beautiful and numerous were issued in France. Her 
 monarch, courtiers, and citizens were at least united in sentiments of exalted esteem for 
 the American hero. A description of one French medal will conclude this chapter. It 
 antedates the Boston medal; having been struck in Paris as early as 1778, and was 
 designed by Voltaire. The obverse presents the head of Washington, which is not a 
 recognizable likeness, as at that time there was not, as far as known, even his portrait in 
 France. Legend : " G. Washington, E m General of the Contin. Army in America." Re- 
 verse : martial emblems surrounded by diverging rays. The inscription or motto encircling 
 these is a terse utterance worthy of the great French philosopher : " Washington reunit 
 par un rare assemblage — les talens du Guerrier and les vertus du sage." 
 
INDEX. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 A. 
 
 Abert, Col. J. J., 214. 
 
 Adams, Charles Francis, 44, 241. 
 
 Aclams, John, 24, 44; picture of, by Winstan- 
 
 ley, in Boston Museum, 93; friendship of, 
 
 for Washington, 236. 
 Adams, John Quincy, 14, 16, 212, 214. 
 Adams, Louisa Francis, 214. 
 Aclams, Samuel, " the man of the Revolution," 
 
 149. 
 Aiken, 133. 
 Albemarle, Earl of, 9. 
 Alexander, Cosmo, Scotch painter, 77. 
 Aliamet, noted French engraver, 39. 
 Allen, Joseph, 163. 
 
 Allston, Washington, obituary of Stuart by, 
 78-80. 
 
 " American Column," the location and de- 
 scription of, 137. 
 
 Amory, Mrs. Charles, 2. 
 
 Amory, W., 241. 
 
 Anderson, Dr., 61. 
 
 Anderson, Mrs. Archer, 51. 
 
 Andre, execution of, 65. 
 
 Andrew, Gov., 240. 
 
 Andrews, Joseph, 108. 
 
 Appleton, Mrs. Emily W., 100, 104. 
 
 Appleton, J. W. M., 152. 
 
 Appleton, Nathan, fine examples of the artist 
 Sharpless in possession of, 130. 
 
 Appleton, T. G-, 241. 
 
 Appleton, William, 241. 
 
 Appleton, William H., 98, 104. 
 
 Appleton, William S., 241, 243, 245. 
 
 Audubon, John Woodhouse, 105. 
 
 Austin, Edward, 241. 
 
 Austin, Samuel, 236. 
 Avery, Samuel P., 94, 105. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bacon, Henry, " Boston Boys" by, 21. 
 
 Bailey, Joseph A., unveiling 'of statue by, 
 presented by First School District of Penn- 
 sylvania, 1S4 ; contract made with, for statue 
 of Washington, 185. 
 
 Baker, Gardner, 83, 87, 103. 
 
 Baker, William S., the best authority upon 
 engraved heads in this country, 109. 
 
 Ball, Judge Charles Washington, 17. 
 
 Ball, Miss Mary, 196. 
 
 Ball, Thomas, equestrian statue of Washing- 
 ton by, 183. 
 Balmain, Rev. Dr., 16 
 
 Barbiere-Walbonne, Jacques Luc, miniatures 
 of Washington by, 29 ; sent by Louis XVI. 
 to America, 29 ; pupil of David, and fa- 
 mous for his military portraits, 29. 
 
 Barker, Mrs. Augusta Peale, 121. 
 
 Barker, Mr. Jacob, 89. 
 
 Barlow, Mr., 89. 
 
 Barney, Charles G., 11 1. 
 
 Barralet, Jon. Jas., 113. 
 
 Barry, Robert, 95, 103. 
 
 Bartholomew, Edward Sheffield, statue of 
 
 Washington at Rome in 1857 by, 180. 
 Bartholdi, statue of Liberty by, 179. 
 Bassett, Col., 138. 
 Bassett, Mr. Burrett, 156. 
 Bassett, Frances, 157. 
 Bassett, the two Misses, 156. 
 Beale, Mr. Benjamin F., 52. 
 Beck, copied in marble work by Rush, 172. 
 
 Beck, Benjamin, 101. 
 
 Beck, George, 100; justly considered the 
 
 pioneer artist of the West, 100. 
 Beck, Paul, 97, 103. 
 Beck, H. P., 151. 
 Bedford, Mr., 148. 
 Beekman, Theophilas, 69. 
 Belknap, Edward, Esq., 56. 
 Belknap, Miss Elizabeth, 56. 
 Belknap, Dr. Jeremy, 55, 56. 
 Bell, Shubael, chief assistant of Rev. Asa 
 
 Eaton, 146. 
 Benson, Rob., 69. 
 Bertini, 173. 
 
 Bickerstaff's Almanac, 20. 
 
 Bigelow, E. B., 241. 
 
 Bingham, Mr. William, 87, 103. 
 
 Bingham, Mrs. William, 81. 
 
 Biographer of Copley, 1. 
 
 Birch, William, an English enamel-painter, 
 no; first enamel made in this country was 
 by, no; crayon-sketch of Washington by, 
 no. 
 
 Blackburn, Col. and Lady, 6. 
 Blagden, Thomas, 214. 
 Blake, Dr. J. B., 218. 
 Bland, Mr., 147. 
 Blight, Atherton, 13. 
 
 Blight, George, 96, 104; portrait in glass 
 
 owned by, 106. 
 Blight, James, 96. 
 Bocock, Hon. Thomas S., 181. 
 Bogart, Dr., 51. 
 Bogart, Mr. Cornelius, 51. 
 Bolivar, Simon, 1 16. 
 
 Bone, W., enameller to George III., 1 11. 
 Bordley, Miss Elizabeth, 139. 
 
 249 
 
 4 
 
250 
 
 Index. 
 
 Bordley, John Beale, 139. 
 
 Borie, A. E., 13. 
 
 Boteler, Hon. A. S., 142. 
 
 Botta, Carlo Giuseppe Guglielmo, 14. 
 
 Bounetheau, Pet., 70. 
 
 Bowditch, J. Ingersoll, 241. 
 
 Boydell, Alderman, 74. 
 
 Braddock, Gen., 1, 6, 9, 101. 
 
 Bradlee, Nathaniel J., 241. 
 
 Bradley, Joseph A., 214. 
 
 Bradley, Wm, A., 214. 
 
 Brand, Rev. William F., 18. 
 
 Braxton, Miss E. R., owner of an ingenious 
 
 portrait by E. Sharpless, 132. 
 Breckenridge, 181. 
 Breck, Samuel, 56. 
 Brehan, Madame de, 48. 
 Brent, Daniel, 88. 
 Brent, William, 121, 213. 
 Brent, Samuel, 16. 
 Brevoort, Henry, 39. 
 Brevoort, J. Carson, 39, 134. 
 Brewer, C. A. F., 241. 
 Brewer, Mary, 241. 
 Brien, Edward, 93, 103. 
 Brien, L. Tiernan, 94. 
 Brien, Mrs., 93. 
 
 Briggs, Mrs. Emily Edson, 164. 
 Brimmer, Martin, 241. 
 Brooke, Judge, 157, 159, 161. 
 Brooks, P. C, 241. 
 Brooks, Sidney, 241. 
 Brown, Charles, 98, 103. 
 Brown, Dr., 6. 
 
 Brown, Henry Kirke, 159, 164; his evidence of 
 the genuineness of the Houdon cast, 168; 
 first equestrian statue of Washington by, 
 and its description, 178, 179. 
 
 Browne, Mr. Peter A., 97, 103. 
 
 Bruce, Edward F., 17. 
 
 Bruhl, Count de, 34. 
 
 Bryan, Hon. G. S., entries by, in biographi- 
 cal sketch of Fraser, 144. 
 
 Bryan, Thomas J., 15, 99, 103. 
 
 Buchanan, James, 1S1, 182, 198, 200. 
 
 Buchan, Earl of, 10, 58, 59; a Scotch noble, 
 61 ; letter of, accompanying the " Wallace 
 Box," 61. 
 
 Buchlcr, Mr. William, 97, 104; a fine work by- 
 Stuart owned by, 97. 
 Buren, Martin Van, 214. 
 Burgoyne, surrender of, 18, 76. 
 Burragc, Alvah A., 241. 
 
 Burt, Charles, 49; exquisite engraving by, for 
 the " Life and Works of Gilbert Stuart," 94. 
 Busts, statues, monuments, and medals, 146. 
 Buttre, 47 ; engraving by, 52. 
 
 c. 
 
 Campisell, Alexander, portrait of Wash- 
 ington by, unknown to Washington, 22. 
 
 Canova, Antonio, the greatest sculptor of 
 modern Italy, 170; executed first work of 
 sculpture in the Old World in form of 
 statue, 173. 
 
 Carbery, Thomas, 214. 
 
 Carmichael, William, 8. 
 
 Carroll, Mr. Charles, 89, 121. 
 
 Carroll, Daniel, 101, 103. 
 
 Carson, Joseph, M.D., 13. 
 
 Carter, Mrs. Eleanor, 19. 
 
 Cary, 153. 
 
 Casey, Col. Thomas Lincoln, U.S.A., 218. 
 Cass, Lewis, 214. 
 Cassoul, M., 141. 
 
 Causici, Andre, sculptor, from Verona, of 
 Robert Mills's monument, 201. 
 
 Cazenove, Mr., of Switzerland, 50. 
 
 Ceracchi, Giuseppe, Italian sculptor, 147; 
 linked in fame with Canova, 170; made 
 three busts of Washington, 170; third bust 
 by, retained by the artist, 171, 173. 
 
 Charming, Dr. William F., letter of, 93, 103. 
 
 Channing, Mrs. William E., 93. 
 
 Chantrey, Sir Francis, in the main hall of 
 State House at Boston stands a noble 
 statue of Washington by, 174. 
 
 Chapman, 105. 
 
 Chapman, Dr. Nathaniel, 63. 
 
 C happeH, 105. 
 
 Cheesman, Thomas, 71, 75, 76; engraving by, 
 
 of Washington, by far the best translation 
 
 of the painter Trumbull, 175. 
 Chesnut, John, ioi, 103. 
 Chesnut, James, 101. 
 Childs, George W., 13, 14, 109. 
 Chipman, 217. 
 Claghom, James L., 13, 126. 
 Clark, artist, 165. 
 Clark, E. W., & Co., 13. 
 Clark, Rev. Thomas M., bishop of Rhode 
 
 Island, distinguished native of Newbury- 
 
 port, 190. 
 Clay, H., 212. 
 
 Claypoole, David C, editor of "The Daily 
 Advertiser " of Philadelphia, in which was 
 published the Farewell Address of Wash- 
 ington, 42; portrait for, by Peale, 42. 
 
 Clemson, Rev. Dr., 240. 
 
 Clinton, 170. 
 
 Clitherall, Dr. G. C, U.S.A., 94. 95. 
 Coan, F., 14. 
 
 Cobb, lion. Samuel C, 241. 
 Codman, Mrs. Arthur, 56. 
 
 Coffin, Edward F., 190. 
 
 Coles, Mr. Edward, 97, 104. 
 
 Coles, John, 7. 
 
 Collins, Frederick, 13. 
 
 Col well, Stephen, 12. 
 
 Comegys, John, 198. 
 
 Conde, le Prince de, 67. 
 
 Conrad, Lawrence Lewis, 115. 
 
 Constable, Mr. William, 85, 86, 103. 
 
 Cooke, Messrs. Jay, & Co., 13. 
 
 Coolidge, T. Jefferson, 99, 103. 
 
 Copley, miniature of Washington by, I ; first 
 artist who painted American flag in Eng- 
 land, 3. 
 
 Copley, Miss Mary, 2. 
 
 Corbin, 153. 
 
 Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 8 ; 
 copy of only miniature of Washington 
 engraved by St. Mcmin is in St. Memin 
 collection at, 134 ; the most priceless col- 
 lection of heads, 134, 170. 
 
 Corcoran, W. W., 17, 89, 102, 218, 220. 
 
 Cox, Col. John, 102. 
 
 Cox, S. S., 217. 
 
 Coxe, Peter, 81. 
 
 Craft, Mrs. M. M., 60. 
 
 Craig, Mrs. William, 96. 
 
 Cranch, Judge, 121. 
 
 Crawford, Thomas, sculptor, 33, 89; his opin- 
 ion of Joseph Wright, 33; bronze statue of 
 Washington by, 176. 
 
 Crevecceur, Hector St. John de, 49. 
 
 Croley, Dr., 13. 
 
 Crosby, Col. J. Schuyler, 9S, 104. 
 Crosby, William, 98. 
 Curtenius, Peter J., 69. 
 
 dishing, Hon. Caleb, distinguished son of 
 Newburvport, 190. 
 
 Custis, Eleanor Parke, a very accomplished 
 woman, Latrobe's opinion of portrait of, 
 in " Vcardley Collection," 138; silhouette 
 by, valuable because it corroborates the 
 faithfulness of St. Memin, 13S, 139. 
 
 Custis, Eliza P., 128. 
 
 Custis, George Washington Parke, 6, 24, 47, 
 
 72, 117, 128, 161, 165, 168, 193, 214. 
 Custis, Miss Helmer. 59. 
 Custis, Major John, 138. 
 Custis, John Parke, 5, 130. 
 Custis, Nelly (Mrs. Lewis), 46, 48, 51, 72. 
 Cuvier, 120. 
 
 D. 
 
 Dahlgren, Mrs. Admiral, 102, 104. 
 Dale, Mrs., 96. 
 
 Dallam, Major William S., 101. 
 Dandridge, Mr., 137. 
 
Index. 
 
 251 
 
 Dandridgc, Miss, 3 ; owner of portrait similar 
 
 to one under discussion, 3. 
 Darley, 105 
 
 Darling, Mrs. C. W., 59. 
 
 Davenport, Hon. John, 71. 
 
 David, Barbiere-Walbonne, pupil of, 29. 
 
 Davis, Capt., 217, 218. 
 
 Davis, Charles Augustus, 50. 
 
 Davis, James, 241. 
 
 Davis, Mr. I. I'., 52, 91, 99, 103. 
 
 Dean, Mr., 50, 1S1. 
 
 De Hart, Miss, silhouette of Washington by, 
 
 26. 
 
 De Mare, Copley's miniature, engraved by, 
 for Irving's " Life of Washington," I. 
 
 Denny, Henry G., 241. 
 
 Depeyster, Mr. Robert S. S., 89. 
 
 Derby, Mrs., 139. 
 
 D'Estaing, Count, 7. 
 
 Deville, a French artist, 164, 168. 
 
 Dexter, Elias, 30; publisher of Robertson's 
 picture of Washington, 61. 
 
 Dexter, Mr. Samuel, 88. 
 
 Dickinson, Gov., 40. 
 
 Dinner, a family, described, 59. 
 
 Dix, Miss Dorothea, 182. 
 
 Doggett, Mr., 100, 103. 
 
 Donaldson, Hon. Thomas, 142. 
 
 Doolittle, 109. 
 
 Dorsey, Mr , 106. 
 
 Dougherty and Berry, Messrs., 213. 
 Downing, Major Jacl<, 50. 
 Drake, assertion of, in regard to bust of Wash- 
 ington, 147. 
 Dreer, Ferdinand J , 151, 172. 
 Dudensing, engraver, 135. 
 Duer, Mrs., 27. 
 Duhamcl, C, 29. 
 Duncan, Alexander, 9. 
 
 Dunlap, William, portraits of Washington 
 by, 30 ; never won renown as an artist, but 
 an active promoter of art, vice-president 
 of National Academy of Design, 30; pen 
 sketch by, 30, 31, 53; biography of Stuart 
 by, 78, 88 ; referred to, 95, 103, 170. 
 
 Dupre, 25, 239. 
 
 Durand, 76, 109, 165. 
 
 Duvivier, French artist, 23S; executed Wash- 
 ington medal, 240. 
 Dyk, John Van, 69. 
 
 E. 
 
 Earle, Mr., 122. 
 
 Eaton, Rev. Asa, the first organizer of Sunday 
 schools in the country, 146; former pastor 
 of Christ Church, 147. 
 
 Eccleston, executed bust of Washington, 150. 
 
 Echstein, John, second engraver United States 
 Mint, executed from life a miniature bust of 
 Washington, 150. 
 
 Eddy, R., 13. 
 
 Edwards, Mrs. Susan Washington, m. 
 
 Edwin, David, a famous story-teller, 46; his 
 humorous description of a journey, 46; de- 
 voted admirer of Stuart, 108. 
 
 Ellenborough, Lord, 60. 
 
 Ellis, Rev. George E., D.D., 240. 
 
 Ellsworth, Mr., 147. 
 
 Elsworth, William J., 69. 
 
 Endicott, William, jun., 241. 
 
 Engravings of Stuart's Washington outnumber 
 fivefold those of any other artist, 108. 
 
 Erskine, David Stuart, Earl of Buchan, 61. 
 
 Etting, Miss Richsa G.. 95 
 
 Etting, Solomon, 95, 103. 
 
 Eugene, Prince, 35. 
 
 " Evacuation of Boston," medal struck com- 
 memorative of the, 235. 
 Evans, Mrs. Eliza M , 132. 
 Everett, Edward, 129. 
 Ewell, Col. Benjamin S.. 137. 
 Ewing, Judge John Hoye, 96, 104. 
 Eyre, Mrs. Wilson, 115. 
 
 F. 
 
 Fairfax, Col., 40. 
 Falls, Moor, 95, 103. 
 Faulkner, Charles, 241. 
 Fell, J. G., 13. 
 Felton, Mr., 96. 
 Fendall, P. R., 214. 
 
 Field, Robert, 5 ; engraver and amateur 
 painter, 115; executed three miniatures of 
 Washington and one of his wife, 115. 
 
 Fillmore, Millard, 212, 214. 
 
 Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of, 4. 
 
 " First in war, first in peace, and first in the 
 hearts of his countrymen," the immortal 
 words of Richard Henry Lee, 175. 
 
 Fischer, George, & Brothers, recent statue of 
 Washington erected at Newburyport, cast 
 by, 189. 
 
 Fish, Hon. Hamilton, 46, 164; owns the best 
 authenticated bust of Washington in marble, 
 by Houdon, 164. 
 
 Fisher, Mr. George Harrison, 140. 
 
 Fisher, Joshua Francis, 140. 
 
 Fisher, Micrs, 129. 
 
 Fisher, Robert I., 97. 
 
 Folwel, Samuel, miniature-painter, account of 
 
 his profile likeness of Washington, 140. 
 Foggo, Mrs. Annie Hopkinson, 32. 
 Force, Peter, 214. 
 
 Forest, Mr. William, 124. 
 Forest, Col., 125. 
 Fox, Charles, 21. 
 
 Fox, Daniel M., mayor of Philadelphia, 184. 
 
 Francis (Lord Napier), 10. 
 
 Franklin, Benjamin, 25, 32, 154, 155, 158, 159. 
 
 Franks, Hon. Samuel D., 97, 103. 
 
 Fraser, Charles, 71 ; not only beloved as a 
 
 man, and admired as an artist, but also an 
 
 able writer, 144; his epitaph on Charles 
 
 Cotesworth Pinckney, 144, 145. 
 Fraser, Miss, 144. 
 Frederic the Great, 35. 
 Freeborn, Miss Josephine, 186. 
 French, Benjamin B., Masonic address by, 216. 
 Frothingham, Mr. James, 86; favorite pupil 
 
 of Stuart, 86. 
 Fullerton, Nathaniel, portrait of Washington 
 
 by, 21; an enthusiastic amateur artist, 21; 
 
 account of, 21. 
 Fulton, Robert, drawings of events in which 
 
 Washington figured, by, 28. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gaither, 117. 
 Gallatin, Albert, 212. 
 Gardner, John L., 241. 
 
 Garfield, Gen. James A., 102; extract from 
 
 eloquent address of, 102. 
 Gaston, William, 241. 
 Gates, Gen., 26, 64. 
 Gatteau, engraver, 239. 
 George III., 65. 
 Gibbs, Col., 99. 
 Gibbs, Mrs., 164. 
 Gibbs, Col. George, 93, 103. 
 Gibbs, Gov. George, 99, 103. 
 Gibson, Mrs. Elizabeth Bordley, 84, 139, 149. 
 Gibson, James, 97, 103. 
 Gilbert, Hon. Ezekicl, anecdote of, 105. 
 Gilbert, Dr. William K., 15, 149. 
 Gill, Mr. William Fearing, 19. 
 Gilmor, Robert, 92 ; generous art-patron, 102. 
 Girard, M., 12. 
 
 Goldsborough, Mrs. George R., 128. 
 Goodhue, B., 36 ; contemporary of Washing- 
 ton, 36. 
 
 "Goodhue Portrait," the most valuable por- 
 trait of Washington, by Joseph Wright, 37. 
 
 Goodrich, Chauncey, 90. 
 
 Goodrich, Hon. C. S., U.S. Consul, Lyons, 
 France, 106. 
 
 Gordon, Rev. Dr., 58. 
 
 Gage, Gen., Fullerton's indignant protest to, 
 
 or one of the "Boston Boys," 21. 
 Gray, Hon. Horace, 100, 103. 
 
252 
 
 Index, 
 
 Green, Gen., 239. 
 
 Green, Mrs. Gen., 59. 
 
 Green, Mrs. Gardner, 2. 
 
 Green, Mr. Jasper, 51. 
 
 Green, V., 67. 
 
 Greenleaf, John, 96, 103. 
 
 Greenleaf, Richard C, 241. 
 
 Grecnough, Horatio, position and description 
 
 of statue of Washington by, 175. 
 Greyson, Mr., 157. 
 Griffith, T. W., 164. 
 
 Griswold, author of " Republican Court,'' 146. 
 
 Giilager, Christian, first sketch of Washing- 
 ton by stealth by, 54 ; opened in Boston a 
 free museum of paintings and curiosities, 
 54; called the "Father of the Eagle," 54; 
 his Boston Oratorio Fortrait of Washing- 
 ton, 56; in some respects superior to Stuart, 
 56 ; said to have modelled a bust of Wash- 
 ington, 146, 147. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hagner, Judge, 105. 
 
 Hall, George E., engraver, 177, 179. 
 
 Hall, II. B., 41, 43; engraving by, 52, 127, 
 
 133. '65. 171. 
 Hamilton, Alexander, 86. 
 Hamilton, Alexander, of New York, 86, 103. 
 Hamilton, Elizabeth, 214. 
 Hancock, Gen., 99. 
 Hancock, Hon. John, 7, 235. 
 Hancock, Mrs., 54. 
 Hand, Gen. Edward, 93. 
 Hand, Thomas C, 13. 
 Hansford, Milton, 2. 
 Hare, Mr. D. O., 213. 
 
 Harris, Mr., first to propose making an appro- 
 priation for monument to Washington, 195. 
 
 Harrison, Gov., 13, 158. 
 
 Harrison, Mrs. Gessner, 94. 
 
 Harrison, Joseph, 7, 12, 103; an interesting 
 Stuart in the collection of the late, 91. 
 
 Hart, Miss de, 27. 
 
 Hartshorn, Capt., 145. 
 
 Harvard College, portrait painted for, by 
 Savage, 45. 
 
 Harvey, Hon. Peter, 242 ; presents a case of 
 eleven medals to Massachusetts Historical 
 Society, 242, 243. 
 
 Hastings, Walter, 241. 
 
 Hayden, Sydney, publisher, 141. 
 
 Hayes, President and Mrs., 102, 218. 
 
 Healy, G. P. R., 101. 
 
 Heath, Vernon, 9, 153. 
 
 Hector, Charles (Count d'Estaing), 7. 
 
 Henderson, Gen. A., 154, 214. 
 
 Henry of Luidhon, 35 ; brother of Frederic 
 
 the Great, 35. 
 Henry, Mathcw, 97. 
 Henry, Patrick, 176. 
 " Herman the Liberator," 192. 
 Hesselius, instructor of Pcale, 4, 50. 
 Hesselius, pastor of the first Swedish church 
 
 of Wilmington, Del., 50 
 Hill, 90. 
 
 Hillhouse, Hon. James, 90, 129. 
 Hiller, J., Jr., 92, 145. 
 Hoffman, David, 129. 
 Hoffman, Francis S., 129. 
 Hoffman, Peter, sen., 129. 
 Holl, 109. 
 
 Holland, Hon. Nathaniel, 107. 
 
 Holloway, T., 92 ; engraving by, 93 ; known 
 
 as Vaughan picture, 93. 
 Holly, Mrs., 215. 
 Homer, George, Esq., 149. 
 Honninghous, Mr., 14. 
 Hopkins, 235. 
 
 Hopkinson, Francis, 32, 39, 41. 
 
 Hoppner, John, popular portrait-painter, 32. 
 
 Hough, Franklin B., 127. 
 
 House, James, 92. 
 
 Houston, William C, 13, 113. 
 
 Howard, Mrs. Benjamin Chew, 95, 103. 
 
 Howard, Col. John Eager, 95, 103, 198, 200. 
 
 Howell, Mr., 148. 
 
 Hove, Hon. John, 96, 103. 
 
 Houdon, Jean Antoine, 13, 34; cast of Wash- 
 ington by, 148 ; sketch of, 1 53 ; esteemed the 
 best sculptor, 155; hospitably received by 
 Washington, 155; his experience in sketch- 
 ing Washington, 157; rendered in marble 
 several busts of Washington, 164. 
 
 Hubard, William J., 162; his permission to 
 make casts from the only original statue of 
 Washington by Houdon, 162; his copy in 
 bronze, 163. 
 
 Hubard, Mrs. William J., 163. 
 
 Humphreys, Col., 159; letter of, to Washing- 
 ton, 238, 239. 
 
 Hunnewell, H. H., 241. 
 
 Hunt, Gen., 98, 103. 
 
 Hunt, Col. Wesley P., 98. 
 
 Huntingdon, Samuel, 26. 
 
 Huntington, Gen. Jedediah, 71. 
 
 Huntington, W. II., 2. 
 
 Hutchinson, Charles II., 13. 
 
 I. 
 
 Independence Hall, engraving in, by C. W. 
 
 Pcale, 
 Ingalls, Rev. Dr., 200. 
 
 Ingalls, Walter, 105. 
 Irving. Washington, I. 
 
 J- 
 
 Jackson, Major (Washington's private secre- 
 tary), 59. 
 Jackson, President, 196. 
 
 Jacquemart, Jules, celebrated French engrav- 
 er, 241. 
 
 Jay, John, 26, 71, 72, 170. 
 
 Jefferson, Thomas, 36,66, 101, 134, 151, 154, 
 1 55< l 57> !5 8 > 161, 168, 170, 171, 176, 239. 
 
 Johnson, Mr., 148. 
 
 Johnson, Major Edward, 199. 
 
 Johnston, John Taylor, 142. 
 
 Jones, Samuel, 69. 
 
 Jones, Judge Stephen, 107. 
 
 Jones, Gen. Walter, 214, 215. 
 
 Jordan, Eben C, 241. 
 
 Jouett, Matthew, 100. 
 
 Juan, Don, 12. 
 
 K. 
 
 Kearney, Col. J., 214. 
 
 Keltz, William, 211. 
 
 Kemble, Gouverneur, 170. 
 
 Kemmelmyre, an itinerant artist, sketched 
 
 Washington in Cumberland, Md., 142. 
 Kemp, Dr. James, 58. 
 Kemp, Right Rev. Bishop, 199. 
 Kennon, Mrs., 109. 
 Kennon, Richard, 14. 
 Kennon, Mrs. Beverly, 60, 117. 
 Keppel, Capt., 9. 
 Keppel, Admiral Lord, 9. 
 Kidder, H. P., 241. 
 
 Kimball, G. W., Esq., United States Consul 
 
 for France in 1S59, 232 ; address of, 233. 
 Kimball, Moses, 46. 
 King, Rufus, 164. 
 King, Miss Annie S., 135. 
 Kissclman, F., 143. 
 Knox, Gen., 44, 125. 
 Kosciusko, head of, 244. 
 
 L. 
 
 Lahatut, a French artist, cabinet miniature 
 
 on ivory of Washington by, 27. 
 Lafayette, Gen., 10, 12, 49, 124, 125, 143, 166. 
 Lafayette, George Washington, 128. 
 Laing, Mr. Thomas, S7. 
 Laing, Mr. William, 87. 
 Lang, Thomas, 88. 
 Lansdowne, Marquis of, 80, 108. 
 Latimer, D. B., 164. 
 
Index. 
 
 253 
 
 Latrobe, Henry B., a gifted and eminent archi- 
 tect, sketch of Washington by, kindly fur- 
 nished by his son, 136; his successful 
 memorial of a convivial occasion, 137. 
 
 Latrobe, Hon. John H. 13., 136. 
 
 Laurens, Henry, 9, 26. 
 
 Lavater, 93, 133. 
 
 Law, Mrs. Elizabeth, 128. 
 
 Law, Mrs. Elizabeth Custis, 71. 
 
 Law, Mrs. Elizabeth Parke, 60, 84. 
 
 Lawrence, Abbott, 241. 
 
 Lawrence, Amos A., 241. 
 
 Lea, Isaac, 13. 
 
 Lear, Col. Tobias (Washington's public sec- 
 retary), 33, 53, 59. 
 Lee, Gov., 141. 
 Lee, Arthur, 16, 147. 
 Lee, Billy, 52; decision of, 67. 
 Lee, Mrs. Charles, 16. 
 Lec, Francis Lightfoot, 99, 103. 
 Lee, Gen. G. W. C, 6, 128, 168. 
 Lee, Gen. Henry, 88, 94, 241. 
 Lee, Col. James, reminiscence of, 178. 
 Lee, Z. Collins, 98. 
 
 Lee, Richard Henry, 16, 103 ; terse immortal 
 
 eulogy of, 175. 
 Lee, Washington, 141. 
 Legcn, Conrad Van der, 14. 
 Lenox, Mr., 42, 90. 
 Lenox, James, 42, 90. 
 Lenox, Walter, 214. 
 Leslie, Mr. C. R., R.A., 82. 
 Leutze, Emmanuel, 105, 164. 
 Lewis, Andrew, 176. 
 Lewis, Eleanor Parke, 47. 
 Lewis, Mrs. Fielding (Betty Washington), 18. 
 Lewis, John Delaware, 81, 103. 
 Lewis, Major Lawrence, 72, 124, 138, 242. 
 Lewis, Mrs. Laurence, 51, 71, 115. 
 Lewis, Mrs. Morton, 129. 
 Lewis, Dr. Samuel C, 30. 
 Lewis, William D., Si. 
 Lincoln, 125. 
 Little, James L., 241. 
 Livingston, Mr., 156. 
 Livingston, Brockholst, 8. 
 Livingston, Chancellor, 58. 
 Livingston, Peter Van Brunt, 156. 
 Locke, Z., 13. 
 Longacre, 41. 
 
 Lossing, Benson J., 12, 49, 1 16; "The Home 
 
 of Washington" by, 139. 
 Louis XVI., 8, 10. 
 Loubat, J. F., 241. 
 
 Louterbourg, W., novel picture by, represent- 
 ing Washington taking his last leave of 
 Congress, 143. 
 
 Low, Mr. A. A., 86. 
 Lowell, John Amury, 241. 
 Lower, Charles G., 13. 
 Lowndes, Francis, 137. 
 
 Lunt, Hon. George, sonnet by, native of 
 
 Newburyport, 190. 
 Lyle, Mr., 1 1 1. 
 
 M. 
 
 Macdonai.D, Willson, sculptor, 166; meas- 
 urements made by, abundantly demonstrat- 
 ing that the bust in plaster is from the 
 same hand which made the Richmond 
 statue, 166, 167. 
 
 Macpherson, Gen. William, ill. 
 
 Madison, James, 16, 97, 103, 153 160, 161, 211. 
 
 Madison, Mrs., 88; bust by Echstein formerly 
 property of, 150. 
 
 Madison, Dorothea Payne, 214. 
 
 Magarge, Charles, 13. 
 
 Manigault, 144. 
 
 Manley, Mrs., 156. 
 
 Manlcy, J , 245. 
 
 Mann, 153. 
 
 Marchetti, 173. 
 
 Marrailes, Don Juan, 11. 
 
 Marshal, Gen., 8S. 
 
 Marshall, Chief Justice, 16, 121, 125, 176; 
 president of Washington Monument Soci- 
 ety, 311. 
 
 Marshall, Thomas, 236. 
 
 Marshall, William E., 10S; engraver par excel- 
 lence of Stuart, 109. 
 
 Marshall, Lieut. William L., 218. 
 
 " Mary Washington Association of America," 
 purpose of, 194. 
 
 Mason, Col., 156. 
 
 Mason, George, 176. 
 
 Mason, George C, 78. 
 
 Mason, Jonathan, 100, 103. 
 
 Mason, John Y., 51 ; American minister to 
 Paris, 51. 
 
 Mason, Robert M., 241. 
 
 Mason, Thomas, 103. 
 
 "Masonic Portrait," by Williams, 141. 
 
 Masselin, Capt., 233. 
 
 Maurice of Saxe, 35. 
 
 Maury, M. F., 214. 
 
 May, Mr., 217. 
 
 Mayer, Col. Brantz, 94, 95 ; there are five por- 
 traits of Washington with head turned to 
 the left, as stated by, 94. 
 
 McAllister, John A., 13, 126. 
 
 McCall, Judge, 97. 
 
 McCall, Miss Jane Byrd, 97, 104. 
 
 McCall, Hon. Peter, 97. 
 
 McClellan, Gen. George B. ; 49. 
 
 McCormick, Daniel, 69, 86, 217. 
 
 McCrea, Stephen, 69. 
 
 McDonald, Gen. William, 99, 103. 
 
 McGuirc, J. C, S3; now the owner of bust bv 
 
 Echstein, 150. 
 McHenry, James, in. 
 Mcllenrv, Col. James, 129. 
 McHenry, J. Howard, ill. 
 McKean, J. P., 24. 
 McKean, H. Pratt, 9. 
 McKean, W. V., 13. 
 McLaughlin, Mr., 219. 
 McManus, Miss Mary, 186. 
 McRea, Hon. Sherwin, 95. 
 McRea, Col. Sherwin, his description of the 
 
 statue by Houdon, 157, 158. 
 Mead, Mr. Larkin G , sculptor, 220. 
 Meade, Richard, 170. 
 
 Medal, an important monument to fame of 
 George Washington is the one commemora- 
 tive of the " Evacuation of Boston," 235 ; 
 its purchase, and presentation to city of 
 Boston, 239, 240; by whom purchased, 241 ; 
 most lasting of memorials, 242 ; " Perkins " 
 or "Funeral," 244; Eccleston, 244; first 
 Indian, or peace, 244; "Blacksmith's," 245. 
 
 Menou, Count de, 8, 10. 
 
 Menzies, William, portrait of Washington 
 owned by, is considered a superior picture 
 by Wright, 36. 
 
 Mercer, Hugh (a "bra Scot"), 12. 
 
 Mere, Le, 67. 
 
 Meredith, Mr., opinion of, in regard to Wert- 
 
 muller's portrait, 50. 
 Meredith, Mr. George F., 91, 103. 
 Meredith, Samuel R., 116. 
 Meredith, Thomas, 116. 
 Metzeroth, 127. 
 
 Middleton, Mr. John Izard, 171. • 
 Middleton, Mr. Williams, 171. 
 Mifflin, Mr., 147. 
 
 Mills, Clark, sculptor, 165, 166, 167 ; eques- 
 trian statue of Washington by, 181 ; expla- 
 nation of his work, 182, 186. 
 
 Mills, Robert, architect, of Charleston, S.C., 
 monument to Washington by, 19S ; designer 
 of Washington National Monument, 212, 
 216. 
 
 Miller, Mrs. Ellen Ward, 106. 
 Miller, Mrs. Thomas, 16. 
 Miller, Gov. William, 173. 
 Moncure, Mrs. Jane Washington, 99. 
 Monongahela, battle of, I. 
 Monroe, James, 157. 
 Montgomery, Gen., 11. 
 Montgomery, Mrs. John T., 97, 104. 
 Moore, Mrs. Junius A., 94, 104. 
 
254 
 
 Index. 
 
 Moore, George H., 168. 
 
 Moreau, Mr. Charles C, enthusiastic collector 
 of engraved heads of Washington, 115. 
 
 Morrell, 105. 
 
 Morris, Charles M., 13. 
 
 Morris, Mr. Ellison P., 105. 
 
 Morris, Gouverneur, 26, 161. 
 
 Morris, John B., 94. 
 
 Morris, Robert, 34, 36, 126. 
 
 Morris, Mrs. Thomas II., 49, 94, 103. 
 
 Morton, Gen., 57. 
 
 Mudge, E. R., 241. 
 
 Munro, Thomas, 214. 
 
 Munroe, Peter Jay, 82, 90, 103. 
 
 Museum, the American, a cabinet of natural 
 history, by Pierre Eugene Du Simitiere, 
 one of the greatest delights of Philadelphia 
 a hundred years ago, 24. 
 
 Myers, Samuel, 95, 103. 
 
 Mygatt, Mrs. S. M., 59. 
 
 N. 
 
 Napoleon III., Emperor, 232. 
 National Academy of Design, 30. 
 Nelson, Thomas, 176. 
 Neufville, M. de, 67. 
 
 Newburyport, Mass., statue of Washington 
 
 by Ward, erected at, 1S9. 
 Newell, Timothy, 236. 
 Newton, Edward A , 106. 
 
 Nichols, David, owner of "Goodhue portrait," 
 
 a crayon profile colored in India ink, 36. 
 Nichols, Mrs. David II., 37. 
 Nollekens, St. 
 
 Norcross, Hon. Otis, 240, 241. 
 Norris, Dr. Herbert, 96, 104. 
 Norris, Mrs. William Herbert, 96. 
 Norton, C. F., 13. 
 
 o. 
 
 Ogden, Charles S., 6. 
 Ogilvie, Professor, 62. 
 
 "Old South Church," Boston, copy of " broad- 
 side " on exhibition at the, 23. 
 Oliver, James, 96, 103. 
 O'Neill, J. A., engraver, 36, 47, 141. 
 " Order of the Cincinnati," 45. 
 
 P. 
 
 Paff, Mr. A., 56, 57. 
 Page, 153- 
 Palissy, 163. 
 Pancway, George, 69. 
 Paon, Le, 67. 
 
 Parker, Major Alexander, 100, 103. 
 Parker, James, 241. 
 
 Parkman, Samuel, 90, 91, 103. 
 Parks, Major Andrew, 2. 
 Pattcson, John, 19. 
 
 Peale, Charles Willson, 2; portraits of Wash- 
 ington, by, 4-17; pupil of Hesselius, 4; 
 painted Washington fourteen times from 
 life, 4 ; life, character, and gifts of, 4 ; leading 
 promoter of Pennsylvania Academy of Fine 
 Arts, 4; picture of Washington by, 12; 
 bust by, 14 ; miniature by, 17 ; made the first 
 engraving of Washington published in this 
 country, 19; mentioned, 155. 
 
 Peale, James, superseded his brother Charles 
 W., who generously surrendered his orders 
 to him, iS. 
 
 Peale, Rembrandt, 2 ; sketch of, 42 ; extract 
 from lecture of, 92 ; sketch of his life, 1 18 ; 
 words of this venerable artist, 119; pupil 
 of West, 119; endowed with varied gifts, 
 120; his first sketch of Washington, 121; 
 his encouragement, 122; his description of 
 the painting of his portrait of Washington, 
 now owned by the United States Govern- 
 ment, 123, 124. 
 
 Peale, Titian Ramsay, 4, 9. 
 
 Perin, Mr., 156. 
 
 Perkins, Augustus Thorndike, I, 2, 100, 104. 
 Perkins, Col. Thomas Handasyde, 100. 
 Perkins, Mr. Thomas Handasyde, jun., 100. 
 Peter, Miss, 15. 
 
 Peter, Mrs. Martha, 6, 47, 60, 101, 104. 
 Peter, Mrs. Martha Parke, 109. 
 Peters, Judge, 121, 129. 
 Peticolas, Edward F., son of P. A., 142. 
 Peticolas, P. A., miniature of Washington by, 
 142. 
 
 Pettibone, Mr., 215. 
 Pettrick, Mr. Ferdinand, 168, 169. 
 Peyster, Frederic de, 14. 
 Phillips, Lieut.-Gov. Samuel, 99. 
 Pierce, F., 212. 
 Pierce, Henry L., 241. 
 Pierrepont, Henry E., 85, 86, 103. 
 Pinckney, Rev. Dr., 100. 
 
 Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth, 28, 100, 103; 
 epitaph on, by Fraser, whose portrait he 
 painted, 144, 145. 
 
 Pine, Robert Edge, portraits of Washington 
 by, 39, 40 ; son of the celebrated engraver 
 John Pine, 39; imbued with ambition of 
 becoming the historical painter of America, 
 39; of the school of Sir Joshua Reynolds; 
 39 ; considered among the best colorists of 
 his time, 39. 
 
 Pintard, John, 69. 
 
 Pitts, John, 236. 
 
 Pizard, Mr. John, the well-known rigger, 186. 
 
 Poitiaux, Capt. Michel Benvcnit, 145. 
 Polk, Charles Peale, 16. 
 Polk, J. R., 212. 
 
 Ponson Philippe & Vibert, an interesting 
 French portrait on silk after Stuart, pre- 
 sented to city of New York by, 106. 
 
 Pope Pius VI., 170. 
 
 Poore, Major Ben : Perley, 46. 
 
 Powel, Samuel, silhouette by, 140. 
 
 Powell, Mrs., 33; nie Elizabeth Willing, re- 
 cipient of a present from the general, 33 ; 
 one of the most brilliant of the republican 
 court, 33 ; the best oil portrait of Washing- 
 ton painted for, 33. 
 
 Powell, Mrs. Janette Thurston, 15. 
 
 Powell, John Hare, 33. 
 
 Powell, Admiral L. M , 15. 
 
 Powers, 165. 
 
 Prime, Mr., 86. 
 
 Proctor, Mr., 37. 
 
 Prud'homme, G. F. E., 171. 
 
 Pruyn, Mrs., 98, 99. 
 
 Pruyn, Hon. John V. L., 98, 103. 
 
 Putnam, George P., I, 2. 
 
 Q- 
 
 Quincy, Josiah, 6; autograph letter by, ex- 
 pressive of his pleasure of the Goodhue 
 picture, 37 ; his opinion of the Savage por- 
 trait, 44. 
 
 Quincy, Eliza Susan, 6. 
 
 R. 
 
 Rahl, Col., 68. 
 
 Ramage, John, highly esteemed by Dunlap, 
 114; description of the dress of, 114 
 
 Ramsay, Col. Nathaniel, 18. 
 
 Ramsay, Miss Sally, 156. 
 
 Randolph, John, 66. 
 
 Rauch, a German artist, 162. 
 
 Rawle, William, a distinguished lawyer and 
 author, 96, 103. 
 
 Reading, 13, 24, 26. 
 
 Reed, Joseph, 22, 26. 
 
 Reilly, Anna R., 93, 103; picture owned by, 
 and loaned to New Haven Art School, 98. 
 
 Rice, Alexander II., 241, 1S3. 
 
 Richardson, Miss Carrie H., 100, 104. 
 
 Richardson, George C, 241. 
 
 Richardson, Thomas, 149. 
 
 Richardson, William, 26, 100. 
 
 Richmond, Va., within the walls of the Capi- 
 tol at, stands the only original statue of 
 Washington, 153. 
 
 Riggs, George W., 164. 
 
Index. 
 
 255 
 
 Rives, Mr. Francis Robert, 94, 103. 
 Rives, Mrs. George, 94. 
 Roberts, P., 112. 
 Robertson, Alexander, 58. 
 Robertson, Andrew, 58. 
 
 Robertson, Archibald, called the " Reynolds 
 of Scotland," 5S ; miniature and portrait 
 by, 59; rendering of Washington by, of a 
 decided Scotch type, 60; with exception of 
 Wright, no artist so little known, 61 ; highly 
 esteemed by Earl of Buchan, 62. 
 
 Robertson, Gilbert, 97. 
 
 Robertson, Mr. James B., 134. 
 
 Robertson, Walter, 113. 
 
 Robin, 30. 
 
 Robinson, John, " Father of the Pilgrims," 64 
 Rochambcau, Count de, 12, 49, 125, 211. 
 Roche, Major I)c la, aide-de-camp to Lafay- 
 ette, 143. 
 
 Rogers, Edmund Law, 6, 60, 71, 95, 103. 
 Rogers, Randolph, sculptor, 176. 
 Rollinson, 113. 
 Ronald, 153. 
 Ross, Betsey, 152. 
 
 Rougemont, Monsieur le Commandant de, 
 
 232 ; address of, 233. 
 Rush, Dr. Benjamin, 63; letter of, to Earl of 
 
 Buchan, 63. 
 Rush, William, made bust of Washington, 
 
 172; also a worker in wood, 172. 
 Rutgers, Col. Henry, 9S, 103. 
 
 s. 
 
 Safford, Mr. A. II., 145. 
 
 Sanders, Mr. Lewis, 101, 103. 
 
 Sargent, Daniel, jun., 56. 
 
 Sargent, Mr. Ignatius, 91, 103. 
 
 Sartain, John, 19, 41, 46, 47, 96, 109; cele- 
 brated engraver, 206; the designer of the 
 Washington and Lafayette Monument, 206. 
 
 Saunders, 56; picture of Washington at the 
 Divan of, 57. 
 
 Saussure, Henry William de, 122. 
 
 Savage, Edward, was first a goldsmith, after- 
 wards interested in art, 44; studied with 
 West, 44; never a superior artist, 44; three 
 portraits of Washington by, 44; his alle- 
 gorical painting, 44 ; Gen. Knox painted by, 
 44 ; his second portrait of Washington, 44 ; 
 his third presented to Harvard College by 
 himself, which is now in the Memorial 
 Building, 45 ; " Family Group at Mount 
 Vernon " by, 46. 
 
 Sayles, F. C, 142. 
 
 Scollay, John, 236. 
 
 Scott, Miss, 6. 
 
 Scott, Major-Gen. Winfield, 214. 
 Seaton, W. W., 16, 117, 213. 
 Scncr, Hon. James B., 197, 217. 
 Sharp, 20. 
 
 Sharpless, Mrs. Elizabeth, a successful minia- 
 ture-painter in water-colors, 132. 
 
 Sharpless, Felix, son of James, and inferior 
 to him as an artist, 129. 
 
 Sharpless, James, 128; memorial engraving 
 
 Shaw, Cora F., 241. 
 
 Sheaffe, Mr., 18. 
 
 Shepherd, C, publisher, 22. 
 
 Shippen, Mr. Edward, 97, 103, 139. 
 
 Shippen, Joseph, 97, 103. 
 
 Shoemaker, S. M., 95, 103. 
 
 Shurtleff, Mayor, response of, 183. 
 
 Siemering, German sculptor of Berlin, 204; 
 Washington, monument by, 204. 
 
 Silhouettes by Eleanor Parke Custis are now 
 in Everett School, Boston, presented by 
 Edward Shippen of Philadelphia, 139. 
 
 Simitiere, Pierre Eugene Du, a dilettante, 
 delighting in art and nature alike, 24; a 
 distinguished man, 24; his death in 1784 
 esteemed a severe loss, 24 ; portraits of 
 Washington by, 24; card from, 26. 
 
 Simpson, John, 97, 103. 
 
 Slaymaker, Amos, 51. 
 
 Smibert, 30. 
 
 Smith, Gov., 95. 
 
 Smith, Charles Augustus, 237. 
 
 Smith, Mrs. Charles Augustus, 13. 
 
 Smith, Gen. Benjamin, of North Carolina, 
 94- 103. 
 
 Smith, Benjamin G., Germantown, Penn., 143; 
 
 a quaint example of work in wax is owned 
 
 by, 149- 
 Smith, John R., 130. 
 Smith, J. B. II., 213. 
 Smith, Gen. Samuel, 199. 
 Smith, Col. William, 68. 
 Snowdcn, Hon. James Ross, 243. 
 Sodcrstrom, Richard, 87. 
 Solms, Count de, presented with a picture of 
 
 Washington by Wright, 34 ; enthusiastic 
 
 letter of, 34, 35; mentioned, 152. 
 Solomon, N., Esq., vice-consul for France (ad 
 
 interim) in 1S59, 232. 
 Somerville, William C, 94. 
 Sparks, Jared, 1, 109. 
 Spencer, Earl, 174. 
 Stansbury, Mr., I2t. 
 Staphorst, I. G. Von, Esq, 110. 
 Statue Committee, 183. 
 Stevens, James Henry, Esq., 140. 
 Stevens, Mr. Simon. 162. 
 
 Stevenson, Sater, 199. 
 Stewart, A. T., 98, 103. 
 Steuart, William, 199. 
 Stirling, Gov., 1. 
 
 St. Memin, Charles Balthazer Julien Fevret 
 de, a French refugee, who supported his 
 family by engraving heads of distinguished 
 men and women, 37 ; interesting souvenir 
 by, 134; became a landscape and portrait 
 painter of repute, 135; made one of the 
 best engravings of the Houdon Washing- 
 ton, 165. 
 
 Stock, Mrs., 144. 
 
 Stoddert, Ben., 88. 
 
 Stokes, Montfort, 173. 
 
 Storm, 165, 217. 
 
 Story, W. W., eminent American sculptor, 
 now in Rome, 168; proofs by, of the genu- 
 ineness of the Houdon cast, 169. 
 
 Stoutenburgh, Isaac, 69. 
 
 Struthers, John, stone-cutter, 169, 186. 
 
 Struthers, Mr. William, 1S6; wrought the 
 sarcophagi in which the remains of Gen. 
 Washington and wife were placed, 186. 
 
 Stuart, Miss, 51. 
 
 Stuart, Mrs. Gen., 49. 
 
 Stuart, Miss Jane, 84, 90, 91, 106. 
 
 Stuart, Gilbert, 15, 34, 60, 77 ; most eminent 
 American portrait-painter, 77 ; his youthful 
 indication of talent, 77; pupil of West, 77; 
 portraits of Washington by, 80-C2 ; his most 
 famous portrait, S3; Athenaium portraits 
 by, 84-S6; opinion of, who had suffered 
 greatly from piracy of artists, S7 ; White 
 House portrait by, 88, 89; last full-length 
 of Washington by, 90-94; homage paid to 
 work of, 95-97 ; the last work of, 97-100 ; 
 splendor of his coloring softened, not 
 dimmed, by years, 107 ; original list of 
 paintings by, for whom executed, and by 
 whom now owned, 103, 104. 
 
 Stuart, Miss Rosalie Eugenie, 130. 
 
 Sturgis, James Perkins, 83, 103. 
 
 Sturgis, John II , 82. 
 
 Sturgis, Russell, 82, 83, 103. 
 
 Sully, Thomas, 95 ; certificate of, 95 ; pupil 
 of Stuart, 95, 97, 98, 196. 
 
 Sumner, Charles, 174. 
 
 Swift, Mr., 97. 
 
 Sword, Capt., 106. 
 
 Symonton, Mr. Thomas, 213. 
 
 T. 
 
 Talmadge, Hon. Benjamin, 71. 
 Tayloe, Benjamin Ogle, 101, 104. 
 Tayloe, Col. John, 101, 103. 
 
256 
 
 Index. 
 
 Taylor, Mr., 155. 
 Taylor, Mrs., 201. 
 
 Taylor, Benjamin F., ode by, one of the most 
 exquisite gems that the hundredth birthday 
 of America called forth, 186-1SS. 
 
 Taylor, Zachary, 176, 212. 
 
 Tazewell, Mr., 153. 
 
 Tcnncy, Daniel J, 1S9; contract made by, 
 with J. Q. A. Ward, for bronze statue of 
 Washington to be presented to Newbury- 
 port, 1S9. 
 
 Thacher, Isaac, 241. 
 
 Thatcher, Judge, 125. 
 
 Thaw, Miss Harriet A., 105. 
 
 Thayer, N., 241. 
 
 Thebout, Cornelius, 10S, 109. 
 
 " The Indian Hunter," the chef-tPceuTn-e of J. 
 Q. A. Ward, 1S9; no work of greater spirit 
 and truth ever produced in this country, 189. 
 
 Thomas, Joseph, 97. 
 
 Thomson, Mr., engraver, 174. 
 
 Thompson, Mrs. Hugh, owner of picture simi- 
 Jar to the Vaughn, 94, 103. 
 
 Thorndike, Israel, 34. 
 
 Thornton, Dr., 92. 
 
 Thurston, Judge. 15. 
 
 Ticknor, George, 56. 
 
 Tiernan, Col., 125. 
 
 Tilbury, 101. 
 
 Tilghman, Col., 12. 
 
 Tilghman, Judge, 
 
 Tilghman, Mr. Oswald, 14. 
 
 Tilghman, Col. Tench, 14. 
 
 Tisdale, 113. 
 
 Toner, Dr. Joseph M , 193, 218. 
 Tousard, Lewis de, 112. 
 Towson, Gen. N., 214. 
 Triplett, Mr. Will, 155. 
 
 Trollope, Mrs., opinion of the " American 
 
 Column," 137. 
 Truman, R., 102. 
 Trumbull, 10, 33, 37, 54, 55. 
 Trumbull, Gov., 71. 
 Trumbull, John, poet, 90. 
 Trumbull, Jonathan, 72. 
 
 Trumbull, Col. John, 59, 60; no artist had 
 closer relations with Washington than, 64 ; 
 every educational opportunity given him, 64; 
 appointed on the staff of Washington, 64 ; his 
 arrest, 65; by suffering as well as service 
 enrolled as one of the heroes of the Revo- 
 lution, 65; his studies continued in prison, 
 w hich add interest to those pictures executed 
 there, 65, 66; in 1784 produced his first 
 composition, 66; his first two works of im- 
 portance, " Death of Montgomery " and the 
 "Battle of Bunker Hill," 66; styled "the 
 
 Painter of the Revolution," 66; made 
 studies of Washington while on his staff, 
 66; system of, 72; his interest in art, 73-75; 
 inscription on the tomb of, 76. 
 
 Tucker, Professor George, of the University 
 of Virginia, 94. 
 
 Tucker, William W., 241. 
 
 Tuckerman, 29, 33, 52, 83, 86, 90, 127, 171, 
 176. 
 
 Tuley, Col. Joseph, 95, 
 
 Tyng, Rev. Stephen H., D.D., 190. 
 
 V. 
 
 Valentine, Edward V, "Masonic Bust" 
 by, 191. 
 
 Van der Legen, Mr. Conrad, 14. 
 
 Van der Legen, Mr. Henry, 14. 
 
 Vanderlyn, John, one of the most gifted pupils 
 
 of the Robertson brothers, 58, 105. 
 Van Home, Mr., 30. 
 Varick, Richard, 69. 
 Vattemare, Monsieur, 216. 
 Vaughan, John, S7, 92. 
 Vaughan, Mr. Samuel, 92, 103. 
 Vaughan, Mr. William, 92. 
 Vivian, Mr., 9. 
 
 Voltaire, 165, 245 ; designer of a French medal 
 
 antedating the Boston, 245. 
 Voorhees, senator, 195. 
 
 w. 
 
 Wadsworth, Col. Jeremiah, warmly es- 
 teemed by Washington, 130. 
 
 Wadsworth Gallery, portraits by Sharpless in, 
 130. 
 
 Wadsworth, Hon. Jeremiah, 71. 
 Wagstaff, Mr. David, 98, 104. 
 Wagstaff, Dr. Alfred, 98, 104. 
 Wales, George W., 241. 
 Walker, Mr., 129. 
 Walker, J. G., no. 
 Walker, Noah, 180. 
 
 " Wallace Box," the, 58; description of, 61. 
 
 Wallace, Sir William, 61. 
 
 Wain, Miss, 97, 104. 
 
 Wain, Robert, 97. 
 
 Walsh, Mr., 169. 
 
 Walter, A. B., 127. 
 
 Walton, Mrs. Anna S., 47. 
 
 Ward, 217. 
 
 Ward, John Q. A., description of statue of 
 Washington by, 1S9: his chef-cTceuvre, "The 
 Indian Hunter," 1S9. 
 
 Ward, L. S., 106. 
 
 Warren, S. D., 241. 
 
 Warren, Susan Powell, 100. 
 
 Washington, Life of, by De Mare, I ; at battle 
 of Monongahcla, 1 ; miniature of, by Cop- 
 ley, 1 ; portraits of, by C. W. Peale, 4-17 ; 
 miniature of, by C. W. Peale, and its de- 
 scription, 17 ; first engraving of, by C. W. 
 Peale, 19; portrait of, by Nathaniel Fuller- ' 
 ton, engraved by J. G. Smith, 21 ; letter of, 
 22 ; verses on, 22, 23 ; portrait of, by Alex- 
 ander Campbell, 22 ; portraits of, by Pierre 
 Eugene Du Simitiere, 24 ; cabinet minia- 
 ture on ivory of, by Labatut, presented to 
 Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 27 ; minia- 
 tures of, by Barbiere- Walbonne, 29 ; por- 
 traits of, by Dunlap, of little value, 3c; 
 the best oil portrait of, by Joseph Wright, 
 is still retained in the Powell famfly, 33 ; 
 portrait of, taken in Philadelphia, 34; por- 
 traits of, by R. E. Pine, 39, 40 ; first portrait 
 of, by James Peale, 42 ; portrait of, by 
 Peale in 1795, 43! reply of, to request of 
 Mr. Pine to sit for his picture, 40; portraits 
 of, by Adolph Ulric Wertmuller, 50, 51 ; 
 flattering description of, by an old gentle- 
 man, 52, 53; the Boston Oratorio Portrait 
 of, by Christian Gulager, 56; reception of 
 Archibald Robertson by, 59; miniature and 
 portrait of, by Archibald Robertson, 59; 
 reply of, to Earl of Buchan, 62; the will 
 of, in regard to the " Wallace Box," 62, 63 ; 
 first portrait of, by John Trumbull, and its 
 description, 67 ; will of, in regard to Billy 
 Lee, 67 ; second portrait of, by John Trum- 
 bull, painted twelve years after first, 68; 
 one of the most highly prized portraits of, 
 by John Trumbull, is now in City Hall, 
 New York, 68 ; portrait of " Washington 
 the President," by John Trumbull, 70; re- 
 quest of, 71 ; portraits of, by Stuart, 80-83 ! 
 famous eulogy on, 130-132; sketch of, by 
 Henry B. Latrobe, 136; bust of, in Christ's 
 Church, Salem Street, Boston, presented by 
 Shubael Bell, 146; equestrian statue of, 
 and its description, 147, 148; cast of, by 
 Houdon, 148; his description of the pro- 
 cess for preparing plaster of Paris, illus- 
 trating one of his strongest characteristics, 
 — his attention to detail, 156; statue of, 
 by Horatio Greenough, 175; statue of, by 
 Thomas Crawford, 176; first equestrian 
 statue of, was made by Henry Kirke 
 Brown, the largest casting in bronze ever 
 made in this country, 178, 179; equestrian 
 statue of, by Clark Mills, 181 ; statue of, by 
 Joseph A. Bailey, and programme of cere- 
 monies at unveiling of it, 184, 185; most 
 recent statue of, erected at Newburyport 
 in 1S69, 189; ceremonies at unveiling of 
 
Index. 
 
 257 
 
 statue of, at Newburyport, 190; only four 
 monuments to memory of, 192; first monu- 
 ment of, placed on site of old homestead 
 in Virginia, by G. W. P. Custis, and cere- 
 mony of depositing the stone, 193; monu- 
 ment to, by Robert Mills, and description 
 and ceremony of laying corner-stone of it, 
 198-200. 
 
 Washington, Judge, 121. 
 
 Washington, Mrs. (" fair widow Custis"), 3. 
 
 Washington, Charles, 17. 
 
 Washington, Mrs. Ann Ball, 239. 
 
 Washington, George Augustine, 157. 
 
 Washington, George Custis, 41. 
 
 Washington, George Steptoe, 99, 239. 
 
 Washington, John Augustine, io5. 
 
 Washington, Col. John, 140, 1S2. 
 
 Washington, Col. John A., 165, 167. 
 
 Washington, Judge Bushrod, 33, io5, 116, 242. 
 
 Washington, Mrs. Elizabeth, 47. 
 
 Washington, Mrs. Ella Bassctt, 38. 
 
 Washington, Harriet, 2. 
 
 Washington, Miss Kitty, 156. 
 
 Washington, George Lafayette, 239', 240. 
 
 Washington, Lawrence, 106. 
 
 Washington, Lewis, 41. 
 
 Washington, Lewis W., through the governor 
 presented to State of Virginia the site of 
 birthplace of Washington, 194. 
 
 Washington, Martha, 17; letter of, 17. 
 
 Washington, Mrs. Mary, a demolished monu- 
 ment to, in Fredericksburg, Va., 196. 
 
 Washington, Mildred, 17. 
 
 Washington, Dr. Nicholas Custis, 122. 
 
 Washington, Samuel, t, 239. 
 
 Washington monument, 19S, 204. 
 
 Washington and Lafayette Monument, 206; 
 inscriptions on, 207, 208. 
 
 Washington National Monument, 209-212; 
 designed by Robert Mills, 213; inscription 
 on, 213, 214; laying of corner-stone of, 214; 
 contribution of memorial blocks to, 221-234. 
 
 " Washington Statue Committee," organiza- 
 tion of, 183. 
 
 Washington, Mr. Warner, 238. 
 
 Washington, Col. William, brilliant cavalry 
 
 officer, 140. 
 Washington, William Temple, 98, 99. 
 Waterman, J., 108. 
 
 Watson, Elkanah, 3; painting of American 
 
 flag by Copley, described by, 3. 
 Watson, Mr., of Charleston, 27. 
 Watson, Miss E. F., of New York City, 27. 
 Watterson, George, 214. 
 Webster, Daniel, 212, 242. 
 Webster, Mrs. William Grcenleaf, beautiful 
 
 cabinet by Sharpless, owned by, 130. 
 Wcightman, James, 13. 
 
 Welch, Thomas B , admirable work by, 109. 
 Welsh, William, 107. 
 Welsh, Hon. John, 107. 
 Wendell, Oliver, 236. 
 
 Wertmuller, Adolph Ulric, 24; an accomplished 
 Swedish artist, emigrated to United States 
 in 1794, devoted art student, and taste im- 
 proved by association with culture, 50. 
 
 West, Benjamin, 5, 30, 32, 5S, 65, 66, 159. 
 
 Wharton, C. II., M.D., 20. 
 
 White, Bishop, 121. 
 
 White, Gen. Anthony Walton, owner bf min- 
 iature by E. Sharpless, 132. 
 
 Whitman, Mr. W. A., panel-engraving of 
 Washington owned by, 19. 
 
 Whitney, Charles, 241. 
 
 Whitney, Henry A., 241. 
 
 Whittlesey, Elisha, 214. 
 
 Wigglcsworth, Thomas, 241. 
 
 William, Duke of Cumberland, 41. 
 
 Williams, portrait by, 141. 
 
 Williams, Capt., 15. 
 
 Williams, Mr. Cumberland, 100, 103. 
 
 Williams, Samuel, 81. 
 
 Williams, Timothy, So. 
 
 Williamson, Mr. Thomas, 95. 
 
 Winchester, David, 198. 
 
 Winder, Gen., the " Veardley Collection," the 
 
 property of, 1 29. 
 Winder, Dr. R. B., 13S. 
 Winder, Levi (R W.G.M.), 199. 
 Winstanley, 87, 91, 92; landscape-painter, 93. 
 
 Winthrop, Dr., 144. 
 
 Winthrop, Mr., oration of, 216. 
 
 Winthrop, Hon. Robert C, 9, 71, 99, 104, 1S3, 
 214, 216, 240, 241; refers to entertainment 
 in King's Chapel, where Gulager made his 
 first picture of Washington, 55. 
 
 Wirt, William, 135. 
 
 Wise, Henry A., 162, 163. 
 
 Wolcott, J. Huntington, 24c 
 
 Wolcott, Hon. Oliver, 164. 
 
 Wolff, 10. 
 
 Wood, George B., 13. 
 Woodside, Capt. John D., 201. 
 Woodward, W. Elliott, 244. 
 Wool, Jeremiah, 69. 
 
 Wright, Joseph, 21 ; likenesses of Washington 
 by, several portraits in oil, a crayon pro- 
 file, and a small etching, 32; no artist less 
 known, or more to be trusted, 32 : a Quaker, 
 32; did not do justice to his subject, very 
 nervous and modest, 32 ; one of the truest 
 and strongest artists America ever pro- 
 duced, 37 ; etching by, 37 ; appointed first 
 engraver of United States Mint, 38; his de- 
 sign for a cent, 38; his death in 1793, 3§ ; 
 directed by Congress to make cast of Wash- 
 ington's face, 148 ; his misfortune, 14S. 
 
 Wright, Joseph, father of the artist, 32, 149. 
 
 Wright, II., 109. 
 
 Wright, Mrs. Patience Lovell, 32 ; mother of 
 Joseph Wright, a woman of great ability, 
 151; executed bust in wax, 151; letter of, 
 151. 
 
 Wylley, John, 69. 
 Wynne, Thomas II., 3. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Veardley Collection, account of the, 129. 
 
 Young, Mr., 121. 
 
 Young, Alfred, 1 
 
 Young, Right Hon. George, 162. 
 
 Yorktown, capitulation of, 12. 
 
 Z. 
 
 Zandt, Wynant Van, 69. 
 
GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE 
 
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