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John Hill Morgan
Farmington Connecticut

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The Life and PVorks of
Gilbert Stuart

Washington
(The Gibbs Portrait)
Photogravure

The Life and PVorks of
Gilbert Stuart

By George C. Mason

With selections from Stuart's Portraits
Reproduced on Steel and by Photogravure

New- York
Charles Scribner's Sons
1879

Copyright, 1879,
By
Charles Scribner's Sons.

PREFACE.
^T^HIS biography of Gilbert Stuart was written at the request
¦*¦ of Miss fane Stuart, the only surviving member of Mr.
Stuart's family. Miss Stuart intended to prepare it herself, and
had published three papers on the subject in " Scribner's Maga
zine" ; but finding the work too laborious, owing to the demands of
her profession on her time, and the difficulty experienced in search
ing out the pictures painted by Stimrt (now widely scattered), it
was assigned by her to other hands ; with the one request, that the
volume should be a faithful record, so far as the materials within
the reach of the biographer would allow, of her distinguished
father's life and works. The task has not been a light one.
With the exception of a few letters addressed to Stuart^ the-drafts
of a couple of letters that he wrote in 1800, and a few__brief
entries ' made in a note-book while he resided in Boston, Stuart
left no papers that could be made available in sketching his career ;
%nd -nearly everything that has been written of him up _to__the
present time, has been made up of anecdotes (many of them of

vi Preface.
questionable authenticity), first given to the world by Dunlap
and Dr. Waterhouse.
But Stuart lives in his works, and an effort has been made
to search out his portraits, scattered over the sea-board States and
throughout England, and learn something of their history. Wher
ever owned they are highly prized, and in many families tra
ditions connected with them have been preserved. It has been a
pleasant task to collect these reminiscences and to bring them
together. While so engaged, the author has been assisted by many
admirers of Stuart's pictures. To Miss Eliza Susan Quincy, of
Quincy, Mass. ; Mr. Jonathan Mason, Boston ; General W. Ray
mond Lee, Roxbury ; Mr. J. M. Falconer, Brooklyn, and Mr.
Henry T. Drowne, New - York ; Messrs. John William Wallace,
Charles Henry Hart, Herbert Welsh, W. S. Baker, and E. D.
Marchant, Philadelphia ; Mr. Winslo'w M. Watson, Washington,
D. C. ; Mr. Osmond Tiffany, Baltimore, and many others, his thanks
are due for favors of this kind. He would also return his cordial
thanks to Dr. William F. Channing, Providence; Miss Bi?mey,
Philadelphia ; Miss Callender, Newport ; Messrs. Charles Joseph
Bonaparte, Baltimore ; John R. Stevens and Egbert Benson, Jr.,
New - York ; Henry E. Pierrepont and J. M. Falconer, Brooklyn ;
the New -York Historical Society, the Curators of the Academy of
Fine Arts, Philadelphia, and the Art Museum, Boston, for permit
ting negatives to be taken of the pictures selected as illustrations
of this work.
The Washington, on steel, by Burt, has never before been
engraved, and the photogravure of the same portrait, by Goupil,
while it shows how well the engraver has done his part, gives
another and not less faithful aspect of the picture.

Preface. vii
More than six hundred portraits by Stuart are referred to in
these pages. But "numerous as are the pictures here mentioned,
others equally worthy of notice have probably been overlooked, for
this is the first systematic effort (begun by Miss Stuarts and car
ried on by the author) to collect even the names of Stuart's
sitters / and it is only by calling attention to the subject in this
way, that we shall learn where some of his pictures are still hid
from sight.
It is the wish of the author that any oversight discovered by
the reader may be made known to him, in order that it may be
corrected in a future edition. And he would add, that in giving
the name of a picture by Stuart, not mentioned in these pages,
it should be accompanied by the full address of the owner. G. C. M.
Newport, Rhode Island, iSyg.

LIST OF PLATES.

Portrait of Washington, reproduced by the photogravure
process of Messrs. Goupil & Company, Paris, from the
original by Stuart [known as " the Gibbs Washington"],
in the possession of Dr. Wm. F. Channing, Providence,
R. I. . . . . . . Frontispiece.
Portrait of Gilbert Stuart, engraved on Wood by T. Cole,
from the miniature by Miss Goodridge, in the possession
of Mr. Mason,  . . Title-page.
Portrait of Stuart, etched by James Duthie, from Stuart's
pen-and-ink drawing of himself, in the possession of
J. M. Falconer, Esq., Brooklyn, . To face page i
The Gibbs Washington, engraved on steel by Charles Burt,
To face page 87

Portraits by Gilbert Stuart, photographed for this work from
the original paintings, by permission of the owners, and
reproduced in photogravure by Messrs. Goupil & Com
pany, Paris.
1. Egbert Benson. Original in the Rooms of the New- York
Historical Society, To face page 25

x List of Plates.
2. Horace Binney [at the age of twenty years]. Original in
the possession of Miss Susan Binney, Philadelphia . 5 1
3. Madame Bonaparte [Elizabeth Patterson]. Original [ the
property of Charles Joseph Bonaparte, Esq., Baltimore] at
present in the Rooms of the Maryland Historical. Society. 67
4. John Callender. Original in the possession of Miss Cal-
lender, Newport, R. I . . 83
5. Washington [the picture known as the " Athenaeum Por
trait"]. Original in the Boston Museum of Art. . .103
6. Mrs. Washington. Original in the Boston Museum of
Art  115
7. General Horatio Gates. Original in the possession of
John R. Stevens, Esq., New- York. . . 183
8. John Jay [in his robes as Chief- Justice of the United
States]. Original in the possession of Henry E. Pierre-
pont, Esq., Brooklyn  . . 205
9. General Knox. Original in the Boston Museum of Art . . 211
10. Elizabeth Willing [Mrs. Major Jackson]. Original in the
Philadelphia Academy of the Fine Arts ... 251

LIFE OF GILBERT STUART

" I had rather leave a good portrait of myself behind me than have a
fine epitaph." — Hazlitt.
"What though the dear and. honored features and person on which,
while living, we never gazed without tenderness or veneration, have been
taken from us ; something of the loveliness, something of the majesty, abides
in the portrait, the bust, the statue. The heart, bereft of the living origi
nals, turns to them, and cold and silent as they are, they strengthen and
animate the cherished recollections of the loved, the honored, and the lost."
— Everett.

Gilbert Stuart

From his Pen-and-ink Drawing

AT the head of Petaquamscott Pond, in the Narragansett country,
1~\. in Rhode Island, shut in by trees and far away from the
din and stir of the world, there stands an old-fashioned, gambrel-
roofed and low-portaled house, by the side of a tiny stream. This
old house, so seldom visited and so little thought of, has a history,
for it was the birthplace and early home of Gilbert Stuart, the
artist. There is little within the house to attract attention : the ceilings
are low, the fire-places are wide and flaring, and the stairs steep
and contracted ; but the low door is opened to all who care to
enter, and for the asking one may see the room in which the
painter was born. It has never been altered, and the place has
known but few changes, other than that the wheel that once
ground snuff for the many, now grinds corn for a sparsely settled
neighborhood. In_i746,_ Dr. Thomas Moffatt, a native of Scotland, and a
physician of the Boerhaavean school, who had been implicated the
previous year in the insurrection at home, came to America and
settled in Newport. He was a man of marked ability, and made
many friends. But in America he lacked the excitement of politics,
and as he could not be idle, he applied himself to his profession,
till there was a stir about the Stamp Act. This measure, so

2 Stuart's Birth and Parentage.
unpopular in New England, he advocated strenuously, and thereby
brought down upon his head the wrath of a mob; his house was
entered, his library and other valuables were destroyed, and to
escape personal violence he sought shelter on board a frigate in
the harbor.
At the time that Dr. Moffatt arrived in America, there was
not a snuff-mill in the colonies, and all the snuff used was imported
from Glasgow. The Doctor, seeing, as he supposed, a large profit
in the trade, thought it would pay to go into the business of tobacco-
raising and snuff-grinding. To this end he associated himself with
a brother Scotchman, the son of a Presbyterian clergyman, and a
native of Perth, by the name of Gilbert Stuart.
It has been said that Moffatt, who had known Stuart at home,
and was aware that he was a good mill-wright, sent for him to
come to America. But Stuart, if a mill-wright, could have had but
little experience in his calling, for he was but nineteen or twenty
when he came hither. The family tradition, that he was a political
refugee, is probably nearer the truth. Opposed to his father In
politics, he joined the Pretender, Prince Charles Edward, and after
the battle of Culloden, fled to the Colonies. In America he
wandered from place to place, but finally came to Rhode Island,
where he chanced to meet Dr. Moffatt. It was not long before the
two became warmly attached to each other, and the Doctor found
he could not get on without his young friend, who, when made
acquainted with the snuff-mill project, gave it much attention.
From this time forward, Stuart was identified with the mill, and
ever after was known as " the snuff- grinder."
Having established himself, Stuart looked around for a help
mate, and found one in Elizabeth Anthony, a most attractive young
woman, whose beauty has been referred to by Sabine in his
" Loyalists." She was the daughter of Albro Anthony, a native of
England, then residing on a large farm in Middletown, a few
miles from Newport.' To the house and mill on the Petaquam-

His Baptism and Early Education. 3
scott (for the house and mill were one) he took his bride, and
in that quiet retreat three children were born to them — James,
who died in infancy, Ann, who became the wife of Henry Newton,
and the mother of Stuart Newton (the artist), and Gilbert, who
was born December 3d, 1755. In the record of St. Paul's Church,
Narragansett, there is the following entry :
"April nth, 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."
In this entry two things are noticeable, — the spelling of Stuart's
name, and the absence of " Charles " after the Gilbert : he having
been known in early life as Gilbert Charles Stuart. The first may <¦
be easily traced to inadvertency in making the entry ; and the
inserting_of_ the Charles in the child's name was probably an after
thought of his father, who was as much of a Jacobite as was his
friend and countryman, Dr. Moffatt. The ."Charles," Stuart dropped
in after years, and answered only to the name of Gilbert Stuart.
The snuff-mill was run but a few years. It had been successful
up to a certain period, when a sudden turn in its affairs brought
it to a close.
This was unfortunate for Stuart; but while he was casting in
his mind what course to pursue, Mrs. Stuart came into the pos
session of a little property ; and as nothing was to be gained by
still residing in the mill, he deemed it prudent to remove to New
port, where, while looking for an opening, his son could have the
benefit of proper schools. Up to this time Mrs. Stuart had been
the lad's only teacher. From her he had acquired the rudiments
of learning, and although unacquainted with Latin, and therefore
unable to teach the language, she created such a desire in his
mind to master it, that he soon made himself familiar with it when
the opportunity offered.
At that time the Reverend George Bissit was residing in New-

4 Early Attempts at Drawing.
port. He was the assistant minister of Trinity Church, and the
head of a parochial school, founded by Nathaniel Kay, " Collector
of the King's Customs." Mr. Bissit had the reputation of being a
man of learning, a fine Latin scholar, and a successful teacher.
On the death of Rev. Marmaduke Brown, the Rector, he was
chosen as his successor, and ably presided over the parish till the
breaking out of the Revolution, when, refusing to give up his
allegiance to the Crown, he was forced to leave the colony. His
property was confiscated ; but in compliance with the earnest appeal
of Mrs. Bissit, the little that he had was given up to her, and she
was permitted to leave the place with her family, to join her hus
band in New- York. Soon after they sailed for England, never to
return. Under the instruction of this good man, Stuart made great
progress, and soon became a Latin scholar. But it was hard work
for him to study ; his spirits were too buoyant for that ; he was
too fond of pranks — all sorts of mischief that boys are prone to,
and which often makes them hard to manage ; and, moreover, he
had another love, which claimed more than a share of his attention.
He could curb his inclination for mischief for the moment; was
willing to give up a portion of his time to his books, for he saw
the need of it ; but his fondness for drawing he could not suppress,
nor did he attempt it.
No 'portfolio of Stuart's early drawings has been preserved, for
he had no portfolio. No record has been made of his early efforts,
— no record could be made, — for the first brush of a sleeve, the
first passing shower, effaced what he had sketched with chalk or
charcoal, on a fence, a slab, or a tail-board.
In these early drawings there was no attempt at anything more
than the merest outline, and in work of this kind there could be
little that was improving; but it was to him a delight, and at
last he came to feel that he could be, must be, a painter.
But how was he to learn anything of art, and who was to
teach him even the rudiments of his calling? Art was then at a

Condition of Art in the Colonies. 5
low ebb in America, and there were but few even passable pictures
in the Colonies. Even the few were beyond his reach; and where
was he to gain the means or secure the influence that could com
mand the services of proper teachers? It all seemed dark to him,
and gloomy were his forebodings. But light began to dawn on
him when his parents removed to Newport. Here a better field,
limited as it was, was open to him. On many walls he could see
prints that were tolerably good ; curious old Dutch tiles looked out
upon him from mop-boards and mantels, and the richly colored
wares of China were to be seen in almost every household. But
portraits were not readily to be found. Few, indeed, were the
portrait painters at that day who could support themselves with
their pencils ; the majority having to supplement their art by other
callings. In 1773, one Halpine, a painter whose name has been
preserved in this way, adverttsecHthat he had taken a room near
the brick market, in Newport, where, as portrait, herald and sign
painter, he solicited a share of patronage.
In almost every instance, the names of artists that have come
down to us are associated with some calling not properly connected
with the fine arts. Smibert was certainly well introduced, and he
at once made many friends in Newport and Boston. His portraits
are among the best that we have of that period, and yet he had
to paint coats-of-arms as well as likenesses ; and his successor,
Blackburn, who had the rare merit of painting hands well, and
other qualities that should have found him employment everywhere,
lacked encouragement. Even at a later date, after the Revolution,
when there was a greater demand for portraits, Samuel King, the
instructor in drawing of both Allston and Malbone, made and sold
mathematical instruments when not occupied with sitters.
But still Stuart persevered. At last he obtained colors, a
palette, and — when he could find them — sitters. The earliest
product of his pencil, so far as is known, is a picture owned by
Thomas R. Hunter, Esq., of Newport, R. I., a couple of Spanish

6 Stuart's First Picture.
dogs. The following is the history of the picture, which has been
carefully preserved :
Dr. William Hunter, who came to America in 1752, had attained
to a high position in his profession, and practiced medicine over
a wide circuit of country, having Newport for its centre. During
a professional visit at the house of Gilbert Stuart, he asked Mrs.
Stuart who made all the drawings in chalk and charcoal on the
sides of the barn. She replied by pointing to her son, with whom
the Doctor at once entered into conversation. Before leaving, the
Doctor made the lad promise (the boy's mother having given her
consent) that he would come to Newport on election day and
make him a visit. The boy was true to his engagement, and the
Doctor, interested in the young sketcher, gave him brushes and
colors, and bade him paint a picture of the two dogs that were
lying on the floor under a table. Stuart at once entered upon the
work, and while engaged in painting the picture, remained a guest
in the house of Dr. Hunter.
At the age of thirteen, Stuart met with encouragement in the
form of an order for two portraits — likenesses of Mr. and Mrs. John
Bannister, of Newport. The Bannisters were then prominent in
Newport, and were large land-owners. These portraits are now in
the Redwood Library. They are not remarkable as pictures, but
the facts connected with them make them interesting. That they
were like the sitters cannot be doubted ; for a very beautifully
painted miniature of Bannister, of an earlier date, in a similar scarlet
coat, and showing the same cast of features, may still be seen in
Newport. At the age of sixteen, Stuart painted a portrait of his father,
but what became of it is not known. It had a place in the collec
tion of Stuart's pictures exhibited in Boston soon after the artist's
death, but since then all record of it has been lost.
In 1770, Stuart had the friendly advice of one qualified to help
him in his art studies. That year there came to America an artist

Goes to England with Alexander. 7
by the name of Cosmo Alexander. But little is known of him
other than his name. That he was a gentleman was clear — one who
was not only fond of art, but who had made some progress as a
painter. He remained in the Colonies about two years, visiting in
that time many places of interest ; but no inconsiderable portion of
his time was spent in Newport. While here, Stuart was brought
under his notice, and seeing evidence of skill in the young man, he
gave him all the instruction he was capable of, in the way of his
calling. The pupil was quick to catch what was said to him, and
made such rapid progress that Alexander, when he returned to
England, took him with him, promising to put him in the way to
learn all that related to his profession. This promise he would
undoubtedly have kept; but, unfortunately, he died soon after
reaching Edinburgh. In his last moments, he commended Stuart to
the care of his friend, Sir George Chambers. But here a new
misfortune befell Stuart; for Sir George quickly followed Alexander
to the grave. " Stuart was thus cast suddenly upon his own
resources, and these were slight indeed, for he had not attained to
sufficient skill in his profession to win his way satisfactorily. Sir
George, before his death, had found an opening for him in the
University of Glasgow, where he was studying diligently, to make
good the defects in his education. But lacking the necessary means
for his ^support, he could not long remain there. With his brush
he could earn enough to meet his own" simple wants, but not
enough to dress as did his fellow-students; and, keenly feeling the
annoyances growing out of his position, he abandoned the pursuit
and thought only of returning to America. <*"4t has been said that
the voyage home was made in a collier, bound for Nova Scotia, and
was attended by every discomfort. So painful was the impres
sion made upon him while shut up in the vessel, that he could
never after be induced to speak of it.
Stuart had been absent two years, and although his experience
had been a hard one, he had acquired a great deal of information. N

o Returns after Alexanders Death.
He had seen better pictures than he could see at home, and had
been brought into contact with men of established reputations.
Thirsting for knowledge and quick to understand what he saw in
the works of others, he felt that he was better prepared than he
otherwise could have been to appear before his countrymen as a
portrait painter.
That his merits were recognized at this early period is evident,
for he was soon called upon to paint the portraits of some of
the wealthy Jews in Rhode Island; one picture, a whole length
of a Rabbi, supposed to be still extant somewhere in New- York,
has been spoken of in particular. Among the portraits painted at
that time were those of the Lopez family. He had also many
other orders. "His uncle, Mr. Anthony of Philadelphia," says Dr.
Waterhouse, "was proud of his ingenious nephew, and employed
him to paint a portrait of himself, and of his wife and children."
This led to other commissions, and, for one so young, he had
already been very successful, particularly when we take into con
sideration the times.
But while so engaged, Stuart did not forget or neglect to study
drawing from the life ; and the better to understand what he felt to
be of the utmost importance, he and his friend Waterhouse clubbed
together and hired a "strong-muscled blacksmith" as a model,
paying him half a dollar an evening.
All this was very pleasant and very profitable ; but the disturbed
state of the times began to make it difficult to obtain sitters ; war
seemed inevitable, and the chances were that if there was an open
rupture between England and America, there would be no possibility
of his again visiting Europe for a long time. He had tasted, of
the waters that as yet were beyond his reach, and nothing short of
a fuller and more complete knowledge of art, as practiced abroad,
could satisfy him. To stay at home while there was so much to
see and learn in other lands was distressing; his friend Water-
house had already sailed (March, 1775); he felt that he could earn,

Again goes to England. 9
wherever he went, the little needed for his support; every day his
touch was growing stronger, and, with it all, he had an intense
desire to study under West, his countryman ; and so, with but one
letter of introduction in his pocket, he embarked on board the last
ship that escaped detention in Boston harbor, in the spring of 1775,
and sailed for Great Britain. Where he landed is not known, but
it was probably in London.

II.

ONCE in the metropolis, Stuart looked for cheap lodgings,
which he had no difficulty in finding, and then he cast about
for employment. But sitters were not easily to be had, especially
by one so little known ; and if, by chance, an order was obtained,
it was at so low a figure as scarce to meet his daily wants. He
certainly had one letter to a man of influence, but he failed to
deliver it; and so he plodded on, filling slight orders when he
could get them; and still the object of ambition — to be the pupil
of West — was ungratified.
Miss Stuart says that at this time one of her father's old school
mates, then residing in London, had the privilege of visiting at
West's house, but that he never thought of serving his friend by
bringing him to the notice of the great painter. But this state of
things could not continue long, for Stuart's necessities made it
imperative that he should take some decided steps, and summoning
his courage, he called upon West without an introduction.
"West was dining with some friends when a servant told him
that some one wished to see him. He made answer, ' I am
engaged;' but added, after a pause, 'Who is he?' 'I don't know,
sir: he says he is from America.' Thereupon one of the guests,'
Mr. Wharton, said, 'I will go and see who it is.' Wharton was
from Philadelphia, and was intimate with West's family. He went

His Reception by West. 1 1
out and found a handsome youth, dressed in a fashionable green
coat. With him he talked for some time, and finding that he was
a nephew of Joseph Anthony, one of the most prominent merchants
in Philadelphia, and who happened to be a friend of Mr. Wharton,
he at once told Mr. West that he was well connected. Hearing
this, West came out and received his visitor cordially. Stuart told
him of his long desire to see him, and his wish to make further
progress in his calling; to all which West listened with kindness
and attention. At parting, he requested Stuart to bring him some
thing that he had painted. This Stuart did gladly; in a few days
he commenced his studies with West, and shortly after, in the
summer of 1777, he was domiciled in his family. At that time he
was two and twenty years of age."
The above was related by Dunlap, who had it from Stuart, and
Miss Stuart has given me a similar version.
It was at this time, while contending with adverse fortune, that
Stuart was called to Sion House, one of the country-seats of the
Duke of Northumberland, to paint portraits of the Duke and two
of his children. It was then a rare thing to have such an order.
But the young painter had one solace during the time that he was
struggling for bread, and that was a love for music, in which he
had become very proficient. Years before he had mastered a num
ber of instruments, and he had also met with some success as a
composer. This knowledge of music was a most fortunate acquisi
tion, for it helped him to eke out his scanty earnings while still a \
pupil under West, who imparted to him much that was valuable,
but who added but little to his resources. It was therefore a
matter of necessity that he should find some means of support
during his novitiate, and he was quick to avail himself of the first
opening that offered. It happened thus: Walking in one of the!
streets of London, known as Foster's Lane, he heard the notes of <
an organ. Pausing a moment to listen, he followed up the sound,
which led him to the open door of a church, and as there was no

1 2 Becomes Organist of a London Church.
one there to make objection, he did not hesitate to enter. At once
he became an interested spectator, for he had stumbled upon a
number of candidates for the office of organist, who were in turn
playing before the vestry. Stuart asked to be a competitor, which
was granted; his playing was infinitely superior to that of the
others, and it resulted in his election as organist, with a salary of
thirty pounds a year, he having given satisfactory reference as to
his fitness and standing. His reference was Sir Alexander Grant,
a Scotch gentleman, to whom he had a letter from America, but
whose acquaintance he did not make till he had been with West
some time. When, at length, he became known to that gentleman,
he was called upon to paint his portrait, full length, and a group
of his children. The time came when these pictures helped to
make Stuart's reputation. Stuart retained his love of music through
life, and in after years occasionally played some of the tunes he
had learned in earlier days.
The intimacy between Gilbert Stuart and Benjamin Waterhouse,
commenced in America, continued in England, where they were
engaged in studying their professions. They had drawn from the
life at home, and they were equally devoted to the study abroad.
"I was often to him," says the Doctor, "what Rembrandt's mother
was to that wonderful Dutchman, an object at hand on which to
exercise a ready pencil. I once prevailed on him to try his pencil
on a canvas of three-quarter size, representing me with both hands
clasping my right knee thrown over my left one, and looking
steadfastly on a human skull placed on a polished mahogany table."
If this picture was ever finished it has since been destroyed, for
there is no further record of it.
In speaking to Mr. Charles Fraser, of Charleston, of the manner
in which he had been received by West, Stuart said he was wel
comed with true benevolence, encouraged and taken into the family
of his master, and that nothing could exceed the attentions of the
artist to him; "they were," he said, "paternal." Stuart worked

Criticises Sir Joshua's Painting. 13
hard while under West, and more than repaid his tutor by putting
in parts of his pictures. There are conflicting stories as to his
manner of study, and it has been alleged that he had not the
patience to go through with an academic course of drawing ; but
that he was indefatigable in the study of the head, there can be
no question. West saw that he had merit, and that he was remark
ably successful in portraiture, and he often called upon him for
assistance when so employed.
Stuart was then attending the discourses of Sir Joshua Reynolds,
studying anatomy with the celebrated Dr. Cruikshank, drawing during
the evening in the life school, and painting with West, who was so
fully employed that he could not complete the works he had under
taken so - fast as they were required. It was at this time that he
took some fine colors to Sir Joshua, as a present from Mr. West
What followed is thus related by Miss Stuart:
" Reynolds took him into his painting room to show him his
picture of Mrs. Siddons, as the Tragic Muse. Sir Joshua, seeing
him so delighted, invited him to come and see it when it was
finished, which my father was only too happy to do. Going into
Reynolds's room, he found him full of anxiety and busily giving the
finishing touches, his hair (or his wig) very much disheveled, his
stockings rather loose, and his general appearance disordered. The
instant my father looked at the picture, he caught his breath with
a feeling of disappointment. Sir Joshua perceived this, and asked
him if he did not think he had improved it. Stuart answered, 'It
could not have been improved,' and asked, 'Why did you not take
another canvas?' Sir Joshua replied, 'That is true.' My father
immediately realized what a very great liberty he had taken, and
was exceedingly abashed ; .but the good Sir Joshua bore the criticism
very amiably, possibly thinking that the opinion of so young a man
was not of any moment."
Stuart and Trumbull were both pupils of West, and at the same
time. Stuart was the senior pupil, and having made greater prog-

H Manner of Study with West.
ress than his friend, thought it incumbent on him to assist his
fellow-pupil in his studies. This he did, to their mutual advantage.
Trumbull had the use of but one eye, and, singularly enough, Stuart
found it out in this way. The story was told by Sully, who had
it from, Stuart, who, having been puzzled by one of Trumbull's
drawings, said to him: "Why, it looks as if it had been drawn by
a man with one eye ; " to which Trumbull, who appeared much
hurt, replied : "I take it very unkindly, sir, that you should make
the remark." Stuart, not understanding him, asked him what he
meant. " I presume, sir," answered Trumbull, " that you know I
have lost the sight of one eye, and any allusion to it in this manner
is unkind." " Now," said Stuart to Sully, " I never suspected it,
and only the oddness of the drawing suggested it."
Mr. Fraser said, in speaking of these early years, Stuart did
not describe the course of study recommended by Mr. West, but
mentioned an occasional exercise that he required of his pupils for
giving them facility and accuracy of execution; which was the
faithful representation of some object or other, casually presented to
the eye — such as a piece of drapery thrown carelessly over a chair.
Stuart's successful performance of one of these tasks attracted the
notice and approbation of an eminent artist, which he said was very
flattering to him. Stuart had at this time a room for painting,
appropriated to himself under his master's roof. One day a gentle
man entered, and after looking around the room, seated himself
behind the young painter, who was at work at his easel. The
artist felt somewhat embarrassed, but Mr. West, soon after coming
in, introduced the stranger as Mr. Dance. Mr. West left the room,
but Mr. Dance remained and entered into conversation with Stuart,
who ventured to ask his opinion of his work, which was a portrait.
" Young man, you have done everything that need be done. Your
work is very correct." The young painter was of course delighted
with the approbation of the veteran, especially as he knew the
reputation of Mr. Dance for skill, correctness of eye and blunt
candor.

Paints Mr. West's Portrait. 15
Mr. Dance was one of those persons who petitioned the King
in 1768 to found the Royal Academy, and he was thought worthy
to be the third on the list; his name appearing after that of
Zuccarelli, and before Wilson's.
While Stuart was studying with Mr. West, Mr. Dance said to
._ him : " You are strong enough to stand alone ; take rooms ; those
who would be unwilling to sit. to Mr. West's pupil will be glad to
sit to Mr. Stuart."
This advice, which was indorsed by his master, was good; but
before acting- upon it, Stuart painted several pictures, among others
a full length portrait of Mr. West, who, on seeing it exhibited at
Somerset House, said to him : " You have done well, Stuart, very
well; now all you have to do is to go home and do better."
Mr. Fraser says: "The first picture that brought Stuart into
I notice before he left Mr. West's house, was the portrait of a Mr.
Grant, a Scotch gentleman who had applied to him for a full
length. Stuart said he felt great diffidence in undertaking a whole
length, but that there must be a beginning, and a day was accord
ingly appointed for the sitting. On entering the artist's room, Mr.
Grant regretted the appointment on account of the excessive cold
ness of the weather, and observed to Stuart that the day was better
suited for skating than sitting for one's portrait. Stuart said that
early practice had made him very expert at skating, and together
they went out to try their skill. Stuart's celerity attracted crowds
on the Serpentine River, the scene of their sport. His companion,
although a well made and graceful man, was not as active as him
self, and there being a crack in the ice which made it dangerous
to continue their amusement, he told Mr. Grant to hold the skirt
of his coat and follow him off the field. They returned to Mr.
Stuart's room, where it occurred to him to paint Mr. Grant in the
act of skating, with the appendage of a winter scene .in the back
ground. Mr. Grant consented and the picture was immediately
commenced. During the progress of it, Baretti, the Italian lexicog-

16 Portrait of Mr. Grant.
rapher, called upon Mr. West one day, and coming through mistake
into Mr. Stuart's room where the portrait was, then nearly finished,
he exclaimed, 'What a charming picture! Who but the great
artist, West, could have painted such an one ! ' Stuart said nothing,
and as Mr. West was not at home, Baretti called again, and coming
into the same room, found Stuart at work upon the very portrait.
'What, young man, does Mr. West permit you to touch his
pictures?' was the salutation. Stuart replied that the painting was
all his own. 'Why,' said Baretti, forgetting his former observation,
'it is almost as good as Mr. West can paint.'
"This picture was exhibited at Somerset House, and attracted so
much notice that Stuart said he was afraid to go to the academy
to meet the looks and answer the inquiries of the multitude. Mr.
Grant went one day to the exhibition, dressed as his portrait repre
sented him ; the original was immediately recognized, when the
crowd followed him so closely that he was compelled to make his
retreat, for every one was exclaiming, 'That is he, there is the
gentleman ! ' "

*

III.

STUART was now established as a portrait painter. Dunlap
fixes the date from the following letter, written by Mrs. Hop-
ner, and dated June 3d, 178&:
" To-day the exhibition closes. If Hopner should be as success
ful next year as he has been this, he will have established a repu
tation. Stuart has taken a house, I am told, of ^150 a year rent,
in Berner's street, and is going to set up a great man."
In this Dunlap has fallen into an error, for as early as 1785
Stuart was living in a house he had rented in New Burlington
street, and that year he exhibited three portraits at the Royal
Academy. The fact that Mr. West and Sir Joshua Reynolds had sat to
Stuart, helped to bring him into notice. Having gained a position,
he demanded and received a price for his pictures only exceeded
by the sums paid to Sir Joshua and Gainsborough. In this connec
tion Stuart related the following to Sully :
" Lord St. Vincent, the Duke of Northumberland, and Colonel
Barre came unexpectedly one morning into my room, locked the
door, and then made known the object of their visit. They under
stood that I was under pecuniary embarrassment and offered me
assistance, which I declined. Then they said they would sit for
their portraits. Of course I was ready to serve them. They

1 8 Life in London.
then advised that I should make it a rule that half price must be
paid at the first sitting. They insisted on setting the example, and
I followed the practice ever after this delicate mode of showing
their friendship."
For a time Stuart lived in splendor. Money rolled in upon
him, and he spent it as lavishly, never giving heed to the morrow,
nor cared he what became of his earnings. As a bird loves to
sing, so he loved to paint, and with sitters waiting their turn, and
with those around him with whom he could give play to his
remarkable conversational powers, he was contented and happy.
Daily his rooms were thronged with visitors, who thought it a
privilege to sit to him, and who were ready to pay anything that
he thought proper to charge them. At these sittings he was always
entertaining. Dr. Waterhouse said of his colloquial powers:
" In conversation and confabulation he was inferior to no man
among us. He made a point to keep those talking who were
sitting to him for their portraits, each in his own way, free and
easy. This called up his resources of judgment. To military men
he spoke of battles by sea and land; with statesmen, on Hume's
or Gibbon's history; with lawyers on jurisprudence or remarkable
criminal trials ; with the merchant in his way ; with the man of
leisure in his way, and with the ladies in all ways. When putting
the rich farmer on his canvas, he would go along with him from
seed time to harvest ; he would descant on the nice points of a
horse, an ox, a cow, sheep or pig, and surprise him with his just
remarks on the process of making cheese and butter, or astonish
him with his profound knowledge of manures, or the food of plants.
As to national character and individual character, few men could
say more to the purpose, as far as history and acute personal
observation would carry him. He had wit at will — always ample,
sometimes redundant."
"Stuart," said Herbert, in his "Irish Varieties," "had taken a
splendid house and lived expensively. Amongst other servants he

Stuart's Mode of Selecting his Guests. 19
had a French cook. He began giving dinners and invited forty-two
persons to dine with him. These were men of talents in some
professional line — painters, poets, musicians, droll fellows, actors,
authors, etc. After dinner he said to his friends, 'I can't have
you all every day, but I will have seven of you to dine with me
each day in the week, and I have contrived it so that the party
shall vary without further trouble. I have put up seven cloak-pins
in my hall, so as the first seven who come in may hang up their
cloaks and hats; the eighth man, seeing them full, will go away
and probably will attend earlier the next day. Then it would not
be likely that any of the party of one day would come on the
next, nor until the time for the forty-two to be expended, and
Sunday should not be excepted. This compact was understood,
without, trouble of naming or inviting. I had a different company
every day and no jealousies of a preference given to any one.'"
" I tasked myself to six sitters a day," said Stuart. " These
done, I flung down my palette and pencils, took my hat and ran
about and around the park for an hour, then home, got ready for
dinner, approached my drawing-room with the certainty of meeting
as clever men as could be found in society ; and what added to this
comfort, I knew not what or who they might be until I saw them,
and this produced a variety every day without any trouble. Oh, it
was delightful solace after such labor ! I assure you, my friend, it
was the greatest of all human luxuries."
"It must have been expensive?"
"It was more than I calculated on ; but it enabled me to
support my labor on six sitters."
"How did Mr. West approve of it?"
"He shook his head and observed that it would eat itself out.
It did so ; for in about six months the party was broken up, some
going into the country, others out of the country — John Kemble,
Irish Johnstone and others. It died a natural death, greatly to
our regret."

20 Marriage to Miss Coates.
Mr. Stuart had not been long established when he married Miss
..Charlotte Coates, daughter of Dr. Coates of Berkshire, England.
Miss Stuart says of this union:
"Miss Coates's brother and Stuart had met at the anatomical
lectures of Dr. Cruikshank. They soon became intimate friends;
and although the Doctor was very much attached to him and
admired his genius, he was perfectly aware of his reckless habits,
and, with the rest of her family, opposed the match violently,
but at length consented, and they were married May ioth, 1786,
by the Rev. Mr. Springate. She was extremely pretty, but her
greatest charm in the eyes of Stuart was her singing. Her voice
was a superb contralto, and when speaking, she was remarkably
attractive. Fuseli was delighted with her singing, and often made
her repeat her songs. The remembrance of this was a delight to
her in after years, for he was distinguished for his fastidious and
cultivated taste."
The friendship between Stuart and Mr. Dance, which began
before the painter entered upon an independent career, continued
during the time the two were together in London; and in speaking
of Mr. Dance's interest in him, Stuart said to Mr. Fisher, "that a
short time after taking rooms in London, subsequent to leaving Mr.
West, Mr. Dance called upon him and communicated his intention
of retiring into the country, at the same time inviting him to come
to his house, and take such articles in the way of his profession as
would be serviceable to him ; that as he was just commencing, he
would find ready to his hand many things he would have occasion
for. Stuart happened to call in the absence of his friend, and
merely took a palette and a few pencils. Mr. Dance, a day or two
before the sale of his furniture, inquired of his servant if Mr.
Stuart had been there; and on being informed that he had, and of
the moderation he had shown in availing himself of the offer made,
immediately sent him a mass of material for his painting room, not
only in the highest degree useful, but far more costly than the

Mr. Dance Presents Stuart with Hudsoris Palette. 21
painter's finances could have permitted him to purchase at that
time. The palette, Mr. Dance afterward informed him, was the one
formerly owned and used by Hudson."
"Mr. Stuart," says Fraser, "made the exhibition of his palette
doubly interesting by a short dissertation on the use of it, describing
the colors employed by him for portrait-painting, with their several
gradations. This was done at my request, with a readiness and
freedom characteristic of great liberality and kindness."

IV.

IN 1788, two years after his marriage, then somewhat embar-
rassed, Stuart was induced to go to Ireland and set up his
easel. He had been frequently urged to do so, and the promise
had been held out that many persons in Dublin would be glad to
sit to him ; among others, the Duke of Rutland, then "Lord Lieu
tenant, was very pressing, and at length he yielded to their wishes,
but only reached there just as the funeral cortege of the Duke
issued from the city. The disappointment that he felt of course
was great, but the visit was not an unprofitable one. "The
moment it was known that he had arrived," writes Miss Stuart,
"he was called upon by his friends and the public, and was soon
fully employed by the nobility."
At the time that Stuart visited Dublin there was not a little
interest manifested for art in that city. The Royal Academy was
founded in 1768, but as early as 1 731, the Dublin artists had
formed a society, and ultimately they put up a building which was
first opened with a collection of pictures in 1 763 ; and although
there was a schism in 1773, the annual exhibition was kept up in
Dublin till 1800.
" Stuart was delighted with the society he met in Ireland,"
writes his daughter; "the elegant manners, the wit and the hospi
tality of the upper class of the Irish suited his genial temperament.
He was so much beloved by them that they tried to claim him as

Visit to Ireland. 23
a fellow-countryman. When Mr. Allston was there, he heard them
express their grief that Stuart should have left Ireland; they would
say, 'Oh, nobody ever painted such a head as our Irish Stuart
could.' I am sorry to say that Stuart entered too much into their
convivialities. The fact is, it was his misfortune — I might say, his
curse — to have been such an acquisition to, and so sought after by,
society; particularly as he felt that he must make some acknowl
edgment for such incessant attention and cordial hospitality. He
consequently gave frequent dinner parties, as was the fashion of the
day. He lived at a place called 'Stillorgan Park,' not far from
Dublin. The gentlemen of the surrounding neighborhood consti
tuted his principal society. By all accounts a more genial and ele
gant set of men could not be found."
But Stuart, though well employed, did not remain long in Ire
land. He had become uneasy and restless ; in fact, his long absence
from home had made him discontented, and he had, withal, an
intense ' desire to paint the portrait of Washington. This last wish
absorbed all his thoughts, and, breaking away from old friendships,
and throwing up all his orders and engagements, he sailed direct
from Dublin to America, although he had pledged himself to go
back to England and paint a number of portraits. His fellow-pas
senger was Walter Robertson, an Irish miniature painter, on his
way to America to better his fortune. For a time the two got on
together, but at length they quarreled, their long confinement on
ship-board doubtless having something to do with it ; but as they
neared land they became reconciled, and even learned to like each
other. Robertson was a remarkable colorist, a quality that in itself
would attract Stuart ; but he lacked one quality — that of originality
— and was content to spend his days in copying the works of other
artists, particularly those by Stuart. This he carried to such lengths
as finally to annoy and alienate Stuart, who withdrew his friendship
from Robertson and bestowed it upon Trott, a rival miniature
painter of decided talents, though by no means so good a colorist.

V.

GILBERT STUART landed in New- York in 1792, and was
received most cordially by his countrymen. He had gone
abroad a poor youth to win his way in the world, and he had
come back a painter without an equal in America. A painting
room was secured for him in Stone street, near William street,
New- York, and soon it was known that he was ready to receive
sitters. Orders poured in upon him, and had he laid by but a tithe
of the sums he received, his savings would have been an ample
provision for his family ; but he was as fond as ever of society and
loved to entertain and to be entertained, and when at the board
with his merry companions he still delighted to tell a good story
and to sing a good song. With such tendencies, and with no
knowledge of business, it is hardly necessary to say that, liberal as
were the prices paid him, and great as was his facility for throwing
off work, he had always an empty purse. But, embarrassing as this
was, he found a way of working himself out of any pressing diffi
culty ; for with his brush he could in a few hours wipe out a debt,
and if the wants of the day were supplied, he never seemed to
think or care for the future. As he had met want before, so he

PHOTOGRAVURE & IMP GOUPIL & C

Egbert Benson

Stuart's Desire to Paint Washington. 25
could meet it again, and so he continued to meet it till advancing
years and declining health made it laborious; then, and not till
then, did he see the folly of having neglected in his prime to pro
vide for old age.
"Soon after his arrival in New- York," says Miss Stuart, "Stuart
received a letter from his brother-in-law, Mr. Henry Newton,
Collector at Halifax, Nova Scotia, requesting him to come there
and paint the picture of the Duke of Kent, who offered to send a
ship-of-war for him ; but most unfortunately he declined, for it was
his fixed determination to paint Washington at any sacrifice. He
always looked upon his declining this offer as the most signal
mistake of his life.''
Tuckerman says of this period of the artist's life :
" Gilbert Stuart's most cherished anticipation, when he left Eng
land for America, was the execution of a portrait of Washington —
cherishing, as he did, the greatest personal admiration of his
character. His own nature was more remarkable for strength than
refinement ; he was eminently fitted to appreciate practical talents
and moral energy; the brave truths of Nature, rather than her
more delicate effects, were grasped and reproduced by his skill ; he
might not have done justice to the ideal contour of Shelley, or the
gentle features of Mary of Scotland, but could have perfectly
reflected the dormant thunder of Mirabeau's countenance and the
argumentative abstraction that knit the brows of Samuel Johnson.
He was a votary of truth in her boldest manifestations, and a
delineator of character in its normal and sustained elements. The
robust, the venerable, the moral picturesque, the mentally charac
teristic, he seized by intuition ; those lines of physiognomy which
channeled by will the map of inward life, which years of consistent
thought and action trace upon the countenance ; the hue that to
an observant eye indicates almost the daily vocation ; the air
suggestive of authority or obedience, firmness or vacillation ; the
glance of the eye, which is the measure of natural intelligence and
4

26 His Introduction to Washington at Philadelphia.
the temper of the soul ; the expression of the mouth, that infallibly
betrays the disposition ; the tint of the hair and mold of features,
not only attesting the period of life, but revealing what that life
has been, whether toilsome or inert, self-indulgent or adventurous,
careworn or pleasurable — these and such as these records of
humanity, Stuart transferred, in vivid colors and most trustworthy
outlines, to the canvas. Instinctive, therefore, was his zeal to delineate
Washington ; a man who, of all the sons of fame, most clearly and
emphatically wrote his character in deeds upon the world's heart;
whose traits required no imagination to give them effect, and no
metaphysical insight to unravel their perplexity, but were brought
out by the exigencies of the time in distinct relief, as bold, fresh
and true as the verdure of spring and the lights of the firmament,
equally recognized by the humblest peasant and the most gifted
philosopher. "While Congress was in session at Philadelphia in 1794, Stuart
went thither with a letter of introduction to Washington from John
Jay. He first met his illustrious subject on a reception evening,
and was spontaneously accosted by him with a greeting of dignified
urbanity. Familiar as was the painter with eminent men, he
afterward declared that no human being ever awakened in him the
sentiment of reverence to such a degree. For a moment he lost
his self-possession, — with him an experience quite unprecedented, —
and it was not until several interviews that he felt himself enough
at home with his sitter to give the requisite concentration of mind
to his work. This was owing not less to the personal impressive-
ness of Washington — which all who came in contact with him felt
and acknowledged — than to the profound respect and deep interest
which the long anticipations of the artist had fostered in his
own mind."
In Philadelphia, Stuart resided in the house on the southr.east
corner of Fifth and Chestnut streets. The building is still, standing,
but it has been materially altered since then. Here it was that he

Paints many Ladies of Mrs. Washington's ''Court." 27
painted his first portrait of Washington, and it was only when he
was overru!T^wtt1l"'work_and his time was too much taken up with
callers, that he moved to German town, where the ruins of the
building in which he painted may still be seen. It was a stable *•£ I
converted into a studio, and it stands in the garden on the estate of fy. ,
Mr. William Rotch Wister. Stuart's house on Chestnut street was
daily the resort of many prominent and fashionable persons. Phila
delphia at that time was unusually attractive. Congress met there,
and the society of the place included representatives of the best
people from all parts of the Union and from many foreign lands;
and it was there that Mrs. Washington gave those delightful
entertainments which have been described in the " Republican
Court." Stuart knew almost every one, and it was his good fortune
to have for his sitters the lovely women who gathered around Mrs.
Washington, and the soldiers and statesmen who were the tried
friends of the President. In the gay assemblages that were almost
of nightly occurrence, he frequently took part, and in a manner
creditable to himself; whether it was a musical party, a social
gathering, or a ceremonious entertainment. At such times he had
a pleasant word with those persons who were known to him ; he
played well on a number of instruments, particularly on the harpsi
chord ; his voice was flexible, and his wit quick and sparkling ; and
if now and then his high temper came to the surface for a moment,
it was more under control than in after years. Here he painted
many of the beautiful portraits that have come down to us, — Mrs.
Washington, Mrs. Bingham, the Marchioness D'Yrujo, Mrs. Madison,
Mrs. Lawrence Lewis, and many others whose names it would
be easy to "recall.
The time when Stuart went to Philadelphia can be fixed almost
to a day. Mrs. Jay, in a letter dated New- York, November. 15th,
1794, addressed to her husband, Hon. John Jay, then in London,
says : " In ten days he [Stuart] is to go to Philadelphia to take a
likeness of the President." The following spring he was elected a

28 Removes to Washington and thence to Boston.
member of the American Academy. Stuart acknowledged the com
pliment in the following note : " Philadelphia, May 9th, 1795.
" To the Gentlemen of the American Academy.
" Gentlemen : This morning I received your letter, announcing my election to
your Society. It is particularly flattering to me to be thought worthy of choice in
any society among my countrymen, but more especially when that society is formed
of artists. " Permit me, gentlemen, to thank you, and assure you that my best endeavors
shall not be wanting to promote the interest and honor of that Society.
"Gentlemen, believe me your closely attached friend,
"G. Stuart."

From Philadelphia, Stuart removed to Washington, where his
pencil was at once in demand. This was as early as 1803. His
studio was on F near Seventh street. How long he remained
there cannot be accurately ascertained, for he left but few papers,
— he had the greatest dislike to writing, — and all details of this
kind must be treated in a general way. He removed from Wash
ington to Boston about 1805. Mr. Jonathan Mason, of Boston,
who was personally acquainted with Stuart, writes thus :
" It was the privilege of the writer in early life to have formed
the acquaintance and friendship of Gilbert Stuart, the distinguished
artist, through the introduction of my father, a member of the
United States Senate from Massachusetts, in 1803, who had sat to
him for his portrait in the city of Washington.
" My father afterward induced Stuart to remove to the eastward
and make Boston his head-quarters, promising him several of his
family as sitters, and his influence with his connections and the
public at large. The artist came to Boston and met with great
success in his profession until within a few years of his death in
1828. His last years were impaired by failing health and age.

His last Picture. — Sickness and Death. 29
" Having relinquished mercantile pursuits and having it in my
power to be of service to Mr. Stuart in a small way, I was some
times allowed to sit behind him while he was painting, which, it
was said, he allowed no other person.
"Although at times eccentric, as often men of great talents are,
and at times liable to be abrupt in his address, I can conscientiously
say I cannot recall ever having heard an unkind expression escape
him." In Boston, Stuart resided during the remaining years of his life ;
as improvident and careless in all matters relating to his own affairs
as ever, and as indifferent to opportunities that were frequently
afforded him to increase his gains and extend his reputation. The
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts would gladly have had a full
length portrait of Washington from his pencil, but when applied to,
with an offer of fifteen hundred dollars for such a picture, he never
even answered the letter; nor did he take any notice of a letter
asking him to paint his own portrait for the Academy at Florence.
Stuart's health began to fail in 1825 and 1826. This was fol
lowed by symptoms of paralysis in his left arm, which depressed
him greatly; and although his mind was clear and active to the
last, he never recovered from the shock to his feelings when he
found that his arm was becoming useless. " If I could live and
have my health," he used to say, " I could paint better pictures
than I have ever done." Even at this time he had occasionally
something amusing to say to a friend, but his natural flow of spirits
was gone. Still he tried to paint, and with great effort succeeded
in finishing a number of heads. The last picture that he began
and finished was a portrait of Mrs. Samuel Hay ward, of Boston.
In the spring of 1828, the gout, from which he had suffered
severely at times, settled on his chest and stomach, and for three
months he bore the torture with the greatest fortitude. At length
nature gave way, and on the 27th day of July of that year he died,
having reached the age of two and seventy years. Mrs. Stuart

30 The Artist's Foibles.
and three daughters survived him. Miss Jane, who early adopted
the profession of her father, is the only one of the number now
living. The defects in Stuart's character were marked, and often stood
in his way. If in the mood, he had the faculty of delighting all
who were around him ; but if not so inclined, if anything transpired
to irritate him, or if any one was present who had given him
offense, the rougher side of his nature was sure to appear. There
was nothing false about him, and he had no power to hide his dis
likes, or to keep back a sharp rejoinder, when he felt that he had
occasion to express himself freely. This freedom of the tongue
drove from him many who might have been friends, and alienated
for a time those who knew he had a warm heart, and that when
the storm of indignation had passed he would be himself again.
But constant dropping wears a stone, and those persons who
could bear with his temper in early life, were not so patient in
after years. Many a time, without apparent cause, he refused to
go on with a picture that he had begun, and no expostulation, no
apology — not even a woman's tears — could induce him to resume
his brush.
Another foible grew out of the qualities that made him so popu
lar in society. He was fond of company, and learned to love the
table — learned to love it too well in England and Ireland, where
he became a great favorite with a large circle of friends. He was
constantly invited out, and he delighted in return to entertain his
friends at his own house. He was a good liver, loved to indulge
his own appetite, and to see others enjoy what was set before
them. At such times no one could equal him as a story-teller.
Through life he was reckless in his expenditures, and this constantly
brought him into trouble. He never put any value on money,
never sought to acquire it, and never tried to keep it in his pos
session. The consequence was, he was frequently embarrassed, and
when he died he left his family wholly unprovided for.

Obituary Notice by Washington Allston. 31
The remains of Gilbert Stuart were deposited in the cemetery
on Boston Common. A gentleman who was present told Miss
Stuart that he had made a note of the number of the vault, but
unfortunately he put it away and could not find it. Could the spot
have been identified, a gentleman, distinguished for his liberality
and kindness of heart, would have had the remains removed to
Rhode Island and placed in the family burial-lot.
Washington Allston was asked to pronounce a eulogy on Stuart,
but he was forced to decline, owing to failing health ; he, however,
wrote the following obituary, which appeared in the columns of
the Boston Daily Advertiser : /L, /) ,». „ ¦ , c>
"4Biffiett Stuart.
"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 soon 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 awarded him their highest 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-

32 The Qualities of Stuart's Mind.
ness, reposing in the majesty of a serene countenance, is not to be
found on canvas. He returned to America in 1792, and resided
chiefly in Philadelphia and Washington, in the practice of his pro
fession, till about 1806, 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 he seemed to triumph over the decay of
nature, and give to some of his last productions all the truth and
splendor 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 extraordi
nary 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 equaled. On almost every sub
ject, more especially on such as were connected with his art, his
conversation was marked by wisdom and knowledge ; while the
uncommon precision and eloquence 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 association, 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

His Generous Bearing toward his Professional Brethren. 33
the conventional expression which arises from manners and the
more subtle indication of the individual mind, is indeed no common
one; and by no one with whom we are acquainted was this faculty
possessed in so remarkable a degree. It was this which enabled
him to animate his canvas, — not with the appearance of mere gen
eral 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 evidence wanting, this talent alone were suffi
cient to establish 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 happiest 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 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 thought 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 philoso
pher in his art ; he thoroughly understood its principles, as his
works bear witness, — whether as to the harmony of colors, 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.
S1 " We cannot close this brief notice without a passing record of
his generous bearing toward 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
it, 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
5

34 His Rank in Art.
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."

<$*

VI.

IT is not necessary that I should dwell on Stuart's merits as a
painter: his place as an artist was early assured, and it has
been conceded that he was the finest portrait-painter of his day. In
confirmation of this the following has been told by Dunlap, who had
it from Sully :
"Mr. Allston, at -Sully's" request, accompanied him to the house
of Miss Gibbs, where Allston's fine picture of Elijah was to be seen.
After looking at this, Miss Gibbs invited them" into another room,
to see a portrait of her father by Stuart. Sully says he almost
started at first sight of it; and after he had examined it Allston
asked : ' Well, what is your opinion ? ' The reply was, ' I may
commit myself, and expose my ignorance ; but, in my opinion, I
never saw a Rembrandt, Rubens, Vandyke, or Titian, equal to it.
What say you?' 'I say that all combined could not have equalled it.'"
Allston not only paid the highest tribute to Stuart as an artist,
but also to the kindliness of his heart; and Leslie said it was
fortunate that an artist existed in the time of Washington who could
hand him down looking like a gentleman.
"Quick of apprehension," says Tuckerman, "discriminating and
rhetorical, Stuart, when he chose to exert the valuable quality, could
exercise rare tact, both in the labors of his art and the pleasures of
35

36 Stuart's Objection to the Public Exhibition of Pictures.
society. He had great command of satire, and where he could not
win by entertaining, found no difficulty in exciting a fear of ridicule
which checked the machinations of enmity. This accounts for the
different impressions he created, according as the individual was
fascinated or frightened. He possessed the hardihood rather than
the susceptibility of genius, and effected his triumphs by the force
of a comprehensive mind, which takes in all the relations of a
subject and attains a complete, instead of a fragmentary, result."
It has been said that Stuart did not favor public exhibitions of
pictures. He and Allston, who had suffered through the bad hanging
of some of his works, held that, as a general thing, they were of
no advantage to an artist. On one occasion, when this subject
was discussed, Allston told the following anecdote: He had been
excessively annoyed on entering an exhibition room the day before
the opening, to find one of his quiet, low-toned pictures, hung by
the side of a portrait in which the figure was robed in a scarlet
mantle — the brightest of the bright. It had effectually killed his
own picture, and, to relieve his work as much as possible, he
heightened its color; only to have a friend say the next day: "Why,
Allston, what have you been doing to your picture ? How it
swears ! "
The above anecdote was related to me by Miss Stuart, who was
present when it was told to her father.
I have asked Miss Stuart to give me her views of her father's
manner of coloring, and she has written as follows :
" I am frequently asked by young artists to give them some
account of my father's method of painting ; this I am quite willing to
do, so far as my early recollection will permit ; but I have not the
presumption to attempt to explain his wonderful effects, which were
peculiar to himself; nor do I believe they could be transmitted. I do
not believe there was ever a great poet, or great painter, who, after
having done a good thing, could go over it and tell exactly how he
did it, and at the same time give a system of reasoning for what

His Manner of Painting his Portraits. 37
he had done. Poe attempted it, in his dissertation on 'The Raven,'
but no one believes but that what he says on the subject was an
afterthought — a play upon what he had written in a moment of
inspiration. I know there is great fascination in trying to discover
a secret of this kind, and that many artists have wasted their time,
and in some instances have injured their pictures, in a vain attempt
to get at the processes employed by the old masters. Sir Thomas
Lawrence is a notable example, and some of the prominent artists of
the present day have erred in the same way.
"The impression I have received from a study of Stuart's heads
is, that his success was due in a great measure to his wonderful
perceptive faculties. { .„ ,
"^ " As Stuart was quick to read the character of a sitter, so had
he a clear insight into the color of his complexion, and never was
he known to fail in this particular. The arrangement of his painting
room was simple — more simple than that of any other painting room
with which I have been familiar. He commenced a portrait by
drawing the head and features, and then he sketched in the gene
ral tone of the complexion ; for this he seldom required more than
four or five sittings, and frequently it was done in three sittings.
The picture was never touched except when the sitter was in the
chair. At the second sitting he introduced transparent flesh-tints,
at the third he began to awaken it into life and give it expression,
and then the individuality of the sitter came out. This was -always
done quickly. In the portraits of men advanced in life, where the
roundness of youth is gone, we can almost fancy that he has given
motion to the features — a quality seen in a marked degree in some
of the portraits of old Revolutionary officers who sat to him —
that, for instance, of Gen. Gates, now in the possession of the
Stevens family.
" It has been said by some critics that his coloring was too
strong — that there was too great a preponderance of carnation in
his flesh tints ; to this I cannot subscribe. Stuart did not rely on

38 Success in bringing out Colors.
or require strong colors to produce his. effects, for he had the faculty
of bringing out his heads simply 1sy the use of middle tints and
tones, giving all the required rotundity and relief without the assist
ance of black shadows and heavy backgrounds; and yet the faces so
painted are full of character and expression. In his work there is
no appearance of labor, but everything that he did showed force
and energy — so long as he kept to the head. When that was com
pleted his enthusiasm seems to have abated. With some notable
exceptions, the other parts of his pictures were painted but indiffer
ently ; but if he particularly fancied the subject, or the sitter was
one in whom he took more than his usual interest, he worked with
the greatest care to the end. In his draperies he was exceedingly
careless, but he amused himself at times by painting lace, showing
with a few bold touches of his pencil how easy it is to produce an
effect when one understands what he is about. But if any one of
his intimate friends took him to task for carelessness in rubbing in
the accessories in a portrait, he at once replied : ' I copy the works
of God, and leave clothes to tailors and mantua-makers.' "-y
" Color was one of Stuart's strong points, and on this subject he
was as eloquent in conversation as he was successful with his brush,
when he wished to illustrate it. He seemed to bring out the color
of every object that he transferred to his canvas. The story that
has been told again and again, of West's remarks to his other
pupils, — ' It is of no use to steal Stuart's colors : if you want to
paint as he does you must steal his eyes,' — will bear repeating in
this connection. And this reminds me that many artists, puzzled in
their efforts to produce like effects, have imagined that he had some
secret connected with the management of his colors : but this, I beg
to say, was not the case.
" Stuart's arrangement of his palette, so far from being compli
cated, was simplicity itself. He had, of course, the primaries, and
from these he formed a chromatic scale of tints, varying them to
suit the major or minor tones of his sitter's complexion. These

Mode of Mixing Colors. 39
tints were kept separate and distinct, as is apparent in his pictures;
the artist trusting to time to mellow them and blend them into a
whole. Where he used opposing tints he did it with judgment, and
those who look upon his pictures are often astonished at his skill in
bringing them together so successfully. His tints were put on at
once, and not worked up, and it is this that makes it so difficult to
copy his pictures; for the moment the copyist hesitates he becomes
confused, and then he is almost sure to go wrong.
" The order of Stuart's palette was as follows: Antwerp blue,
Kremits-white, vermilion, yellow ochre, lake, Vandyke brown (with
him a favorite color), and burnt umber — the latter used sparingly.
All these colors were mixed more or less with white. He never
glazed his pictures, nor ever attempted in this way to, strengthen
hts shadows, for he thought it a trick. He was always particular to
keep his palette in order, and if an artist brought to him one that
was not up to a~ proper standard, he would address to him words
clearly expressive of disapprobation. He also took great pains with
his pencils, and would never allow any one to touch his easel, or its
surroundings ; indeed, during the latter years of his life he would
never allow any one to go into his painting room when he was not
present. If any one touched a pencil, or moved a picture, he would
be sure to find it out; so that it became a settled thing in the
house that it was best to abstain altogether from going into his
sanctum sanctorum, unless invited to do so.
" It has been thought a pity by some persons, that Stuart did
not have the advantage of a visit to Italy. I doubt if it would have
been of any benefit to him, judging from the works of many artists
who have enjoyed that privilege; for while they have certainly
gained nothing in coloring, they have lost their originality by trying
to imitate what time has done, instead of confining their efforts to
copying nature. I believe he thought it impossible for one to be an
artist without acquiring a thorough knowledge of drawing and
anatomy, and he certainly gave a great deal of time to these studies

40 Declines Experimenting with his Pictures.
in earlier years. Whatever information he acquired in his studies
was at the disposal of others, and he never withheld anything from
any member of the profession who sought his aid and advice in a
proper manner; but he had a horror of anything that approached
the affectation of a dilettante, or the pedantry of technical phrase
ology. His own views were singularly clear and to the point, and
he imparted information in a way that left no doubt of his meaning
on the mind of the hearer.
" I regret exceedingly that some of Stuart's pictures have been
very much injured, and I cannot account for it in any other way
than that he may have used magilp, made with copal instead of
mastic varnish, put up by some unscrupulous dealer in artists' mate
rials. It is curious to observe that pictures painted sixty or seventy
years ago, are in perfect order and look as fresh as if painted
yesterday, while others, of a later date, are sadly defaced by small
circular cracks. I know that furnace heat and gas are great
destroyers of paintings, and yet some of the finest of Stuart's pict
ures are in dwellings that are provided with 'all the modern
improvements.' If he had experimented with his pictures, I should
not be surprised at the result ; but he avoided everything of the
kind, and treated with contempt whatever looked like a trick in art.
Artists frequently brought him some wonderful discovery in colors
or oil, or some composition that Titian or Veronese was supposed
to have used ; to all which he would listen pleasantly, and then say,
' Take my advice and have nothing to do with anything of the kind,
for certainly you cannot pretend to know what may be the ultimate
effect on your work.' But some persons, unwilling to accept his
views, would insist on leaving their wonderful concoctions with him,
all of which were immediately thrown from the window. At such
times he would relate some pertinent anecdote. One I distinctly
remember. He had been commissioned to copy a very fine head
by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and while at work on it, in a warm
room, he thought he saw one of the eyes move and take a down-

Shows Dunlap how to set a Palette. 41
ward course. A second glance showed this to be true, and it
instantly occurred to him that Sir Joshua must have used wax with
his colors (as is well known was the case), to give greater trans
parency. In an agony of mind, for the picture was one of great
value, he hurried with it into the cold air, and gradually worked
the eye back into its place.
" Stuart's manner was such as to make his sitters feel that he
was not to be trifled with. Many"a fine head was taken" from his
easel, and obliterated, or sent to the garret, for no other reason than
that the sitter had broken his engagement, or had in some other
way annoyed him."
Dunlap gives Stuart's arrangement of his colors, as he saw him
set a palette in 1813. Said he to Stuart, "I do not know how to
set a palette." "It is very easy," was the reply; "I will show you
in five minutes;" and Dunlap goes on to say: "He pointed out on
his own palette the unmingled colors, and their tints, as mixed
with white or each other ; first and nearest the thumb, pure white,
then ygllow, vermilion, black, and blue. Then followed yellow and
white in gradation ; vermilion and white in gradation ; black and
yellow ; black and vermilion ; black, vermilion and white in several
gradations ; black and white and blue and white ; ' and for finishing,
add lake to your palette and asphaltum.'" Later in life, when he
lived on Fort Hill, Boston, he gave me. another setting of the
palette. This was in 1822. I passed the morning with him, and
sat for the hands of Mr. Perkins' picture, for the Athenaeum, of
which he was the munificent endower. The palette Stuart then
worked with, as he pointed it out to me, was Antwerp blue, Kremits
white, vermilion, stone-ochre, lake, Vandyke brown, mixed with one-
third burnt umber, and ivory black. The tints he mixed were white
and yellow, vermilion and white, white, yellow and vermilion,
vermilion and lake (each deeper than the other), then blue and
white, black and yellow, black, vermilion and lake. Asphaltum in
finishing. 6

42 Neagle's Account of the Sittings for his Portrait.
Young artists, who had really something in them, always found
Stuart willing and ready to aid them in their studies. This is shown
in his advice to Neagle, who painted his portrait in 1825. Neagle
gave the following account of the sittings :
" Mr. Stuart had stepped out of the painting room (it was at his
own house), and in the meantime, as a preparation for his sitting, I
placed alongside of my unfinished portrait one painted by him of
Mr. Quincy, the mayor of Boston, with the view of aiding me
somewhat in the coloring. When he returned and was seated before'
me, he pointed to the portrait of the Mayor and asked, ' What is
that ? ' ' One of your portraits.' ' Oh, my boy, you should not do
that ! ' said he. ' I beg your pardon, Mr. Stuart ; I should have
obtained your permission before I made use of it ; but I have
placed it so carefully that it cannot suffer the least injury.' ' It is
not on that account,' said he, 'that I speak; I have every confi
dence in your care ; but why do you place it there ? ' ' That I
might devote my mind to a high standard of art,' I replied, 'in order
the more successfully to understand the natural model before me.'
'But,' said he, 'does my face look like Mr. Quincy's?' 'No, sir,
not at all in the expression, nor can I say that the coloring is even
like ; but there is a certain air of truth in the coloring of your
work, which gives me an insight into the complexion and effect of
nature ; and I was in hope of catching something from the work of
the master without imitating It.' X 'As you have heretofore,' said
Stuart, ' had reasons at command for your practice, tell me what
suggested this method.' ' Some part of the lectures of Sir Joshua
Reynolds,' which I repeated to him. T knew it,' said he; and
added, ' Reynolds was a good painter, but he has done incalculable
mischief to the rising generation by many of his remarks, however
excellent he was in other respects as a writer on art. You may
elevate your mind as much as you can; but while you have nature
before you as a model, paint what you see, and look with your
own eyes. ^However you may estimate my works,' continued the

Anecdote Concerning one of his Pictures. 43
veteran, ' depend upon it they are very imperfect ; and the works
of the best artists have some striking faults.'"
The advice given by Stuart is unquestionably good, but artists
have certainly derived great benefit from the study of his works, as
well as from his theory. Tuckerman relates an interesting story
connected with one of Stuart's pictures which had fallen into the
hands of a young artist, who made it the subject of profitable study ;
and as it is to the point I shall here insert it. The narrator is
giving an account of his first acquaintance with Elliot, who, hid
away in a little inland town, was struggling to keep his head above
water. In the painter's room he found a number of fine pictures
and engravings, which he showed when he had a visitor who could
appreciate them. Here I take up the narrative.
/\ "Among them was a Moreland and a Gainsborough, some fine
engravings after Reynolds, prints, cartoons and crayon heads by
famous artists, and two or three Hogarth proof impressions; but the
treasure which riveted my friend's gaze was a masterly head of such
vigorous outline and effective tints, that he immediately recognized
the strong, free, bold handling of Gilbert Stuart. 'This was given
to me,' said the gratified painter, ' by the son of an Edinburgh
physician, who, when a young practitioner, had the good fortune to
call one day upon Stuart, when he was suffering from the effects of
a fall. He had been thrown from a vehicle, and had broken his
arm, which was so unskilfully set that it became inflamed and
swollen, and the clumsy surgeon talked of amputation. Imagine the
feeling of such an artist at the idea of losing his right arm ! The
doctor's visit was not professional, but seeing the desponding mood
of the invalid painter, he could not refrain the offer of service. It
was accepted and proved successful, and the patient's gratitude was
unbounded. As the doctor refused pecuniary compensation, Stuart
insisted upon painting a likeness of his benefactor; and as he
worked under no common impulse, the result, as you see, was a
masterpiece.'

44 Story of a Stuart Portrait.
"A few weeks after this pleasant interview, my friend had
established his protege at Utica, and obtained for him several com
missions. But his medical attendant pronounced his disease incur
able ; he lingered a few months, conversing to the last, during the
intervals of pain and feebleness, with a resignation and intelligence
quite endearing. When he died, my friend advised his widow to
preserve as long as possible the valuable collection he had left, and
with it she repaired to one of her kindred in affluent circumstances,
living fifty miles away. She endeavored to force upon his accept
ance one at least of her husband's cherished pictures ; but, knowing
her poverty, he declined, only stipulating that if ever she parted
with the Stuart, he should have the privilege of taking it at her
own price.
"A year passed, and he was informed that many of her best
pictures had become the property of her relative, who, however,
knew not how to appreciate them. He commissioned an acquaint
ance to purchase, at any cost, the one he craved, when it was
discovered that a native artist, who had been employed to delineate
the family, had obtained this work, in payment, and had it carefully
enshrined in his studio in Syracuse. This was Charles Elliot ; and
the possession of so excellent an original by one of the best of our
artists in this department, explains his subsequent triumphs in
portraiture. He made a study of his trophy ; it inspired his pencil ;
from its contemplation he caught the secret of color, the breadth
and strength of execution, which has since placed him among the
first American portrait painters, especially for old and characteristic
heads. Thus, in the centre of Western New- York, he found his
academy, his Royal College, his gallery and life-school, in one
adequate effort of Stuart's masterly hand : the offering of gratitude
became the model and the impulse whereby a farmer's son on the
banks of the Mohawk rose to the highest eminence. But this was a
gradual process ; and meantime it is easy to imagine what a treasure
the picture became in his estimation. It was only by degrees that

Stuart's Want of Attention to Business. 45
his merit gained upon public regard. His first visit to New York
was a failure ; and after waiting many weeks in vain for a sitter, he
was obliged to pay his indulgent landlord with a note of hand, and
returned to the more economical latitude of Syracuse. There he
learned that a wealthy trader, desirous of the eclat of connoisseur,
was resolved to possess the cherished portrait. Although poor, he
was resolved never to part with it ; but the sagacious son of
Mammon was too keen for him. Discovering his indebtedness, he
bought the artist's note of the innkeeper, and levied an execution
upon his effects. But genius is often more than a match for worldly
wisdom. Elliot soon heard of the plot, and determined to defeat it.
He worked hard and secretly, until he had made so good a copy
that the most practiced eye alone could detect the counterfeit; and
then, concealing the original at his lodgings, he quietly awaited
the legal attachment. It was duly levied, the sale took place, and
the would-be amateur bought the familiar picture hanging in its
accustomed position, and then boasted in the market-place of the
success of his base scheme. Ere long one of Elliot's friends revealed
the clever trick. The enraged purchaser commenced a suit, and
although the painter eventually retained the picture, the case was
carried to the Supreme Court, and he was condemned to pay
costs." I have said that Stuart kept no record of his works, and paid
no attention to details of this kind. He did not even know, at
times, whether a picture he had finished had been paid for; so
indifferent was he to all business matters. Before me there is a
single sheet, torn from an old account book, on which there are
certain entries in his own hand, which may have been quite enough
to refresh his memory. The figures and letters in the left-hand
column are evidently intended to designate the days of the week,
but there is nothing to show what those in the right-hand column
stand for.

46 Sheet torn from one of his Account Books.
M. 25. Miss Charlotte Morton, \
... _, ,. > Disappointed me  n
Miss Caroline Knox. ) rr
Rubbed in Mrs. Howard's and Mrs. Bussy's background.
Rubbed in Col. Davis' drapery.
State street altered, Mr. Appleton's engagement.
Mr. and Mrs. Grant, with a Lady and Gentleman from N. Y. Caught
in the rain at Seymour's warehouse.
T. 26. Mr. Hollowell — Mr. I. P. Davis X — Thunder, rain, and my room leaking 9
like the devil.
Mr. Appleton altered to Thursday  11
Mr. Townsend read over the correspondence between me and Bingham.
W. 27. Coll. Boyd, Mr. Dexter and Miss E. Morton X. "7"  T . n
Mr. T. H. Perkins X Dr. Danforth, Mr. Greenleaf X
Mr. McGee — Mrs. Morton — Mr. Allen, with a British officer — State
street — walked in the Mall with H. Sargent — Dr. Dix's house —
Mrs. Powell and Miss Murray X — Stackpole and Gay X — Mr. Shaw
evening is to tune my Harpsichord.
T. 28. Mrs. Appleton  11
Mr. Pennyman. Books of Rome.
T. Governor and his Lady. Mr. Townsed
to Mr. Perkins' to dinner — Col. Apthorp, Mr. Allen.
Capt. Shepart, Mr. Richards, Mr. Callender, Mr. Amory, first salmon.
F. 29. Mrs. Swan and Mrs. Howard.
Mr. James Swan — Dr. Danforth — Judge Daws.
Walked to Roxbury with Mr. Bingham —
Saw Mrs. and Miss Knox — Mr. and Mrs. Gore —
Mr. Sears with Mr. Hallowel in a phaeton.
S. 30. Mr. Hallowel  10
Mr. Bussy — Mr. Morton and Mr. Dexter.
Mr. Townsed — 100 — Mr. Pennyman had to grind colours — Dined Dr.
Dix's House, met Mr. Hays — went to Kidder's — Farrington. ^X.
'X

^..-oJL >vu- '\ fa- .-(. .. v.,.. tU ir* "i . »*"'»'¦-

Y

The money earned in painting the full length Washingtons that
came from his easel in Philadelphia, and from twenty other pictures
of different sizes, was invested in a farm in Pennsylvania, which he
had stocked with the Durham breed of cows. But with his usual
carelessness in such matters, he paid the money over from time to

Evidences of his Business Carelessness. 47
time — as fast as he earned it — without taking a receipt, or looking
to see that the estate had been properly made over to him ; and
before there was a final settlement the party died, of whom he had
bought the property. Then it came to light that there was no
evidence that Stuart had ever paid a dollar in the way of purchase
money, and there was nothing among the papers or on the books
of the deceased to show that any such transaction had taken place.
Stuart lost his whole investment, amounting to thirty-four hundred
and forty-two dollars.
On one occasion, while riding in the country, he was attracted
by a crowd, and when he drew near he found a man beating a
poor negro cruelly. The victim proved to be the son-in-law of an
old colored woman who had once been owned by his mother and was
then a servant in his own family. His appeal in behalf of the slave
was of no avail, and, moved to compassion, he bought the poor
creature, signing a note for an extravagant sum in payment. This
was in the neighborhood of Washington. Stuart thought no more
about it. In time the note, which had been discounted, fell due
and was protested. He had no money to meet it, thought there
need be no hurry in taking it up, and only realized his unpleasant
position when a minion of the law attached his household furniture.
A lady, a friend, sent for Mrs. Stuart and her family, and took
them into her own home until another could be provided for them.
As for Stuart, he was amazed beyond words at such a combination
of circumstances. v7
"/^\ In his declining years Stuart thought much of a son he had lost,
and to whom he was strongly attached. His very fondness had
caused him to err in bringing him up. In his efforts to save him
from the gay company that had been the delight of his own early
life, and which had cost him so much, he drew the cords too tight.
He was too rigid in his treatment of the youth, was too exacting
in his demands, and put too many restraints on his movements.
The result was, when the young man came of age and began to

48 Grief at the Death of his Son.
mingle more freely with the world, he was easily led into temptation,
and at the age of twenty-six he went down to the grave, the victim
of many irregularities. The blow was a terrible one to Stuart, who
felt that he was in a great measure to blame, and tenderly he
mourned with his family the loss they had sustained. -yk
As a memento of the son who was so dear to him, he had a box
or casket made, after a design of his own, and on it he spent a con
siderable sum. This pretty affair he valued highly, for he associated
it in some way with his son ; and as it stood on the sitting-room
table, it was always before him, a perpetual reminder of his loss.
An incident is related by the family, in connection with this
cabinet, which illustrates Stuart's carelessness in money matters. A
year after it was completed and brought home, a bill was sent in
for the work of making it. Stuart was indignant, and said that he
had paid it; that the bill was one of the last he would have failed
to have met promptly. His wife suggested that possibly he might
have overlooked it. "Tom," said he, — he always so addressed
her, — "Tom, I know I paid that bill, but what I have done with
the receipt I cannot tell." A year after Stuart's death the receipted
bill was found in a book, which he was probably reading at the
time that he paid it.
It has been said that Stuart did not treat his nephew, Stuart
Newton, properly. On this subject Miss Stuart writes :
"The story that Stuart was unkind to his nephew, Stuart New
ton, is utterly without foundation. I am happy to say that Newton
had the justice to contradict it the last time he was in this country.
That my father was frequently out of temper, is too true ; but any
reasonable person could make some apology for a man harassed, as
he was, with the vanity and caprice of the public, as all artists have
been and ever will be. As Newton almost lived at our house, I
conclude he must have witnessed some of these outbursts, which,
however, he found it convenient not to notice, as it would have
interfered with the advantages he was enjoying.

Stuart and Newton. 49
" One day my mother said to my father : ' Do you think New
ton has very fine talents ? ' He answered : ' Undoubtedly he has,
but he is such a consummate coxcomb, I have no patience with
him. If I attempt to instruct him, he invariably contradicts me.'
'Unfortunately a person present repeated this conversation, with some
additions. This, I know, was the extent of the difficulty between
them. " Newton was young, and thought he knew more than his uncle
did. This self-complacency is a common defect in young persons
who think they are born geniuses. When he had seen more of the
world, Newton became a most accomplished person and fine artist. <
¦""But when I hear that he derived no advantage from being with his
uncle, I am vexed at the ungenerous and absurd statement. It
does not argue much for the mind of Newton to deny that he was
benefited by such golden opportunities as were afforded him daily
under the roof of his uncle's house. When I was a child I was
often in the room when my father was instructing artists, and
remember many things that were said to them when no one thought
that I had two ideas on art, or anything else. It would be strange
indeed if Newton, then a young man, could not comprehend him
and could derive no advantage from such opportunities."

VII.

MANY anecdotes have been related of Stuart's ability to read
the character of persons he chanced to meet. While painting
the full length portrait of Lord Chancellor Clare, he was frequently
invited to dinner. One day his lordship asked him to sit by his
side, to hear some private chat. Just as the cloth was removed a
gentleman came in, and looked rather confused, from not being in
time. Lord Clare ordered the servant to place a small table on one
side, and to get some dinner for him. "You must try and make the
best of it," said his lordship; "it was your own fault; we waited
half an hour." Then he turned and said : " Now, Stuart, you are so
accustomed to look all men in the face who come before you,
you must be a good judge of character. Do you know fhat
gentleman at the side table ? " " No, my lord, I never saw him
before," was the reply. "Well, now tell me what sort of a man he
is in disposition." "Is he a friend?" "No." "Then I may speak
frankly?" "Yes." "Why then, my lord, if the Almighty ever
wrote a legible hand, he is the greatest rascal that ever disgraced
society." Lord Clare was so amused with this true development of charac
ter that he laughed immoderately. The man was an attorney, and
had been detected in acts that were far from honorable.
50

PHOTOGRAVURE gr IMP GOUPIL & C

Horace Binney

Stuart Dines with the Dublin Artists. 51
This story found its way to America and has been repeatedly
told, with a few changes as to time and place, and the substituting
of the name of Aaron Burr for that of Lord Clare, and Talleyrand
for "the unfaithful steward."
An artist named Home was very popular in Dublin at the time
that Stuart set up his easel in that city, and for a time he tried to
retain his hold on the public ; but the new-comer was too much for
him, and he abandoned the field he could no longer claim as his
own. "Soon after Stuart's arrival," it is related by Herbert, "he was
invited to dine with the artists of Dublin on St. Luke's day. He
accepted the invitation, and was very communicative to those who
sat near him. But Mr. Pack (one of the company), who delighted
in anecdote, was relating one where he was the hero of the tale
himself, and he spoke so loud as to drown Stuart's voice, so that
the great visitor was obliged to be a mute listener, until he silenced
the story teller. Pack was boasting of his intimacy with Sir Joshua
Reynolds being so great that he had the freedom of going into
Sir Joshua's study when Sir Joshua was painting, if alone. One
day he entered the study where Sir Joshua was engaged designing
with chalk a picture of the Holy Family.
" ' Mr. Pack, I have been puzzled with this design — the fore
shortening of the infant's thigh — I must lay it by till I get a
model.' " Pack saw several lines sketched, and he said : ' Sir Joshua,
your eye is fatigued; now, I come in with my eye fresh, and I
think I can draw the line you want. Will you permit me' — this in
a softened, low voice — 'to point out what strikes me?'
"Sir Joshua handed him the chalk, and Pack drew the line — 'I
think it should come in so.'
"Sir Joshua thanked him, but the freedom was revoked: yet
the line was adopted, as the picture (which has been finished)
testifies. These were Pack's words.

52 His Agricultural Pursuits at Stillorgan.
" Stuart, fired with indignation at what he had heard, asked
Valdre, an Italian artist who sat beside him, and in a voice as loud
as Pack's, ' Who is that person relating these stories ? '
"'Mr. Pack.'
"'Pack, Pack,' said Stuart; 'well, I have often heard of a pack
of nonsense, but I never saw it before.'
"Such an involuntary burst of laughter took place like a volley,
so general was the excitement felt, as took some minutes to relapse
into a decent silence and decorum ; Pack then became mute, and
we were deprived of his entertaining qualities for the rest of the
evening." Herbert was invited by Stuart to visit him at his residence,
promising to give him a bed and that he should "dine on pork
fed on apples." The invitation was accepted.
"On the ensuing Sunday I went to Stillorgan, and as I walked
up a narrow road that led to that quarter from the Black Rock, I
saw some very pretty pigs ; it struck me at one moment's view
that they belonged to Stuart, and that I could not be distant from
his house : to try that I was right in my conjecture, I took up
little pebbles and threw them at them. They ran on and I fol
lowed. They led to a gate, into which they entered. It lay open,
and before the house I saw Stuart, tending some flower-pots.
"'Ha,' said he, 'you are come.'
"'Yes, please the pigs.'
"Then I told him how they had led me. He was delighted at
the recital, and more complimented than anything I could say in
praise of his pictures. He said, 'You shall taste pork to-day of
their kind, and you will acknowledge my plan to be a good one
for feeding them.' He then took me to his garden, which was well
cropped, all by his own hands ; walked me over the grounds, and
pointed out his skill in farming ; he valued himself more on these
points than on painting. I cordially confessed that I should rather
see his works in his painting room, that I was ignorant of farming,

Paints the Portraits of a Tailor's Ancestors. 53
gardening or feeding pigs. He pitied me very much, observing
what a loss I sustained by not attending to the cultivation of that
on which mankind were supported and rendered wealthy and power
ful. We then got back to the house, and dinner was served. I
ate the apple-fed pork, and was greatly pleased with it. Stuart
entertained me till bed-time. Many other anecdotes followed, which
would spin out a rare tale."
An amusing story is told of a call made on Stuart, when in
Ireland, in the way of his profession. He had been asked to visit
a gentleman at his castle, prepared to fill his orders. The story
goes on. Arriving at his place of destination, "he found the castle
was a building that had stood for centuries, but was then occupied
by a tailor who had made a fortune by army contracts. This
worthy told him that he had sent for him to paint the portraits of
his ancestors, and on Stuart's inquiring whether he had any minia
tures or silhouettes to guide him, replied that he had nothing of
the kind, but wished him to paint the portraits of such ancestors as
he ought to have had. The artist went to work and produced a
series of portraits, beginning at the Conquest: men in armor, who
served in the Crusades ; judges in full-bottomed wigs ; civil magis
trates, with chains and furs ; fair women, feeding sheep and staring
at parrots, according to the times when they were supposed to have
flourished. His patron was delighted with his success in thus por
traying his aristocratic progenitors, and paid him double the amount
agreed upon for his services. As these pictures were painted a
century ago, they are probably exhibited by the tailor's descendants
as veritable likenesses, taken by contemporary masters, and thus,
according to Slender, 'all his successors who have gone before him,
and all his ancestors who come after him,' will have established
their claim to an aristocratic lineage."
It was in Dublin that the following occurred: "At a dinner
party composed of some of the wits of the day, among them the
Rev. Mr. Best, Dean Butson and John Kemble, a violent dispute

54 Washington's Kindness to Stuart's Child.
arose as to the possession of the truest eye. It was finally proposed
that there should be a mark placed in the garden, that the question
might be decided by pistols. Accordingly they went out, and
Stuart, soon seeing the exact state of things, walked deliberately in
front of the target ; when they all exclaimed : ' Stuart, Stuart ! what
are you about ? By heavens, you will be shot ! ' ' Oh no,' said he,
in a very quiet manner, ' from all appearances, this is the safest
place.' "
" I was always very fond of hearing these old stories," says
Miss Stuart; "but it gave my mother pain to remember anything
associated with his reckless extravagance, or what she called his
folly." Miss Stuart, in speaking of the portraits of Washington, says:
" One morning, while Washin^^on_w^s^_siltingi_fbj^his ^picture, a
little brother of mine ran into the room, when my father, thinking
it would annoy the General, told him he must leave ; but the
General took him upon his knee, held him for some time, and had
quite a little chat with him, and, in fact, they seemed to be pleased
with each other. My brother remembered with pride, as long as
he lived, that Washington had talked with him. Of course, this
added to my father's regard for the General.
"While talking one day with General Lee, my father happened
to remark that Washington had a tremendous temper, but held it
under wonderful control. General Lee breakfasted with the Presi
dent and Mrs. Washington a few days afterward.
"'I saw your portrait the other day,' said the General, 'but
Stuart says you have a tremendous temper/
"'Upon my word,' said Mrs. Washington, coloring, 'Mr. Stuart
takes a great deal upon himself, to make such a remark.'
"'But stay, my dear lady,' said General Lee; 'he added that
the President had it under wonderful control.'
"With something like a smile, General Washington remarked,
'He is right.'

Attachment of the Washington Family for Stuart. 55
"About the time that the Washingtons were sitting for their
portraits, my father's painting room was the resort of many of the
most distinguished and interesting persons of the day.
"Nelly Custis, Mrs. Law, Miss Harriet Chew (afterward Mrs.
Carroll), generally accompanied Mrs. Washington ; General Knox,
General Henry Lee, and others came with the President. The
British Minister and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Liston, Louis Philippe
d'Orleans, Counsellor Dunn (an Irish barrister), and the Viscount
de Noailles were fond of Stuart's society, and were frequent visitors.
" It has always been a source of great satisfaction to me, that
the Washington family were so much attached to my father, on
account of his portrait of the General. We have been continually
sought by different connections of the family, who invariably have
spoken of Stuart with gratitude ; I may, indeed, say with affection.
Miss Elizabeth Parke Custis (who married the Hon. Mr. Law, and
afterward took her maiden name) was a great enthusiast upon the
subject of this picture. She used to go about with the General,
and whenever she could find an opportunity, would accompany him
to "my father's painting room. She has said to me with great satis
faction': 'I was present during many of the sittings, and have seen
the likeness of the dear General grow under your father's pencil.'
I told her that many persons thought my father's portrait of him
was too fair. This seemed to provoke her exceedingly. 'Too fair!'
she exclaimed ; • my dear, his neck was as fair as that of a girl of
seventeen.' This was said with great indignation, as if it were an
insult to his memory to suppose that Washington had a dark com
plexion. (She herself was a brunette, with very beautiful dark
eyes.) My father painted Miss Custis about this time, and it is
said to be one of the most beautiful pictures that ever came from
his pencil. I did not see her until she had had much trouble and
illness, but there were still remains of great beauty. When she
heard that my father was ill she set out for Boston, but had only
reached Newport when news reached her of his death."

56 His Abhorrence of Meretricious Display.
Stuart could not tolerate anything done for effect — any stage
trick or display of tinsel. His comments on David's picture of
Napoleon are evidence enough of that. He had been urged to go
and see it, and at last complied with the request of some of his
friends. When fairly before the picture, and he had had time to
take it in, he said : " How delicately the lace is drawn ; did one
ever see richer satin ? the ermine is wonderful in its finish ; and, by
Jove, the thing has a head ! "
On one occasion, having completed the portrait of a mantua-
maker in Boston, who had drawn a large prize in a lottery, and
had come to him loaded with all sorts of finery, he said to a friend:
" There is what I have all my painting-life been endeavoring to
avoid — vanity and bad taste."
While in England, he was painting the portrait of a lady of
rank, who thought she could heighten her charms by resorting to
the use of rouge. Through this Stuart saw at once, and it put him
out of temper. He then gave her to understand that she was quite
lovely enough without any artificial aid. " Oh," said she, " Mr.
Stuart, have you found me out?" "Of course I have," was the
reply: "any one having a knowledge of the human face knows there
is a boundary to the color in every lady's cheek, and if you go
beyond the line you certainly will be detected." He then told her
where nature would place the color in a cheek formed like hers.
She laughed, and said she would remember it ; to which he made
reply: "Pray do not do it; you do not need it."
The following story, of the same tenor, better known, will still
bear repeating, for it is very characteristic :
"A young physician was about to be painted, and appeared punct
ually at the hour designated; Stuart was prepared to receive him —
canvas, throne and palette all arranged. To his visitor's surprise,
however, after surveying him a moment, he deliberately seated him
self and commenced a series of those interesting narratives for which
he was celebrated. Time flew by, and the annoyed Esculapius heard

Rebukes a Physician for his Bad Taste. 57
the hour chimed when he should be with his expectant patients. At
length he ventured upon the dangerous experiment of interrupting
the irascible but fluent artist. ' Mr. Stuart, this is very entertaining,
but you must be aware that my time is precious. I feel very
uncomfortable.' T am very glad of it,' replied Stuart; T have felt
so ever since you entered my studio.' ' Why ? ' ' Because you look
so like a fool. Disarrange that fixed-up costume, and I will go to
work ! ' His sitter, feeling the justice of the rebuke, pulled off his
stiff cravat, passed his hands through his hair, and threw himself
laughing into an easy attitude. ' There,' said the painter, catching
up his brushes with alacrity, and quite restored to good nature by
the metamorphosis, ' now you look like yourself.' "
Dr. Waterhouse gives this reminiscence, which is in the same
vein: " A gentleman of an estimable character, and of no small conse
quence in his own eyes, and in the eyes of the public, employed
our artist to paint his portrait and that of his wife, who, when he
married her, was a very rich widow, born the other side of the
Atlantic. This worthy woman was very homely, while the husband
was handsome, and of a noble figure. The painter, as usual, made
the best of the lady, but could not make her so handsome as the
husband wished, and preserve the likeness. He expressed in polite
terms his dissatisfaction, and wished him to try over again. The
painter did so, and sacrificed as much of the likeness to good looks
as he possibly could, or ought. Still the complaisant husband was
uneasy, and the painter was teased from one month's end to
another to alter it. At length he began to fret, and to pacify him
Stuart told him that it was a common remark, that wives were
very rarely, if ever, pleased with pictures of their husbands, unless
they were living ones. On the other side, husbands were as seldom
pleased with the paintings of their beloved wives, and gave him a
very plausible reason for it. Once they unluckily both got out of
temper at the same time, and snapped out their frettings accord-
8

58 His Powers of Memory of Faces.
ingly. At last the painter's patience, which had been some time
threadbare, broke out, when he jumped up, laid down his palette,
took a large pinch of snuff, and as he walked rapidly up and down
the room, exclaimed : ' What a  business is this of a portrait
painter- — you bring him a potato, and expect he will paint you a
peach.' "
Stuart never forgot a face that he had once known ; of this
many illustrations have been given :
" I entered Boston in the evening," said Mr. Edwin, the
engraver, " and the next day visited Mr. Stuart." " I knew you
were in Boston," said he. "I only came last evening, and this is
the first time I have been out." " I saw you — you came to towndike
a criminal — back foremost." He came by the stage and rode on the
front seat. After an interval of five and twenty years, he at once
recognized a gentleman who called at his painting room, addressing
him by name as readily as if he had but recently met him.
The panels that Stuart used were made of mahogany, and he was
not only particular as to the quality and dryness of the wood, but
also as to the manner in which the surface was treated ; and, to get
something like the effect of the twill in the imported canvas, he
had the surface of the panel dressed with a rather dull plane,
having a finely serrated edge. By passing this plane over the
whole surface one way, and then crossing it, the effect was pro
duced. There was a cabinet-maker by the name of Ruggles, on Winter
street, Boston, who did a great deal of work of this kind, and it
was in his shop that the artist illustrated how a secret is usually
kept. He had told a friend something that he was not to repeat.
The friend was urgent for permission to tell it to his friend in con
fidence. Just at this point they had reached the cabinet-maker's
shop, when Stuart said: "Ruggles, have you got a piece of chalk?"
The chalk was brought. " Now," said Stuart, turning to his friend,
" I know the secret — that is one," as he made a mark on the

His Dislike to Comments on Unfinished Pictures. 59
board; "you know it — that is two," as he made another mark by
the side of the one; "and your friend knows it" — as he made
another mark. "How many does that make?" "Three." "Three!
bless you, the figures read one hundred and eleven ! That will
never do ; " and the injunction was not removed.
Stuart was frequently annoyed to find that a picture he had
taken great pains to paint was ruined by the splitting of the panel.
On one occasion, while expressing regret at a mishap of this kind,
a cabinet-maker who was present said he could bring the edges of
the panel together, and join them perfectly. The panel was accord
ingly left with him ; but judge of Stuart's anger and astonishment,
when it was returned, to find that the edges had been planed down
and then glued together, — a process that ran the nostrils into one,
brought the corners of the mouth nearly together, and did away
wholly with the bridge of the nose, — a treatment so ludicrous as to
cause the artist to laugh at the absurdity of the thing, while he
swore at the stupidity of the fellow.
All of Stuart's pictures, whether on panels or canvas, that were
thrown aside, were carried to the garret and left there. In the
course of years a large number of these unfinished pictures were
heaped together. Stuart was quick to take offense at any remark
or comment on his unfinished pictures, and when so annoyed nothing
wouTd induce him to~ resume his brush.
On one occasion a lady left her seat, and, looking over Stuart's
shoulder, found fault with the likeness he was painting. He tried
for the moment to be amiable, and quoted the text from St James :
" A man beholdeth his natural face in a glass and goeth his way,
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." Then he
rose from his chair, and in his most polite manner, said : " Excuse
me, madam, I cannot paint by direction." Having said this, he
strode across the room, rang the bell, and ordered the servant to
take the canvas to the garret, — a step that brought a flood of tears
to the eyes of the sitter; but they had no effect on the painter.

60 Stuart Defines his Profession.
Numerous instances like the above might here be inserted. After
the death of Stuart, there were many inquiries if such and such
an unfinished picture could be had, and in a manner so imploring
as to make it hard to say in a majority of cases that what was
wanted could not be found.
The following anecdote was related by Doctor Waterhouse, who
probably had it direct from Stuart: "The artist was traveling by
stage in England. His fellow-passengers were a number of gen
tlemen who were strangers to him, and who, finding him very
amusing, ventured to ask him who he was, and what was his
calling. " Mr. Stuart answered with a grave face and a serious tone,
that he sometimes dressed gentlemen's and ladies' hair (at that time
the high-craped pomatumed hair was all the fashion). 'You are
a hair-dresser, then ? ' ' What ! ' said he, do you take me for a
barber ? '
'"I beg your pardon, sir, but I inferred it from what you said.
If I mistook you, may I take the liberty to ask what you are,
then ? '
"'Why, I sometimes brush a gentleman's coat, or hat, and
sometimes adjust a cravat'
" ' Oh, you are a valet, then, to some nobleman ? '
" ' A valet ! Indeed, sir, I am not. I am not a servant, — to be
sure, I make coats and waistcoats for gentlemen.'
" ' Oh, you are a tailor ? '
'"Tailor! Do I look like a tailor? I assure you, I never
handled a goose, other than a roasted one.'
" By this time they were all in a roar. ' What the devil are
you, then?' said one.
" T '11 tell you,' said Stuart. ' Be assured all I have said is
literally true. I dress hair, brush hats and coats, adjust a cravat,
and make coats, waistcoats and breeches, and likewise boots and
shoes, at your service.'

Puzzles his Stage-Coach Companions. 61
" ' Oh, a boot and shoe maker after all ! '
" ' Guess again, gentlemen ; I never handle boots or shoes but
for my own feet and legs, yet all I have told you is true.'
"'We may as well give up guessing.'
"After checking his laughter, and pumping up a fresh flow of
spirits by a large pinch of snuff, he said to them very gravely :
' Now, gentlemen, I will not play the fool with you any longer, but
will tell you, upon my honor as a gentleman, my bona fide profes
sion. I get my bread by making faces.' He then screwed his
countenance, and twisted the lineaments of his visage in a manner
such as Samuel Foote or Charles Mathews might have envied.
When his companions, after loud peals of laughter, had composed
themselves, each took credit to himself for having 'all the while
suspected that the gentleman belonged to the theatre,' and they all
knew that he must be a comedian by profession ; when, to their
utter surprise, he assured them that he was never on the stage, and
very rarely saw the inside of a play-house, or any similar place of
amusement. They now all looked at each other in blank astonish
ment. " Before parting, Stuart said to his companions : ' Gentlemen,
you will find that all I have said of my various employments is
comprised in these words : I am a portrait painter. If you will call
at John Palmer 'sr- York,, Building, London, where I shall be ready
and willing to brush you a coat or hat, dress your hair a la mode,
supply you, if need be, with a wig of any fashion or dimension,
accommodate you with boots or shoes, give you ruffles or cravats,
and make faces for you.'
"While taking a parting glass at the inn, they begged leave to
inquire of their pleasant companion in what part of England he was
born ; he told them he was not born in England, Wales, Ireland,
or Scotland. Here was another puzzle for John Bull.
"'Where then?'
" ' I was born in Narragansett'

62 Anecdote of West and the King's Portrait.
" ' Where 's that ? '
" ' Six miles from Pottawoone, and ten miles from Poppasquash,
and about four miles from Conanicut, and not far from the spot
where the famous battle with the warlike Pequots was fought'
" 'In what part of the East Indies is that, sir?'
" ' East Indies, my dear sir ! it is in the State of Rhode Island,
between Massachusetts and Connecticut River.' "
Stuart was always ready to repay the kindness he had received
from his master ; but, however willing to be obliging and do his
best, he could not wholly overcome his love of fun, and many were
the pranks he played his indulgent instructor, as is shown in the
following anecdote related by Dunlap, who had it from the lips of
Stuart :
" Mr. West treated me very cavalierly on one occasion, but I
had my revenge. It was the custom whenever a new Governor-
General was sent out to India, that he should be complimented by
a present of His Majesty's likeness. My old master, who was busily
engaged on one of his ten-acre pictures, in company with prophets
and apostles, thought he would turn over the king to me. He
never could paint a portrait. 'Stuart,' said he, 'it is a pity to
make His Majesty sit again for his picture ; there is the portrait of
him that you painted, let me have it for Lord  ; I will retouch
it and it will do well enough.' 'Well enough! very pretty,' thought
I, 'you might be civil when you ask a favor.' So I thought, but I
said, ' Very well, sir.' So the picture was carried down to his
room, and at it he went. I saw he was puzzled. He worked at it
all that day. The next morning, 'Stuart,' said he, 'have you got
your palette set?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Well, you can soon set another;
let me have the one you prepared for yourself; I can't satisfy
myself with that head.' I gave him my palette, and he worked the
greater part of the day. In the afternoon I went into his room,
and he was hard at it. I saw that he had got up to the knees in
mud. ' Stuart,' said he, ' I don't know how it is, but you have a

Discovered by West Fencing with his Son. 63
way of managing your tints unlike everybody else — here — take the
palette and finish the head.' T can't, sir.' 'You can't?' 'I can't
indeed, sir, as it is, but let it stand till to-morrow morning and
get dry, and I will go over it with all my heart.' The picture was
to go away the day after the morrow, so he made me promise to
do it early the next morning. You know he never came down
into the painting room, at the bottom of the gallery, until about ten
o'clock. I went into his room bright and early, and by half-past
nine had finished the head. That done, Rafe and I began to
fence ; I with my maul-stick and he with his father's. I had just
driven Rafe up to the wall, with his back up to one of his father's
best pictures, when the old gentleman, as neat as a lad of wax,
with his hair powdered, his white silk stockings, and yellow
morocco slippers, popped into the room, looking as if he had
stepped out of a band-box. 'There, you dog,' said I to Rafe;
'there I have you, and nothing but your background relieves you!'
The old gentleman could not help smiling at my technical joke, but
soon, looking very stern, ' Mr. Stuart,' said he, ' is this the way you
use me?' 'Why, what's the matter, sir? I have neither hurt the
boy nor the background.' ' Sir, when you knew I had promised
that the picture of His Majesty should be finished to-day, ready to
be sent away to-morrow, thus to be neglecting me and your
promise! How can you answer to me or to yourself?' 'Sir,' said
I, ' do not condemn me without examining the easel. I have
finished the picture ; please to look at it' He did so ; complimented
me highly, and I had ample revenge for his ' it will do well
enough.' "
Another anecdote in the same vein runs as follows :
" I used very often to provoke my good old master, though
heaven knows, without intending it. You remember the color closet
at the bottom of his painting room. One day, Trumbull and I
came into his room, and little suspecting that he was within hearing,
I began to lecture on his pictures, and particularly upon one on his

64 Stuart's Friendship for Trumbull.
easel. I was a giddy, foolish fellow then. He had begun a por
trait of a child, and he had a way of making curly hair by a
flourish of his brush, thus, like a figure of three. ' Here, Trumbull,'
said I, ' do you want to learn how to paint hair ? There it is, my
boy ! Our master figures out a head of hair like a sum in arith
metic. Let us see, — we may tell how many guineas he is to have
for this head by simple addition, — three and three make six, and
three are nine, and three are twelve  .' How much the sum
would have amounted to I can't tell, for just then in stalked the
master, with palette-knife and palette, and put to flight my calcula
tions. 'Very well, Mr. Stuart,' said he, — he always mistered me
when he was angry, as a man's wife calls him my dear when she
wishes him at the devil, — 'very well, Mr. Stuart! very well,
indeed ! ' You may believe that I looked foolish enough, and he
gave me a pretty sharp lecture without my making any reply.
When the head was finished there were no figures of three in the
hair," Stuart was the warm friend of Trumbull when he was imprisoned
in London, on the charge of being a spy, he having been arrested
at the time of the execution of Major Andre. While so imprisoned,
Stuart painted his portrait, and as a striking illustration of the
power of the latter's pencil this anecdote is given. It is related by
Miss Stuart :
"A short time previous to Trumbull's death, my sister Anne
called to see him in New- York. She knocked at his door, and
heard him say, 'Walk in.' He was sitting before his easel, with the
picture before him, which my father had painted of him in London,
but looking depressed and very much broken. The moment he
recognized her he started from his seat, exclaiming : ' Good God !
the spirit of your father has been hovering over me ! I cannot tell
what has possessed me, but I have been thinking of him all the
morning, and of the many happy days of our early friendship. This
it was that induced me to place this picture on the easel.' He then

His Retort to Dr. Johnson. 65
spoke with great bitterness of the lies, as he called them, that had
been written about my father by Dunlap. Seeing him so excited,
she tried to soothe him by telling him that no one cared about it,
and although she at length succeeded in turning the conversation,
it was not until he had freed his mind by giving vent to the
strongest language."
There are many anecdotes told of Stuart while he was with
West The following was related by Mr. Fraser: "Dr. Johnson
called one morning on Mr. West, to converse with him on Ameri
can affairs. After some time, Mr. West said that he had a young
American living with him, from whom he might derive some infor
mation, and introduced Stuart. The conversation continued (Stuart
being invited to take part in it), when the Doctor observed to Mr.
West that the young man spoke very good English, and turning
to Stuart rudely asked him where he had learned it. Stuart very
promptly replied, : ' Sir, I can better tell you where I did not learn
it — it was not from your dictionary ! ' Johnson seemed aware of
his own abruptness, and was not offended." •
Another anecdote is told by Mr. Neagle, of Philadelphia :
" When studying at Somerset House, in the school of the
antique, it was proposed by his fellow-students that each one present
should disclose his intentions as to what walk in art, and what mas
ter, he would follow. The proposal was agreed to. One said he
preferred the gigantic Michael Angelo. Another would follow in the
steps of the gentle but divine Raphael, the prince of painters, and
catch, if possible, his art of composition, his expression and pro
found knowledge of human passion. A third wished to emulate the
glow and sunshine of Titian's coloring. Another had determined to
keep Rembrandt in his eye, and, like him, eclipse all other painters
in chiaroscuro. Each was enthusiastic in the praise of his favorite
school or master. Stuart's opinion being demanded, he said, that he
had gone on so far in merely copying what he saw before him, and
perhaps he had not a proper and sufficiently elevated notion of art.
9

66 His Opinion of the Road to Excellence in Art.
But after all he had heard them say, he could not but adhere to his
own opinion on the subject. ' For my own part,' said he, ' I will
not follow any master. I wish to find out what Nature is for myself,
and see her with my own eyes. This appears to me to be the true
road to excellence. Nature may be seen through different mediums.
Rembrandt saw with a different eye from Raphael, yet they are both
excellent, but for dissimilar qualities. They have nothing in com
mon, but both follow nature.' While he was speaking, Gainsborough
accidentally came in, unobserved by him, and as soon as he ceased,
though unknown to the speaker, stepped up to him, and patting him
on the shoulder, said, 'That 's right, my lad; adhere to that and
you '11 be an artist' "
As already stated, Stuart was fond of good living, and if he gave
no heed to other domestic matters, he never neglected to look after
his table.
There was a farmer, named Greene, who supplied him with
poultry and eggs, and particularly fine butter, and when he came to
the house Stuart always made it a point to see him. After one of
these interviews, Stuart came into the parlor, and said, with a very
grave face, " Greene is going to die."
"Going to die!" said Mrs. Stuart; "he is well enough. Why
do you say so ? "
" Greene is going to die," was the only response.
" Why, Mr. Stuart, what do you mean ? Greene is as well as
you or I."
"Greene, nevertheless, is going to die. I know it, for he has just
returned to me ten dollars that I had overpaid him."
Singularly enough, they never saw Greene again, for in a short
time he was taken ill, and the next they heard he was dead.

''"GRAVTJRE amr soTJPll. »• p'*

Madame Bonaparte

STUART'S REMARKS ON ART.
THE following "Remarks on Art" are attributed to Gilbert
Stuart. Originally they were printed on a single sheet of
paper, by James Bogle, the portrait painter. He gave two copies
to Mr. Daniel Huntington, President of the National Academy of
Design. One copy he gave to Mr. Durand, the editor of the
Crayon, in which journal it appeared in 1861. The manuscript Mr.
Bogle obtained from Matthew Jowett, who made memoranda of
Stuart's conversation when he studied with him in 181 7. Mr. Hun
tington, in speaking of the "remarks," says: "They are character
istic and in the oracular manner of Stuart, carrying with them
strong evidence of authenticity." REMARKS ON ART.
"There are grand stages in a head, as in an argument or plea
of any sort, — a beginning, a middle and an end ; and to aim at
either of those three perfect stages~~sh75ul£M3e~'~Ehe business of a
painter, as illustrated by three heads shown in a double mirror or
two mirrors which produce the effect of distance upon the face.
Too much light destroys, as too h^dje^i.des_the-_jcolors»- The true
and perfect image of the man is to be seen only in a mist or hazy
atmosphere. This is illustrated in a comparative sense by the
elements of those countries where the best colorists have lived : for
instance, in the foggy climates of Germany and Holland, and about
Florence, compared to that of Rome and Paris, where good coloring
67

68 His Instructions for Laying on Colors.
has never been seen. England, on the contrary, owing to this, in
part, has produced more good colorists. Where there is too much
light, there will be no flesh in the shadows; where too little, not
enough flesh in the lights. Both extremes are dangerous. It is
more important to give a prominent admeasurement of distances
than a set of mimicking lines. Keeping is of the very highest
importance to good coloring, to effect which we should see a good
way from the easel, and early accustom ourselves to looking at the
subject rather than at the features. The cry of the English school
was, ' Sink your draperies, Stuart, and bring out the flesh ! ' But
no ! let nature tell in every part of your painting. If you cannot
do this, lay by the brush.
" Never be saving^of color. Load your brush, but keep your
tints as separate as you can. No blending ; it is destructive to
clear and beautiful effect. It takes off transparency and brightness
of color, and renders flesh of the consistency of buckskin. Be
rather pointed than fuzzy, and rather strong than feeble. J$e_
decided in your drawing, urge with firmness your idea, and put it
down with vigor. Fog color is preferable to any other as_a ground
for painting upon. This is the opinion of Da Vinci ; and the
reason is that because being of no color it receives any color upon
it. In laying on your picture, be bold and decisive as to the char
acter, but feeble as to the effect. Short and chopping strokes are
preferable to swashing handling. The last order of style is apt to
toughen the skin, and render it wormy.
" Flesh is like no other substance under heaven. It has all the
gayety of a silk-mercer's shop without its gaudiness of gloss, and
all the soberness of old mahogany without its sadness. Sentiment,
grace and character are to be worked at in your subject ; in short,
you cannot be too particular in what you do to see what sort of
animal you are putting down. Most persons, in striving after effect,
lose the likeness, when they must go together to produce a good
effect. You must copy nature, but if you leave nature for an

The Colors with which Stuart Produced his Effects. 69
imaginary effect, you will lose all. Nature cannot be excused, and
as your object is to copy nature, it is the height of folly to work
at anything else to produce that copy.
" Palette. Antwerp blue, white, yellow ochre, vermilion lake,
burnt umber, ivory black, lake and vermilion for the blood, white and
black for gray, yellow and black for green, black, vermilion, burnt
umber and lake for the shadow ; the three last used as glazing
colors. I can produce from these what I wish, nor can any man
^ay""whether or not I put ultramarine in my flesh. It is at best a
matter of fancy. Practice, with a little experience and arranging, is
the life of all, without which coloring is all moonshine. Avoid dry
ness above all things, and the licking style. A little fumbling and a
little rubbing will produce the first, and a little too much mixing the
last. My idea is this : put as little color in the shadow as you can.
In laying on the dead color be bold, and put on the color freely,
but let it be well mixed on the palette and on the brush, that a
clear and decided touch may be given ; no fuzzy edges, but liquid,
and all of one cast. This will give liveliness, transparency and force
to the head. Until the head be forged out, and the character and
drawing be correct, be not too solicitous about beauty of effect.
" I have very often roughened a second or third sitting that
I might be thrown back, and by having to use more color, produce a
rich effect. The reason that my paintings were of a richer charac
ter thirty years ago is that then it was a matter of experiment, and
now, as everything comes to my hand, I put it down too much in
place and leave it so, for want of opportunity to restore richness.
One invariable rule in the management of the hand is to give the
fingers a central motion toward the palm. No rule_ is_invariable
about backgrounds, but it is important that the background should
contain whatever is necessary to illustrate the character of the
person. The eye should apply to the parts. Illustrate the whole
without taking from the main point. Too_ much parade in the back
ground is apt to fatigue, by constantly shifting the attention.

70 Further Instructions in Regard to Painting.
Drawing the features distinctly and carefully with chalk is loss of
time ; all studies should be made with the brush in hand. It is non
sense to think of perfecting oneself in drawing before one begins to
paint. When the hand is not able to execute the decision of the
mind, a fastidiousness ensues, and on its back disappointment and
disgust. This is one reason why the Italians never painted so
well as other schools.
" Be ever jealous about truth in painting, and preserve as pure
as possible the round, blunt stroke. The first stage of painting is
blocking out the subject. The advantage of having the easel before
the sitter is that by so doing you are enabled to embrace both at
once. The eye, from practice, passes from one to the other with
great rapidity. Never suffer a sitter to lean against the back of
the chair ; it constrains the attitude and general air of the person.
Attend to this particularly ; without this the best head is of little
avail. Some faces require to be fringed up to the very making
with large tools ; thick-skinned faces are of this character. Be
careful to blend the hair on the forehead, for dark points will other
wise show through thick paint.
" Always use spirits of turpentine with white. It carries off the
oil in evaporation. Avoid by all means parallel lines. Straight or
curved short lines are to be avoided.
"The nose must be indented to give zest to the eyes. Be
careful never to have the head higher colored than you wish it
until the last sitting. It is apt to give a heavy orange appearance.
Never glaze until you have a sufficient body of color as will stand
against all the accidents liable to picture-cleaning. Never put a
light object in the shadows, or a dark object in the lights. To
produce extreme perspective, give great glow in the foreground.
Artists often mistake in giving a low, deep tone to their back
grounds; for, by so endeavoring to bring out, they sink their
subject. Backgrounds, dark in the direction of the light, are oftener
agreeable than when they oppose the light."

LETTERS TO STUART.
BUT few of the many letters addressed to Stuart during his
long career as an artist have been preserved, and from the
scanty number found among his papers the following have been
taken :
Dear Sir .- — Encouraged by my great fondness for the art which you profess and
I am studying, I thus commence a correspondence not without risk of being thought
impertinent. If I had no other motive, it would be sufficient that of possessing some
pleasing evidence of your approbation or the friendly advice of so experienced an
instructor. In pursuance of the ..advice of Mr. West, I have settled in Philadelphia, where I
have built myself a better painting room than JL could rent ; and for the purpose of
raising" money, getting practice and having a few pictures hung about, am painting
for_a_ while, at half-price*. as I call it- (at-^first twenty-five now _&nty__dollars). My
last and greatest improvement I have effected by following the advice of Sir Joshua,
to study by lamp-light, the_jeffects_ of which delight me by the precision of the lights,
beauty of the shadows and richness of the reflections. It seems to favor the manner
which I have heard you say principally distinguished you from Mr. West, in produc
ing the effect of projection, instead of depending merely on the accuracy of the out
line. Probably " yotr wefe~lfcquainted with Gainsborough, who employed this mode
of study, and may have known whether Sir Joshua practiced the plan which he
approved of.
Now that I feel myself reanimated with that love for the Art which is so con
nected with its attainment, I particularly regret the want of those conversations with
which I have been occasionally indulged, and which it is not flattery in me to say,
you know to render so agreeable and instructive. On reviewing them my vanity
would persuade me that you were pleased to distinguish me by more than common

72 Letters from Peak, Trumbull and Vanderlyn.
civility. And yet I never could so far divest myself of an unprofitable timidity as
to let you know how desirous I was, upon some footing or other, to be indebted to
you for further instructions. You have freely explained to me some of the principles
of the Art, which have assisted me much; but how much beyond this I ought to
have sought from you I could not determine, conscious as I was of being unable
to make you any other return than gratitude that could be worthy your acceptance.
If in due time my portfolio should contain an answer to this, it will ever be
seen with pleasure as an evidence of your good will to a young fellow-countryman
seeking the path which you have trod, and which you cannot desire to see overrun
with weeds. Respectfully your obliged,
Philadelphia, March 24th, 1806. Rem- Peale-

New- York, 25th March, 182-
G. Stuart, Esq.
My Dear Sir: — A few days ago I received a letter from our old acquaintance,
Sir Thomas Lawrence (who is painting for the Academy here, a full length portrait
of Mr. West), in which is a passage which I am sure will give you great pleasure :
" I am glad to hear that Mr. Stuart is still in good health, and practicing his
profession. He is one of my very earliest recollections in London; if you ever see
him, pray tell him that Mr. Kemble still retains a most extravagant partiality for him."
I hope you and your family enjoy good health, after this murderous winter, and
that your daughter is making progress in the Arts worthy of her beginning.
I am faithfully yours,
Jno. Trumbull.

New- York, July 8th, 1802.
Gilbert Stuart, Esq.
Sir: — My friend, Mons. Delmeis, 'about going to Philadelphia, has promised to
bear you my respects, with a few brushes, which I accidentally met with a few
days ago and quite apropos ; for I was not provided with any so good; should this
be the case with you I flatter myself the trifle will be acceptable.
I hope to visit Philadelphia once more ere I leave this country, and promise
myself much pleasure from the sight of your magic productions.
With most respectful wishes for your health and happiness, which includes that
of your family, I remain, sir, your most obedient servant and quondam pupil,
Jno. Vanderlyn.

Letter from Chester Harding. 73,
London, Leicester Square, January 6th, 1825.
Honoured Sir: — I am incapable of expressing the degree of pleasure that L
have received in looking at the portrait of Mrs. Williams, which you have lately
painted. When I first saw it it was by surprise; I had just returned from France,
and in paying a visit to my friend Williams, I stumbled in upon it, as it were, with
out knowing who was the author. I think, and I doubt not you will agree with me,
that a young artist is very apt to be enamoured of the productions of his favourite
master — that he admires, without discrimination, the bad as well as the good parts of his
pictures. But in saying that I think this picture is one of the best portraits that I have
seen, is but to speak my candid opinion, which was formed before I knew who the
artist was that made it. And I am happy to say that I am not singular in my opinion.
I am not a little surprised to find that the Marquis de Lafayette has not been
painted by you. I must attribute this circumstance to your illness alone; for I can
conceive no other possible cause why the friends and companions of Washington
should not have been painted by the same artist that has laid his countryman and
the friends of Washington under so great an obligation.
For the last five months I have painted very little. I have been travelling about
the United Kingdom, France, etc. While at Dublin I fell in with Mr. Comerford,
miniature painter, who told me he owed more to you for what he now is (and he
has an income of two thousand pounds sterling, and enjoying at the same time a
considerable degree of reputation as an artist) than to all the rest of the artists in
the world besides. He was most enthusiastic in your praise.
I saw several of your pictures, one a full-length of the Lord Chancellor of
Ireland, Fitz Gibbon (I think that is the name), and a very fine picture it is, in a
good state of preservation.
Mr. Mason has undoubtedly given you an account of the Arts in this city. This
is the place where I think you should have remained, and the place where I think
if you were to come now, you would command any price for your labours, and I don't
hesitate to say that you would stand ahead of all, unless it be Sir Thomas Lawrence.
When I speak of Sir Thomas as the first painter of portraits in England, I
must speak of Sir Wm. Beechey, Phillips, Jackson,' Shee, etc., as third-rate artists in
the scale of comparison.
I hope and believe that I am not wasting the good councils that you gave me
from time to time, nor the fine opportunities I am conscious of enjoying. I will venture
to say that I have made great improvement within the last nine months. I was
an exhibitor at the different exhibitions, where I had the mortification to see myself
in a true and proper light; since when I have been striving, and I hope with success,
to get rid of some of those bad and false principles in Art that I before cherished.
IO

74 Letter from Sir William Beechey.
I have as patronage [a part missing] beyond my deserts. Fortunately the
people do not see the difference between a good likeness by me, and one of equally
striking fidelity by better painters. I have painted within the last few months a
head of the Duke of [a break in the paper] which is the best I ever painted. I am
proud of it; it is, I think, a good head. I am to paint another head of the
Duke of Sussex for the Duke of Hamilton. I charge twenty guineas for a head,
thirty for a kit-kat and fifty for a half-length.
I speak thus freely of myself and go into this detail of my own concerns,
because I think from the kind interest you have always evinced for my improvement
and success, that it will not be altogether uninteresting to you.
I had a full and particular letter from Mr. Jowett not long since. He is plod
ding on in the old way, it seems, — is contented with his farm and circle of friends in
Lexington. He spoke, as he always does, in grateful commendation of his master.
I beg to be kindly remembered to your family, to Mr. Allston, Mr. Mason and
the rest of my fellow-labourers ; and beg that you will excuse the liberty I have taken in
addressing these few lines to you ; and believe me your most grateful and sincere friend,
Chester Harding.
The next is from Sir William Beechey:
London, Harley Street, June ipth, 1826.
My Dear Stuart : — I take the opportunity afforded me by our young friend
Fisher, just to say how very happy I was to receive a letter from my old friend in
Boston, after an absence of one hundred and fifty years. If I had time I would
tell you something of the present state of the Arts here, but as opportunities now so
frequently occur of communicating with our friends in America, by means of the
numerous artists residing here, I shall defer writing on that subject 'til I have more
leisure; for Fisher, in this instant is waiting to receive this, and fears he will lose his
dinner. I must, however, inform you that I rec'd. a bottle of linseed oil from a
Mr. Smith, but I never saw the captain who sent it, nor did he leave his address.
If Mr. Smith has found out a method for making linseed oil better than we have
in Old England, it must be very limpid and as colourless as possible, and expressed
nearly if not quite cold. If the seed is good and genuine, I make no doubt he
might sell an amazing quantity annually. I much wish he would try, as the article I
have from him is very yellow and no better in other respects than our own.
Fisher goes on very well indeed ; he is very industrious and much improved, and
will turn out like all the Americans, a devilish clever fellow.
Now, God bless you, my dear Stuart: 'til I hear from you again, I remain most
sincerely yours,
W. Beechey.

Letters from Kingsmill, McHenry and Dean Butson. 75
The next is from Sir Edward Kingsmill, and is addressed to
The Honorable Richd. Annesley, Custom-House, Dublin :
Belfast, 2gth July, 1788.
Dear Sir : — I received your favour. I fear it will not suddenly be in my power
to leave this place. The business of the Port alone, as the collector is confined,
requires my constant attention. I saw Mr. Stuart in London; his likenesses were very
striking, and had not his affairs obliged him to leave it, I was to have sat to him;
however, if he does not leave Dublin soon, probably an interval of business might
come, to put it in my power to apply for a few days' leave, and may be I could con
trive it so as to make business a part of my jaunt to town.
I am, with every sense of your goodness to me, dear sir, yr. much obliged and
affecte. humble servt.,
Edw. Kingsmill.
War Office, 14th February, 1798.
Sir: — The Little Turtle, who will deliver you this, is an Indian Chief of great
consequence. I am desirous of having an expressive likeness of him, at half length,
taken by a painter of eminence.
Your professional abilities have induced me to apply to you for this purpose in
order that, if it suits your convenience, and will not interfere with your engagements,
no time may be lost in beginning and finishing such picture as soon as possible.
I am with much respect, sir, your obedient servant,
James McHenry.
~J ^¦-¦-
The following is from Dean Bu-tson.
Dear Sir: — You recollect you were so obliging as to promise me a bottle of var
nish, for our pictures, which indeed mine seems to want, and it is a pity so capital
a performance should not have every advantage; I should be obliged to you, therefore,
if you will order that bottle to be left at Mr. Sam. Roberts, attorney, who lodges in
Castle Street, opposite almost Latouche's Bank, at a Mr. Anderson's, a hatter, as he
will forward it. I am so particularly anxious for it now as the [effaced] who was to
make use of it is soon going to London. He is a native of this town, an ingenious
artist in the landscape line — was never out of the kingdom, and is going to London
to study. If you could favour him with a line of introduction to any artist you think
will be of service to him, you will oblige me, and I am confident he will not disgrace
your commendation.

76 Mr. Davis Presents Stuart's Snuff-Box to Sully.
The following is from a letter written by Mr. Isaac P. Davis,
of Boston, the warm and intimate friend of Stuart, and was addressed
to Sully, the artist. It is dated Boston, April 26th, 1830:
" Mrs. Davis will pass a few days in your good city, and expects to have the
pleasure of seeing you. I have sent by her the large silver snuff-box of Stuart,
which was almost a part of himself: it was as necessary for him as the palette and
pencils, and always had a place on his easel. As it cannot be in the possession of
any one more deserving, or will more highly prize it than yourself, I beg your
acceptance of it from me, as a small token of my regard and esteem.
"As I have not time before Mrs. D. leaves to have an inscription, you will,
direct such an one as you may think proper, that it may be known as the box of
Gilbert Stuart."
It is a plain, round silver box, four inches in diameter and two
inches deep, and on it there is this inscription : " Gilbert Stuart's
Snuff Box, presented to Thomas Sully by his friend, Isaac P.
Davis." The box is lined with gold, and on the sides there are
particles of Stuart's snuff, which have hardened there. Sully, in his
will, bequeathed it, together with Stuart's walking-stick and palette,
to his grandson, Garrett C. Neagle, Esq., son of Neagle the por
trait painter, who has it in his possession.
Stuart one day accidentally left this snuff-box at the house of
Mr. Davis, who, by way of a joke, hired a porter to take it to
Stuart's house in a hand-cart
Mention has already been made of the snuff-box presented to
Stuart by Bishop Ossory, and now owned by the Boston Art
Museum.

?

PORTRAITS OF GILBERT STUART.
THERE are a number of portraits of Gilbert Stuart, painted by
different hands; but they all pale before his own pictures.
He painted his own portrait in early life — the picture in the Red
wood Library, — but it has been so coated with bad varnish and
smoke as to be almost obliterated. Mr. Henry Graves, of London,
has Stuart's portrait, painted by himself in England, but the artist
left no likeness of himself taken in his prime in America. In the
rooms of the New- York Historical Society, there is a portrait of
him, painted by Charles Wilson and Rembrandt Peale. It formerly
made a part of the Bryan collection ; and in the Boston Athenaeum
there is the well-known portrait by Neagle, already referred to in
these pages, and which was painted in Stuart's room. This head was
engraved for an early number of the Knickerbocker Magazine. Anson
Dickerson painted a miniature of Stuart on ivory. It was at one
time the property of the late Dr. S. W. Francis, from whom it
descended to his sons, Drs. S. W. and V. M. Francis, who pre
sented it to the New- York Historical Society. Another miniature,
the one in the title page of this volume, Miss Stuart values more
highly than any other likeness of her father. It was painted on
ivory by Miss Goodridge (generally written Goodrich), an artist for
whom Stuart had a very warm regard, and who was greatly sur
prised one day to hear him say that she should paint his likeness.
This miniature has also been engraved by Durand.
n

78 Sketch of Miss Goodridge, the Artist.
Of Miss Goodridge, but too little is known, and Mrs. Ephraim
Stone, her sister, in reply to a letter, asking for information in
regard to the artist, has kindly furnished the following sketch :
"Sarah Goodridge was born February 5th, 1788, at Templeton,
Mass. Her parents, Ebenezer Goodridge and Beulah Childs, his
wife, were people of comfortable means for those days, who, with
industry and frugality, managed to bring up a family of eight
children to maturity. Their first child died in infancy. Goodridge
was a mechanic and farmer. Sarah was the sixth child, and third
daughter. Her father could not afford to give any of his children a
better education than they could obtain at the district schools, which
were reputed better than those of the neighboring towns. She was
an apt scholar, and learned all that was taught at school, except
arithmetic. It was thought quite unnecessary then to teach girls
that branch, which was for boys alone. Her lessons did not occupy
all her time, and, lacking occupation, she studied the dictionary and
made herself acquainted with the contents of Perry's small one.
" Miss Goodridge early showed a love for pictures. Paper was a
scarce and expensive article. She was put upon her own resources,
so she substituted white birch bark, peeling it from the great logs
brought into the door-yard with the pile intended for the com
ing year's fuel. What she could not peel off she used on the logs,
where she could find a smooth place, scratching it with a pin, work
ing sometimes as long as the twilight would permit. She gathered
it and made it into books, in which, with pen and ink, she drew
pictures and copied poetry, of which she was very fond. One saw
no carpets at that time ; they sprinkled sand on the unpainted
floors, and when they became littered a broom was drawn over
them, making the surface smooth. On a surface so obtained, she
could draw her figures with sticks, and they might also be seen on
the whitewashed walls of the house, and wherever a place could be
found to make them. She was general picture-maker for her school
mates, and, from memory, sketched likenesses of people distinguished

Miss Goodridge Begins Miniature Painting in Boston. 79
for beauty or deportment ; not very accurately, perhaps, but so as to
be recognized. She also showed some talent for sculpture, and had
it been as easy to obtain materials for that branch as for painting,
she might have done well in it.
"Miss Goodridge could get instruction from no one, and saw no
pictures but the poorest wood-cuts. In this way she continued on,
helping in the household, till she was seventeen. Her eldest brother
then began housekeeping in Milton, where she went, and attended
a boarding-school for a few months, with but very little advantage.
She was alternately with her brother and at her father's. The for
mer removed to Boston, and had in his family a man, possessed of
a considerable knowledge of drawing, who gave her some useful
lessons. She also had a little book on drawing and painting, in
which were some directions for painting on ivory.
"At this time, Miss Goodridge taught a district school for two
summers, and improved every opportunity that offered for getting
information connected with the Art she loved. These opportunities
were few and far between. At the age of twenty-four, she went to
reside in Boston with her sister, the wife of Thomas Appleton, who
had been with her brother in the organ -building business. At this
time she began her career as a painter. The next summer, she
went to Templeton, and began to take likenesses ; first on coarse
paper, life size, with red, white and black chalk, at fifty cents each,
and then in water-colors, on paper, at a dollar and a half. In the
autumn, she returned to Boston, and kept house with another
brother for nearly two years, devoting herself almost exclusively to
painting ; gaining at every step, and with a patronage that encour
aged her to persevere.
" Oil painting for a time occupied her attention, but she soon
gave it up for miniature painting. At that time there was no
miniature painter of any note in Boston, but afterward one came
from Hartford, with whom she became acquainted, and from whom
she received useful lessons. Soon she excelled him in likenesses.

80 Stuart asks Miss Goodridge to Paint his Portrait.
With the Appletons she resided during the rest of her days; her
reputation as an artist became established, and from that time for
ward she had as much as she could do. Two miniatures a week
were as much as she could do without great fatigue, but she was
often forced to paint three in that time.
"Mr. Stuart was taken to Miss Goodridge's painting room, and
introduced to her by a mutual friend. He seemed pleased with her
work, and gave her an invitation to his studio. She went fre
quently, and carried, by his request, her unfinished pictures, in their
various stages, for him to criticise. At such times he gave her
many hints, for which she was very grateful, for it was the most
useful instruction she had ever had. She was wanting in a knowl
edge of perspective, and Stuart advised her to go to Mr. David
L. Brown's drawing-school. Heads, and heads only, she loved to
paint. ^C
" Stuart had two faces ; one full of fire and energy, seen in Miss
Goodridge's miniature of him, and the other dull and heavy, 'looking'
as he said — when he saw the miniature he had permitted a New-
York artist to paint — 'like a fool.' He was unwilling to be handed
down to posterity thus represented, and so he asked Miss Goodridge
to paint him. When she had developed the head, she wished to do
more to it, but he would not allow her, lest she should injure the
likeness. " Miss Goodridge went to Washington twice ; first in the winter
of 1828-29, and again in 1841-42. She had some work to do
there, but the city was filled with artists of greater notoriety, and
the benefit to her was in the change of scene and life. On her
return she was less hurried with work, but she had quite as much
to do as her strength would warrant. She made several removes,
of which she gave no notice of a change of location, and in this
way many persons lost sight of her. In 1850, her eyes had become
dim; she had lost, in a measure, her zeal for her work, and she felt
that she could not do as well as she had done. She had for some

Miss Goodridge's Rank as a Miniature Painter. 81.
years looked forward to the time when she should own a cot
tage in the country, where she could enjoy rest from her labor.
She had supported her mother during the last eleven years of her
life, and a paralytic brother for the two last years of his life ; had
nursed her eldest sister through her last sickness of five months,
and had taken an orphaned niece, of three years of age, and had
kept her till fifteen, when she died.
"In 1851, Miss Goodridge bought a house in Reading, Mass.,
removed there with Mr. Appleton's family, had fitted it up for the
occupation of her sister's family and herself, and had begun to enjoy
it extremely ; but this happiness was but of short duration. In 1853,
while spending Christmas-day with some friends in Boston, she had
an attack of paralysis which rendered her speechless, and in three
days she died.
" As a miniature painter, Miss Goodridge was without an equal
in Boston for many years, and she was frequently invited to other
places to take the likenesses of those who could not come to her.
She was of a quiet, amiable disposition, and very obliging to her
friends, as she sometimes learned to her cost. She had no financial
ability, and many were the loans to those who were never able to
return what had been borrowed. Nor was she always successful
in her investments ; but even with these drawbacks, she managed
to save enough for her support and to leave something to her
relatives." Another miniature of Stuart, also on ivory, is owned by Mr.
George W. Huffnagle, of New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania,
who has given the following history of it :
"There were but two or three of these paintings. Two he
[Stuart] parted with, and I believe are now in Europe. This one
he retained, and on the 21st of July, 1827, at Boston, he presented
it to my mother. Gilbert Stuart was the sincere and trusted friend
of my father and mother, and this friendship existed until his
decease." 11

82 Other Likenesses of Stuart.
In 1848, the American Art Union had. a bronze medal struck,
known as the Stuart Medal, given to the subscribers for that year,
who were so fortunate as to draw it.
A cast, made over Stuart's face, by a Mr. Brower, is spoken of
by Miss Stuart as very perfect. It is now in the possession of the
Brower family, and Miss Stuart has expressed a wish to have it
brought before the public.
A pen-and-ink sketch of Stuart, made by himself on the back
of a letter, and now owned by J. M. Falconer, Esq., of Brooklyn,
has been carefully etched for this work by Mr. James Duthie.
West painted a large picture of the Order of the Garter, in
which he introduced a head of Stuart among the spectators. Stuart
then painted a head of West in the same group. The head of
Stuart has been frequently recognized by those who have seen it.

*

PHOTOGRAVUBE &IMP GOTJPIL & CJE

John Callender

EXHIBITION OF STUART'S WORKS.— 1828.
IN the autumn of the year in which Stuart died, an effort was
made to bring together as many of his pictures as it was
possible to collect, and exhibit them in Boston. The movement was
successful, and no less than two hundred and fourteen, all portraits,
were exhibited in a large room on Pearl street, near to, but not a
part of, the Athenaeum building. It was the best room for the
purpose in Boston, and was lighted from the ceiling. The pictures
took up all the space on the walls. When the exhibition opened,
the following notice of it, thought to have been written by William
Tudor, author of the Life of James Otis, appeared in the Colum
bian Centinel : "THE STUART PORTRAITS.
" Of this exhibition we could say but little hitherto, except from hearsay. Having
found an opportunity, however, to spend an hour or two yesterday at the Gallery, we
can now speak as one having authority. That every visitor of that magnificent collec
tion goes thither with excited curiosity and high expectation is not at all wonderful;
the wonder is that none go away without having the one amply gratified, and the
other fully realized.
" There is an assemblage of the eminent and the fair, — of generations passed and
passing, — telling with mute but touching eloquence the power of human art. The
illustrious dead, and those that once were lovely, have come up, as it were, from the
oblivious sepulchre, and the living are congregated from the four winds of heaven, to
83

84 The "Centinel's" Notice of the Exhibition.
render homage to the memory of nature's faithful student. The artist is also there, in
humble guise, looking back from the confines of another world, upon that creation
of his own genius which he has left behind, — a legacy to the sons of science — an
enduring monument to his own fame. •
" It is scarcely possible to stand in the midst of such a congress without an
involuntary feeling of awe and admiration. The eyes of the great, of the truly noble,
are fixed upon you, — not only in the statesmen and law-givers of our own day, ear
nestly bending their intellectual gaze upon the almost abashed intruder, but the heroes
and patriots of yore, with a seeming expression of mingled melancholy and satisfac
tion, in all the majesty of mind, are peering upon their posterity through the very
windows of time. Here is a study, which the man of taste and contemplation may
enjoy for hours. Washington, restored to the company of his favorite generals and
co-patriots, — his successors in office brought, at least to imagination, into his immediate
presence, together with their respective friends and coadjutors. The high-minded
Adams, as he appeared both in the zenith of his glory and the waning twilight of
his days, — with Ames, and Pickering, and Otis, and Dexter, and Quincy, and a host
of New England patriots; the profound and philosophic Jefferson, whose placid coun
tenance bespeaks a power and depth of thought with which few of our race are
gifted ; the spirited and patriotic Madison, the energies of whose soul seem bursting
from his lips in the memorable and indignant exclamation : ' It is time to assume an
armor and an aptitude!' Munroe, the benignant extinguisher of every faction — the
beloved of a free people ; our present Chief Magistrate, with multitudes of worthy and
distinguished personages, civil and military, executive, judicial, legislative and clerical.
" Into such a company, made almost to live and breathe by the magic of the pen
cil, the astonished spectator is at once introduced; and as his eye wanders over the
august array, he feels half afraid of violating the rules of good breeding by staring
directly into the face of those figures which surround him, and which seem to look
upon him from every quarter as some object of special and honored attention."

STUARTS WASHINGTON PORTRAITS

Washington
(The Gibbs Portrait)
On Steel by Burt

PORTRAITS OF GENERAL AND MRS. WASHINGTON.
GW. P. CUSTIS, in his " Recollections and Private Memoirs,"
• says : " The first portrait of Washington by Stuart created a
great sensation in Philadelphia. It was soon followed by the cele
brated full-length for the Marquis of Lansdowne." This last was
undoubtedly the next picture to create a sensation ; but there was
an interval of -at least a year between the painting of the first por
trait and the full-length. It is now impossible to say what portraits
were painted during that interval. Among Stuart's papers, the fol
lowing fragment was found :
A list of gentlemen who are to have copies of the portrait of
the President of the United States.
Philadelphia, April 20th, 1795.
J. Watson, Esq  1 Greenleaf, Esq., ... . . .1
Don Jos. de Jaudennes,  5 Wm. Hamilton, Esq.,  i-
Marquis of Lansdowne,  r Mr. Chief Justice Jay,  1
Lord Viscount Cremorne, . . . . r Col. Read,  1
B. West, Esq., P. R. A., . . . . 1 Mr. Holmes, 100  1
Messrs. Pollock, N. Y. 100, . . . 2 Mr. Fitzsimons, 100,  1
J. Vaughan, Esq. 200,  2 Mr. Necklin,  1
Col. Burr, N. Y. 100,  1 Gen. Lee,  1

Mead, Esq.,  1 Mr. Crammond,

2

M. T. Barrow, N. Y.,  1 J. Swan, Esq.,  1
John Craig, Esq. 100,  1  Smith, Esq., S. C,  1

87

88 Subscribers to Copies of Stuart's " Washington."
John Stoughton, Esq.,  i  Crammond, Esq.,  i
Kearny Wharton,  i Doctor Stevens,  i
Casaubon, Esq., 153 M. J., . . . . 1  Scott, Esq., Lancaster, . . . . 1
Meredith, Esq.,  1 Grant, Esq., Susqueha'a, . . . . 1
Blodget, Esq.,  1 Wm. Ludwell Lee, Greenspring, Va., 1
It is not at all probable that these pictures were all painted.
Philadelphia, at that time, was full of visitors ; Stuart was crowded
with orders for portraits, and he was so overrun with callers that
he was forced, a little later, to remove to Germantown, where he
opened his studio. Even there it was impossible for him to meet
all his engagements.
Rembrandt Peale, in his lecture on the Portraits of Washington,
says : " Mr. Stuart's first portrait of Washington was painted simul
taneously with mine, in September, 1795. From this first one he
made five copies ; but becoming dissatisfied with it some years
afterward, sold it for $200, 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 was supposed."
The question as to priority is settled by the above list, and,
although Mr. Peale may have "supposed" that the first portrait was
" not literally rubbed out," we have no right, in the face of Stuart's
own statement to the contrary, to entertain his views. In March,
1853, the following appeared in the New- York Evening Post, the
editors stating at the time that the document was in the possession
of a gentleman in Philadelphia :
" ' Sir: — I am under promise to Mrs. Bingham to sit for you
to-morrow, at nine o'clock, and wishing to know if it be convenient
to you that I should do so, and whether it shall be at your own
house (as she talked of the State House), I send this note to ask
information. ' I am, sir, your obedient servant,
" ' Geo. Washington,
"'Monday Evening, nth April, 1796/

Different Types of the Washington Portraits. 89
"This letter was indorsed in Washington's hand-writing, 'Mr.
Stuart, Chestnut Street.' At the foot of the manuscript are the fol
lowing certificates :
" ' In looking over my papers to find one that had the signature
of George Washington, I found this, asking me when he should sit
for his portrait, which is now owned by Samuel Williams, of Lon
don. I have thought it proper that it should be his, especially as he
owns Jhe_qnly_ 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 Timo. Williams, for said Samuel.
" ' Gt. Stuart.
" ' Boston, 9th day of March, 1823.
"' Attest.: I. P. Davis.
W. DUTTON.
L. Baldwin.
" ' N. B. Mr. Stuart painted in ye winter season his first portrait
of Washington, but destroyed it. The next painting was ye one
owned by S. Williams, the third Mr. S. has — two only remain as
above. "T. W.'"
The picture alluded to above, as owned by Stuart, is the Boston
Athenaeum head, and that which belonged to Samuel Williams is
the Lansdowne full-length.
&~ There are two types of the Washington portrait by Stuart : one
shows the right side of the face, — these are the earlier pictures; and
the other, giving the left side, takes in all the portraits painted after
April, 1796, — the Lansdowne, Constable, Athenaeum, and other pict
ures, that are generally known as " Stuart's Washington." It is very ,
easy to establish the fact that the earlier portraits show only the \
1 ight side of the "face, but it is not possible now to say which of the
12

90 Superiority of the Gibbs Picture.
early portraits was the earliest. The finest, beyond all comparison, is
that owned by Dr. William F. Channing, of Providence, R. I. It was
painted for Colonel George Gibbs. The warmest friendship existed
between Colonel Gibbs and Stuart, and we may feel sure that in
painting this picture the artist aimed to do his best. It is claimed
that this portrait was in Stuart's studio at a time when he was hav
ing sittings from Washington, and that the artist, availing himself
of the opportunity thus afforded him, revised and corrected it from
life, — a circumstance, so slight in itself as to have escaped the
memory of Stuart when he wrote the above note_jto Samuel Wil
liams. The picture is superb, and in it the lower part of the face,
so much criticised in the well-known portraits of Washington by
Stuart, is remarkably well managed. Rembrandt Peale says, in
speaking of the Vaughan picture, an early Washington by Stuart :
" In the lower part of the face it has the advantage over_ the other
portraits that he afterwards painted." This quality, in a much
higher degree, appears in the Gibbs picture, with which Peale was
probably unacquainted. The venerable A. B. Durand, when shown
a photograph of it, said : " That is a likeness. It is much superior
in character to the Athenaeum portrait, and should be considered the
standard. Both the artist and the subject would gain by it." He
also said he wished he could have known of it in earlier life, evi
dently meaning that he would have engraved it instead of the Athe
naeum portrait. The picture was sold by Colonel Gibbs to his
sister, Mrs. William Ellery Channing, from whom it descended to
her son, the present owner.
The exact time when the Vaughan picture was painted can
not be ascertained, but we can come near to itT~~TrTis" Washington
portrait is in the collection formed by the late Joseph Harrison,
Philadelphia. Mr. Norris, a son-in-law of Mr. Harrison, states that
"it was painted in ^September, 1795, for Samuel Vaughan, a friend
of Washington, and was purchased by Joseph Harrison of William
Vaughan. On the back of the picture is written, ' Geo. Washing-

Stuart's First Full-Length of Washington. 91
ton, by Mr. Stuart. Hallowell engraved this portrait in 1 796.' " The
engraving was put)1is1iecrin LoTiricyrrr-N^verrrbeT' 2d,~T796, and it is
lettered, "From a portrait painted by Mr. Stuart, in 1795, in the
possession of Samuel Vaughan, Esq." Rembrandt Peale, and others,
have maintained that this was__the original picture, that Stuart,
T)e^omingjdIssatis£ed -with- it, sold it to Winstanley for $200, who
in turn sold it to Mr. Harrison. Winstanley's name will appear
in these pages, but not in this connection. There is no evidence
that he ever owned the picture. The other portrait of Washington,
painted for J. Vaughan, and taken to England at the same
time, remained there, and there it probably may still be found.
This makes three of the replicas, and the fourth is owned by Mrs.
Rogers, of Lancaster, Pa., a daughter of General Edward Hand, of
the Revolution. All these portraits show the right side of the face,
and were evidently from the same original ; but the finest of them
all is the Gibbs picture. One engraving from the Vaughan picture
has been mentioned ; another engraving from it, made by W. Ridley,
was published in London, in 1800.
Stuart was overrun with orders for portraits from the moment
that his picture of Washington was painted, and although, as shown
byTHe" list he made out, he had many calls for copies of his like
ness of the President, but few of them were at that time filled.
Wheh7 at length, he began to meet this demand, — and this was not
till 1796, — his copies were" aTTmade from the picture known as the
Athenaeum head,~which shows the left side of the face.
bp. The first full-length of Washington was a commission from the
1 Marquis of Lansdowne. When it was known that Stuart was to
paint such a picture, Mr. and Mrs. William Bingham expressed a
strong desire to be at the charge, and to be permitted to present it
to the Marquis. Stuart, it is said, hesitated, but finally yielded to
their wishes, and Mrs. Bingham asked the President to give the
artist sittings. This was in April, 1796, as shown in the note from
the President to Stuart. The picture created a great sensation

92 Mr. Custis' s Criticism on this Picture.
when it reached England, and the Marquis, in a letter to Major
Jackson, dated March 5th, 1797, acknowledging the receipt of the
picture, and speaking of Washington, said: " If I was not too old,
I would go to Virginia to do him homage."
The figure in this picture has been criticised. G. W. P. Custis
thus speaks of it: "The defect in the full-length is in the limbs.
For the figure, a man named Smith, with whom Stuart boarded,
stood — a smaller man than Washington ; and the hands were painted
from a wax cast of Stuart's own hand, which was much smaller than
Washington's." From another source I have a different version. Mr. John A.
McAllister writes from Philadelphia: "Alderman Keppele stood for
the figure. I had this from his daughter, who died a few years
ago." This is the more probable statement, for Stuart, at that time,
" lived in his own hired house."
But this is not the only claim for that honor, for I had it from
the late Mrs. William Bingham Clymer, a few weeks before she took
passage on board the ill-fated " Pommerania," that the Comte de
Noailles stood for the figure. She assured me that the evidence
was conclusive, and a letter addressed to her, asking for the partic
ulars, was lying on the writer's desk when the news came of the
accident that was fatal to her, and to so many others.
Miss Stuart says that while her father was painting a full-length
of Washington (she cannot say which picture, but it was probably
the above), he wanted to introduce a dress-sword, and the Comte de
Noailles kindly furnished a superb silver-mounted rapier, which he
brought himself, and presented it to Stuart, saying that it might be
useful in painting other portraits of Washington. Stuart valued it
very highly, but years after, when the family treasury was low, Mrs.
Stuart, who never liked to see the sword in the house, had the sil
ver mounting converted into tea-spoons; which spoons were subse
quently stolen by a negro boy, the son of a faithful old servant
who had long lived in the family.

Heath Engraves the Picture without Stuart's Consent. 93
The full-length of Washington was engraved in England by
Heath, in a manner and under circumstances that were very disa
greeable to Stuart, who could not control his temper when he
learned how he had been defrauded of what was clearly his right.
An account of the transaction has been thus given by Mr. Neagle,
an artist who was well acquainted with Stuart, and who was at one
time his pupil :
" When the picture arrived in England it attracted general atten
tion, and Mr. Heath, the engraver, was not slow to perceive the
advantage that might accrue to himself by publishing a print of it ;
which he did, with the consent of the Marquis, who observed at the
time that Mr. Stuart would be highly gratified by having his work
copied by an artist of such distinguished ability. Accordingly, the
engraving was announced in London, with the usual puffs ; stating
that " the picture in the possession of the Marquis of Lansdowne is
the production of that very excellent portrait painter, Gabriel Stuartt,
a native of America, and an eleve of Benjamin West, Esq. His pen
cil has a freedom that is unaffected ; his coloring is clear without
glare, and chaste without monotony ; his style of composition is ani
mated, yet simple, and he has the happy faculty of embodying the
mind as strongly as he identifies the person."
To the above was added the announcement that Mr. Heath was
historical engraver to the King, and was one of the six associate
engravers to the Royal Academy.
Washington died December 14th, 1799, and Heath's engraving
was ready for the market by February 1st, 1800. Never was there
a better opportunity for a publisher to , realize large returns from an
engraver's burin.
Neagle's narrative goes on to say: " Mr. Bingham had not made
it a condition with the Marquis that a copyright should be secured
for the benefit of the painter ; indeed, he never mentioned Mr.
Stuart's wish, intending by the next vessel to beg this provision for
the painter's benefit, as an after-thought, which would not appear to

94 Stuart's Indignation on seeing the Engraving.
lessen the value of the present. But this proved too late for poor
Stuart. When the vessel arrived, Heath had made his copy under
the sanction of the owner, and the design was already on the cop
per. The matter, however, was never broached to Stuart, and he
told me that the first he knew of it was in Mr. Dobson's book-store
in Second street, Philadelphia. He was unknown to Mr. Dobson,
but was in the habit of frequenting the store, and purchasing books,
paper and pencils. On one occasion, when calling as usual, Mr.
Dobson, having just received a box of these finished engravings, for
sale on commission, opened it, and showed Stuart an impression
from Mr. Heath's plate ; this was the first intimation he had of the
unwelcome fact, that his prospect of advantage from a copyright
was annihilated, and the fruits of his labor snatched from him by one
who had no share in his enterprise, or claim whatever upon that
which he had invented and executed. He was unable to answer
Mr. Dobson's question respecting the merit of the engraving and
the prospects of sale ; but when he recovered himself, he replied :
'Sir, the work is as infamous in its execution as the motive that led
to it.' 'What!' said Dobson; 'have you the feeling of an American?
What ! do you not respect the man here represented, nor the talents
of the American painter who executed the original picture? What
would Mr. Stuart say if he heard you speak thus ? ' 'It has been
my custom,' replied Stuart, 'to speak the language of plainness and
truth, whenever the character and fortune of any man are thus
jeopardized. By this act the family of the painter is ruined. My
name is Stuart ; I am the painter, and have a right to speak.' "
The whole affair was an unfortunate one. Mr. Bingham was
evidently unacquainted with the rights of authors, or he certainly
would not have neglected to stipulate for the copyright at the
proper moment. Stuart called upon him for redress ; the inter
view ended in a quarrel. With one of Stuart's temperament, and
smarting under the loss he had sustained, it is hardly possible that
such a meeting could have ended otherwise. Among Stuart's

His Letter on the Subject to Lord Lansdowne. 95
scanty papers was found the draft of a letter addressed to Lord
Lansdowne, which reads as follows :
"My Lord: — The liberality with which you have uniformly
patronized the Arts, and a grateful recollection of my personal obli
gation for your approbation and countenance, have inspired a hope
that your Lordship will receive with indulgence the representation
of an injury, to which I have recently been exposed under the appar
ent sanction of your name. As a resource to rescue myself from
pecuniary embarrassment, and to provide for a numerous family at
the^ close of an anxious life, I had counted upon the emoluments that
might arise from a portrait of George Washington, engraved by an
artist of talent. It was, therefore, with peculiar pleasure, that I
found myself invited by Mr. Bingham to take the portrait of Presi
dent Washington, to be presented to your Lordship ; as I knew of
no one in whose hands it could be placed with more propriety and
advantage, nor one on whom I could more confidently rely to
secure the rights and promote the interest of the artist.
" I complied immediately with Mr. Bingham's request, but
expressly stipulated with~~his agent in the transaction, that no copy
should be taken of the picture, nor should any engraving be allowed
but with my consent, and for my benefit. Scarcely, however, had
the picture been received by your Lordship, when I had the morti
fication to find an engraving promised to the public ; and soon after
ward, at a moment when the sensibility of Europe, as well as of
America, was keenly excited by the death of General Washington,
the print was published in England and in the United States ; exe
cuted by Mr. Heath, for the emolument of himself and Mr. Barry,
of New- York; and stated to be taken 'from the original picture, by
Gilbert Stuart, in the collection of the Marquis of Lansdowne.'
Thus, without my privilege and participation, despoiled of the fair
fruits of an important work, and defeated in the great object of my
professional pursuit, your Lordship will readily allow me the privi-

96 His Letter to Mr. Barry on the same Subject.
lege to complain. There is something due to my feelings as a man,
and to my character as an artist ; and to repel, as far as it is prac
ticable, the wrong that has been committed, I have issued proposals
for a superior engraving, from a portrait intended to be fixed at
Mount Vernon, and I address myself respectfully to your Lord
ship, to inquire into the source of my misfortune.
" It is obvious that to you, sir, there cannot have been a commu
nication of the right which I reserved (for even my letter on the
subject must, I presume, have miscarried), nor am I willing to
impute to Mr. Bingham the suppression of so important a fact; I
can only, therefore, at present, suppose that some improper artifice
has been employed by the person immediately interested in the
engraving, and I pray your Lordship to honour me with an explana
tion of the means by which so unprecedented and unwarrantable a
violation of the right of property has been accomplished."
With the above, there was found the draft of another letter, evi
dently addressed to Mr. Barry, who, it was understood by Stuart,
was connected with Heath in bringing out the engraving.
" Sir: — When the portrait of General Washington was undertaken
for Mr. Bingham, it was on the express condition that I should
retain the exclusive right of making an engraving from it. It had,
indeed, been the object of the most valuable years of my life to
obtain the portrait, with a view to such a right ; and surely, sir, you,
who have endeavoured to deprive me of it for your own emolument,
could not have been ignorant of its value, when you employed Mr.
Heath on the occasion. I know not on what terms Mr. Bingham
presented the picture to the Marquis of Lansdowne, but I am per
suaded that nobleman has either been imposed upon by some
misrepresentation, or has never received the letter which I addressed
to him on the subject. I shall, however, endeavour speedily and
fully to develop all the circumstances of so cruel an outrage upon

The "Full-Length " Exhibited at the Centennial. 97
the property of an artist (and the chief hope of a numerous family),
, and, in the meantime, I shall take proper measures to prevent, as
far as it is practicable, the injury that is meditated to my fortune ;
and I may add, from a view of Mr. Heath's print, to my profes
sional reputation."
It will be seen by the above how alive Stuart was to the loss he
had sustained, and how keenly he felt the injury that had been done
him. He never forgot it, nor did he forgive the parties to the
transaction. After the death of Lord Lansdowne, his pictures were sold by
auction. The Washington was purchased by Samuel Williams, an
English merchant, for $2,000. Williams subsequently became insol
vent, and his creditors disposed of the Washington by a lottery.
Forty tickets were sold, at fifty guineas each. The picture fell to
Mr. J. Delaware Lewis, a nephew of Mr. William D. Lewis, of
Philadelphia. But few Americans had ever seen the picture, and
Mr. William D. Lewis, who was Chairman of the Committee on
Art, obtained the loan of it from his nephew for the Centennial
Exhibition. It was sent out with the loan collection from England,
unpacked in Memorial Hall, and hung up in the British section
before its arrival was kn©wn to the Fine Arts Committee. An effort
was subsequently made to have it transferred to the American sec
tion, but it was unsuccessful. At the close of the Exhibition, it was
returned to its owner in England.
While Stuart was painting the above picture, Mr. and Mrs. William
Constable, of New- York, went to Philadelphia. Mr. Constable had
been on the staff of General Lafayette, and both he and Mrs. Consta
ble were intimately acquainted with General and Mrs. Washington.
Mrs. Constable induced her husband to sit to Stuart. At these
sittings, Mr. Constable saw the picture then in hand for the Marquis,
and was so much pleased with it that he engaged Stuart to paint for
him a similar picture. There is a tradition that the artist painted
13

98 Stuart Paints a Second Full-Length of Washington.
on the two pictures alternately, and that Trott, the miniature
painter, who was known to be on intimate terms with the artist,
stood for the hands. The interest that Mr. Constable took in the
picture is shown from the fact that he rode twice from New- York
to Philadelphia, in his chariot and four, to watch the progress of the
painting. Before the picture was sent to New-York, Stuart painted
a half-length from it, which was presented by Mr. Constable to
General Hamilton. This is the only half-length of Washington by
Stuart that I remember to have heard of.
When the full-length was finished, it was sent to Mr. Constable's
house, which stood where the Astor House now stands, on Broad
way, New- York. Colonel Burr, Walter Rutherford, and Richard
Harrison, the eminent lawyer and partner of General Hamilton, all
neighbors, came in to see it as soon as it was opened. " Gentlemen,"
said Mr. Constable, as soon as it was put in its place, "there is the
man," when, with one accord, they all exclaimed, " The man
himself!" The picture, which is perfectly fresh, and in as good order as
when it left the artist's studio, which cannot now be said of the
Lansdowne, remained in Mr. Constable's house up to the time of
his death, in 1803. By him it was bequeathed to his son William,
who resided at Schenectady, and who was then but seventeen years
of age. At his request, it was placed in the house of his brother-
in-law, Mr. H. E. Pierrepont. In 181 2, he sold it to Mr. Pierrepont
for six hundred dollars, the price that Mr. Constable had paid for
the picture and frame, and it was transferred to Mrs. Pierrepont. In
Mr. Pierrepont's house, it was so fitted in the frame that the canvas,
in case of fire, could be easily taken out and saved. It was this
picture that called forth the remark from General Lafayette, when
he went to call on Mrs. Constable, in 1824: "That is my noble
friend indeed."
In 1836, a French engraver, by the name of Langier, brought
an introduction from Paris to Mr. Pierrepont, and asked permission

The Picture is Engraved by Langier. 99
to copy the head of Washington, which was granted. He went
to Boston, and examined the Athenaeum head, and gave the prefer
ence to the Constable picture, saying he would prefer to engrave
the latter, and would give the proper credit. He employed a
painter named Cogniet to make a design, representing Washington
as standing in front of his horse, which is held by an orderly.
Langier engraved it in 1839, one year after the death of Mr.
Pierrepont, but gave the credit to the Athenaeum head, for the
reason that it was better known, and would add more to the value
of his print. The head, as given by him, is good, but the same
cannot be said of the figure.
At the death of Mr. Pienrepont, the picture came into the pos
session of his widow, who, at her death in 1859, bequeathed it to
her son, Mr. Henry E. Pierrepont, of Brooklyn, the- present owner.
At the request of the Mayor of the city of Hudson, in 1841, per
mission was given by Mrs. Pierrepont to an artist by the name of
Prime, to make a half-length from it, for the Common Council
room in that city. In 1845, Mr. Frothingham, a pupil of Stuart's,
asked permission to copy the picture. Consent was given, and for
three months he painted in a room in Mrs. Pierrepont's house.
This copy, which in some parts is more highly colored than the
original, particularly the Turkey carpet, was purchased by Mr. A. A.
Low, of Brooklyn, and presented by him to Salem, the place of his
nativity. In connection with the original, the following anecdote is told:
Mr. Daniel McCormick, who lived in Wall street, New- York, and
died there in 1834, aged ninety-four years, was the friend of
both Stuart and Mr. Constable, and he accompanied Mr. Constable
when he drove to Philadelphia, to watch the progress of the pict
ure. One day he met Mr. Stuart carrying a Turkey rug, and
asked him what he was going to do with it. Stuart replied that
it was for his studio. "You extravagant dog," said McCormick,
"why did you not buy a Kidderminster for your studio? It would

ioo Stuart's Bill to Mr. Constable.
have answered as well." "Some day, McCormick, you will say
that I have done right." When the picture, in which the rug is
skillfully introduced, was finished, and while Mr. McCormick was
looking at it, Stuart nudged him with his elbow and said, "Well,
McCormick, what do you say to my rug ? " " You have done
right," was the reply.
The following is a copy of Stuart's bill for the pictures ordered
by Mr. Constable.

Wm. Constable, Esq., To G. Stuart, Dr.
1796, Nov. To one portrait of said W.,  Ds. 100
1797, July 4. One of the late President of the United
States, at full length,  500
One do. half length,  250
Ds. 850 Dollars.
Philadelphia, 13th July, 1797. Received of Richard Soderstrdm, Esq., through
the hand of John Vaughan, Esq., the above sum, in full of all demands against
them and the above mentioned Wm. Constable, Esq. .
G. Stuart.
Dimensions given by Mr. Stuart:
5 feet & 8 feet.
3'4"-4'3"
Another full-length of Washington, unquestionably a copy of
the Lansdowne, is now owned by the Academy of Fine Arts in
Philadelphia. It belonged to Mr. Bingham, who had it at his
country-seat, Lansdowne, and in the inventory of his estate, filed
by his executors in 1807, it is specially mentioned as being there.
It was removed to the Bank of the United States for safe keep
ing. There it remained till 181 1, when it was transferred to the
Academy of Fine Arts by the executors of Mr. Bingham.

He Paints a Fourth Full-Length of Washington. 101
The fourth full-length was painted for Gardner Baker, of New-
York. Baker was an active member of the Society__of __St. Tam
many, a social and benevolent organization. At his suggestion,
the society, in 1790, began the formation of a museum, which was
placed in his hands to direct and manage. Through his zeal and
industry, the collection became a large and interesting one, and a
suitable place was assigned it in a building on the corner of Broad
and Pearl streets. In 1795, the museum was made over to Baker,
and he soon added greatly to its attractions. Among other features,
he in time added a full length portrait of Washington by Stuart.
In 1798, he went to Boston for the purpose of exhibiting the
portrait in that city, but was taken down with the yellow fever
and died there, having hardly attained to his thirtieth year. After
his death his effects were scattered. Dunlap says the Washington
portrait went to a Mr. Laing, as an offset to a claim against Baker,
but all trace of it has since been lost. The following story in
connection with it is told by Dunlap, who says that Laing was in
Washington when a committee was furnishing the President's house,
and that he suggested to them the propriety of buying the pict
ure to adorn the residence of the Chief Magistrate. Ultimately
the picture was purchased by the committee, and Laing, who only
knew Winstanley as an artist, gave him instructions to pack and
forward it to its destination. But Winstanley, instead of being
true to his trust, copied the Stuart, which latter he retained, and
in its place sent his own picture to the President's house. There
it was put in place, and the cheat was not detected for some time.
When it was discovered, it was found that Winstanley had taken
the original to England, and as there was no redress, Laing
refunded the money he had received.
It has been said that on the approach of the British, in 18 14,
the picture was cut from the frame to prevent its falling into their
hands. But this cannot be correct, for, on examination, it has
been found that the original nails hold the canvas to the stretcher,

102 He Indignantly Rejects a Dishonorable Proposition.
and that it has never been cut. If the picture was removed at
the time named, it must have been taken bodily. The picture is
faded, and shows no trace of Stuart's pencil.
Stuart told this story about his first and only interview with
Winstanley. I give it as related by Dunlap :
"When I lived at German town, a little pert young man called
on me, and addressed me thus :
" ' You are Mr. Stuart, the great painter ? '
" ' My name is Stuart, sir.'
" ' My name is Winstanley, sir ; you must have heard of me.'
" ' Not that I recollect, sir.'
" ' No ! Well, Mr. Stuart, I have been copying your full-length
of Washington ; I have made a number of copies ; I have now six
that I have brought on to Philadelphia ; I have got a room in the
State House, and I have put them up ; but before I show them to
the public, and offer them for sale, I have a proposal to make to
you.' " ' Go on, sir.'
" ' It would enhance their value, you know, if I could say that
you had given them the last touch. Now, sir, all you have to do,
is to ride to town, and give each of them a tap, you know, with
your riding-switch, — just thus, you know, and we will share the
amount of the sale.'
"'Did you ever know that I was a swindler?'
"'Sir — oh, you mistake, you know.'"
Here the narrative goes on to say, the painter rose to his full
height, as he turned upon his visitor, and said :
"You will please to walk down-stairs, sir, very quickly, or I
shall throw you out at the window ; " and Stuart, suiting his
actions to his words, left his visitor no alternative but to hurry
away from the presence of the enraged artist.
Aggravating as was this theft, it subsequently brought Stuart a
good order. There are several versions of the story, but the fol-

I/-

Baytoe s, imp god?* h

Washington
(The Athenaeum Portrait)

Authenticity of the "Washington" now in Faneuil Hall. 103
lowing is undoubtedly correct. It was furnished to Miss Stuart by
an esteemed friend, whose name I am not at liberty to use :
" In an interesting conversation with Crawford, the artist, in
1846, which I recorded at the time, Mr. Quincy said: 'A full
length portrait of Washington was painted by Mr. Stuart for the
Marquis of Lansdowne. Winstanley went to London and made
several mpies of jr. One of them he brought to Boston, and,
by my permission, put up in my office in Court street. He wished
to borrow money on it from me, but I refused. He then took it
away, and afterward induced Mr. S. Parkman to lend him money
on it, and then went off and left him the picture. Mr. Parkman
offered to present the portrait to the town of Boston for Faneuil
Hall ; but when the gift was offered in a Town Meeting, a black
smith from the north end rose up and vehemently opposed its
acceptance, saying that it would be a lasting disgrace to the town
of Boston to accept a copy of Stuart's portrait of Washington,
when the artist himself was residing in Boston, who ought to be
employed to paint an original for Faneuil Hall. The offer was
declined ; the blacksmith carried his point, and Mr. Parkman, appar
ently coinciding in his opinion, employed Mr. Stuart to paint a full
length portrait of Washington, which he presented to Faneuil Hall.'"
Through some inadvertency in making up the Town Record, this
picture is spoken of as a copy of Stuart by another hand. Not
long since, this question was" brought up, and Miss Stuart having
been applied to, replied as follows :
"The picture of Washington, 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."
This letter was, with the consent of the city authorities, inserted
in the " Record of the Town of Boston."
For this picture, six hundred dollars were paid — an insignificant

104 The two Full- Lengths in Providence and Newport.
sum as contrasted with its present value. Stuart painted it in
nine days. Miss Stuart has made several copies of the picture :
the last was for the Boston Art Museum, and for it she was paid
the same sum that was paid to her father, less certain expenses
attending the work.
It was to Stuart's picture in Faneuil Hall that Edward Everett,
in his eulogy of Lafayette, when he had apostrophized the bust
of that distinguished patriot, turned and exclaimed: "Speak,
glorious Washington ! Break the long silence of that votive can
vas!" — words that electrified every one who was present.
There are two very fine full length portraits of Washington in
Rhode Island : one in the State House in Providence, and the
other in the State House in Newport. The history of these pict
ures may thus be told : At the February session of the General
Assembly, 1800, the following resolution and preamble were
adopted. I give the document as it was worded, for it shows
how tender was the regard for the memory of Washington :
" The citizens of this State having, on all proper occasions,
uniformly expressed their inviolate attachment to the person of the
late General George Washington, and their entire approbation of
his conduct, in public and in private life :
" 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
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, main
tained in his person the dignity of his mind : do resolve, that
two portraits of him, drawn at full length by some eminent artist,
with suitable 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."

Other Full-Lengths of Washington by Stuart. 105
The committee gave this commission to Gilbert Stuart, who
was then residing in Philadelphia, and who received for the two
pictures the sum of twelve hundred dollars. The portraits are
both admirable.
The Faneuil Hall picture was painted in Boston. The six
other full-length Washingtons, — the Lansdowne, the William Con
stable, the Gardner Baker, the two in Rhode Island, and the one
in Philadelphia, were all painted in Philadelphia. i
A full-length Washington was painted for Mr. Peter Jay
Munro, of New- York. The date is not known. It was purchased
from his estate in 1845, and is almost identical in its details with
the picture in the State House in Newport. The attitude is the
same, and in both, the letters " G. St" appear on the leg of the
table, the rest of the name being covered by the cloth. But there
is some variation in the placing of the figure on the canvas. In
this picture it is more on one side, which makes some slight
change in the accessories. This picture was engraved by Sartain,
of Philadelphia, and Ritchie, of New- York, for an edition of
Washington's Farewell Address, printed by Mr. James Lenox, who
is the owner of the original. The above portrait is now in the
Lenox Library.
A portrait of Washington, painted by Stuart for Mr. I. P.
Davis, of Boston, in 18 10, is now owned by Mr. Ignatius Sargent,
of Brookline. In a letter from Stuart to Mr. Davis, he called it
his "small full-length" of Washington. This was the original
sketchy from which the picture owned by the city of Boston, and
known as "Washington at Dorchester Heights," was painted.
After having made the sketch, Stuart appears to have kept to it
in painting the large picture; the pose of the figure and the
accessories being the same. This picture was purchased of the
heirs of Mr. Davis by the present owner.
There is a full length portrait of Washington at Carlton
House, England, claimed to have been painted by Stuart; but its

106 Replicas of the Athenceum Head.
history, or the particulars connected with it, I have not been able
to learn. Of portraits of Washington by Stuart, replicas of the Athe
naeum head, there are many; some of them are very fine, but
others are quite indifferent. Stuart used to call his portrait of
Washington his hundred- dollar bill, and when he wanted money
he turned one off, often hurriedly. But to this there are noble
exceptions. "V
Recently a valuable portrait of Washington, painted by Stuart
for the late Solomon Etting, of Baltimore, was presented by Miss
Richsa G. Etting, to the Maryland Historical Society. This pict
ure had previously been cleaned by a Baltimore artist.
A Washington, painted for the Pinckney family, of South
Carolina, is now owned by Chief-Justice Gray, of Boston, who
holds their certificate of its genuineness.
A Washington, painted for the late Jonathan Mason, of Boston,
is now in the possession of Mrs. William Appleton, Beacon street,
Boston ; and one that at one time belonged to the British Consul,
Robertson, is owned by Mr. John T. Montgomery, 1815 Delancy
street, Philadelphia. Robertson married the widow of Isaac Gouv-
erneur, of New- York, whose daughter by the first marriage was
the wife of Francis Rawle Wharton, of Philadelphia. Mrs. Mont
gomery received the portrait of Washington from the estate of the
late Gilbert Robertson, after the death of Mrs. Wharton, her
mother. Mr. Robertson is said to have acquired the picture from
one Simpson, about whom nothing is now known. It is fresh in
color and is in excellent condition.
A highly finished copy of the Athenaeum head was made by
Stuart, in 18 10, for Hon. Josiah Quincy, which picture is still at
the homestead at Quincy. There are two portraits of Washington
in the Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, — one a full-length, in
civil dress, already noticed, and the other a head. A portrait of
Washington, painted by Stuart for General Chestnut, of South

Other Portraits of Washington, Painted by Stuart. 107
Carolina, was bought a few years ago by the Library Committee,
for the Capitol at Washington, and it now hangs in the old Hall
of Representatives. The spurious picture in the White House, which
has been attributed to Stuart, has already been referred to.
When Stuart went to Washington, in 1803, to paint the portraits
of Jefferson and Madison, he took with him a copy of his Wash-
ingjon^as^a specimen of his skill as an artist. This picture was
purchased by Colonel John Tayloe, who at the same time employed
Stuart to paint his own and Mrs. Tayloe's portrait. These pictures
are now owned by Mrs. B. Ogle Tayloe, Washington City. Mrs.
Dallgren, also of Washington, owns a very fine portrait of the
first President, painted for Robert Gilmor, of Baltimore. A
Washington that belonged to the MacDonald family, and which
was inherited from General Samuel MacDonald, has recently become
the property of Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, Boston. Mr. F. Law
Rogers, of Baltimore, has also a Washington in his possession.
The Phillips family, of North Andover, have a Washington,
which they claim was painted by Stuart for Francis Lightfoot Lee,
of Virginia. There were several members of the Washington and
Lee families in the Andover Academy, between the years 1795 and
1 804, as students, under the immediate care of Lieutenant-Governor
Phillips. When they left the Academy, Mr. Lee sent this portrait
to Lieutenant-Governor Phillips, in recognition of his kind attention
to the youths who had been under his charge. It was the wish
and intention of the family to send a portrait of Lieutenant-Gov
ernor Phillips to Mr. Lee, but the death of the latter frustrated
the plan.
A Washington, owned by Professor Tucker, a well-known author
in his day, was retained by him when his other pictures were sold,
he valuing it highly. At his death, it became the property of his
daughters, Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. George Rives, by whom it was
sold to Mr. F. R. Rives, son of the late William C. Rives, who
is the present owner. This is a fine specimen of Stuart's work.

108 History of the Mount Vernon Portrait.
The portrait of Washington, painted by Stuart, which hung on
the wall at Mount Vernon, was bequeathed to, or fell to the share
of, George Steptoe Washington, one of the four nephews of the
General. After his death, it became the property of his son, Wil

liam Tempk_JWashington, who died at an advanced age about a
year ago. He lived on the north side of the Rappahannock, near
Falmouth, and during the late rebellion his farm was occupied by
the national troops. To secure the portrait, he placed it between
the carpet and matting in one of the upper chambers, and General
Hancock, who occupied rooms at his house, often walked unwit
tingly over it. After the war was over, Mr. Washington sent the
portrait to his cousin, Colonel Richard D. Cutts, of Washington,
and one of the four swords of Washington, also inherited from his
father, with a request that he would sell them, to procure the
means wherewith to recuperate his farm. The portrait was, in one
or two unimportant parts, slightly defaced from being so much trodden
upon, although every precaution had been taken to preserve it from
harm. During the winter, Colonel Cutts sold the portrait, for twelve
hundred dollars, to Hon. J. V. L. Pruyn, then a Member of Con
gress from Albany, but only after a searching examination on his
part, as to its history and authenticity. Mr. Pruyn, who has' the
picture in Albany, collected data from Adams, Everett, and others,
in regard to it.
A portrait of Washington, that long hung in the Madison
mansion, is now owned by Mr. Edward Coles, of Philadelphia. Mr.
Edmund L. Rogers, of Baltimore, has one that belonged to Robert
Barry, of that city; and Mrs. J. T. Cooper (formerly Mrs. C. F.
Crosby), of Albany, has one that was once the property of Colonel
Henry Rutgers, of New- York. Dr. Alfred Wagstaff, 27 Waverley
Place, New- York, has a Washington, bought by his grandfather,
David Wagstaff (an Englishman, who came to this country after
the Revolution, and was a great admirer of Washington), about the
year 1798. It hung in the room where the father of Dr. Wagstaff

History of other " Washingtons," by Stuart. 109
was born in 1809, in a house on Seventy-ninth street, the family
country-seat. This picture has descended in a direct line to the
present owner, and has been in the family eighty years.
A Washington is owned by Hon. John Hoye Ewing, of Wash
ington, Pennsylvania. Washington County and Borough were organ
ized in 1 781, and the town was laid out by David Hoye, of Carlisle,
Cumberland County. In a few years, David Hoye conveyed all the
unsold lots to his two sons, John and William Hoye, both of whom
took an active part in the politics of the day. John was a State
Senator from 1790 to 1794, and William was a Member of Con
gress about the same time. John owned the portrait, and enter
taining a warm feeling for Mr. Ewing, promised him the painting
after his death; but he died intestate in 1820 or '21, and Mr.
Ewing purchased the picture at the administrator's sale.
Mr. William Buchler, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has a Wash
ington which has been in his family more than half a century. It
was originally the property of Samuel D. Frank, who was a mem
ber of the bar, residing at Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania,
and who removed to Harrisburg about 1825, where he became the
presiding judge of the district.
Miss Jo. Peter, of Lexington, Kentucky, writes : " My mother
has a portrait of Washington, copied by Stuart from one of his
originals. The portrait, a bust, together with its companion pict
ure, a fine portrait of Jefferson, also by Stuart, was obtained by
my maternal grandfather, Major William S. Dallam, from Mr. Lewis
Saunders, in the early part of the present century. My mother
thinks Mr. Saunders purchased the picture at the studio in Boston,
but is not certain on that point.
"The Jefferson was sold by my aunt to Congress, in 1874, for
one thousand dollars, through the agency of J. B. Beck, of Ken
tucky, and can be seen at the Capitol. The authenticity of these
pictures has never been questioned by artists who have seen
them."

no History of the Copy Painted for Mr. Williams.
A portrait of Washington, by Stuart, exhibited at the Centen
nial, is owned by Mr. George F. Meredith, of London, who has
given this history of it in a letter to Miss Stuart:
" The picture came into my possession about twenty years since ;
before that time, for many years, it belonged to my wife's father,
the late Mr. William Schofield, M. P. for Birmingham. He was
married to an American lady, and it was a tradition that the por
trait had been presented by General Washington himself to one of
her ancestors attached to his staff. The canvas is about two and a
half feet high by two feet wide, and the figure, a full-length, is in
court dress, etc., etc." This picture, before it was taken back to
England, was brought to the notice of Miss Stuart, who recog
nized in it the work of her father.
A copy of the Washington portrait was made by Stuart for
Mr. Cumberland Williams, of Baltimore, and as Mr. Jonathan Mason,
of Boston, is familiar with the circumstances connected with the
painting of this picture, — was, in fact, instrumental in getting it for
Mr. Williams, — he has kindly furnished the following particulars:
"Early in life, I received a letter from a Baltimore friend, who
had been civil to me at the South, stating that Mr. Cumberland
Williams, of that city, a wealthy gentleman, was anxious to procure
a copy of Washington's portrait by Stuart, who should testify to its
genuineness, — many copies having been made with his name falsely
attached to them ; that he was willing to pay almost any reasonable
sum, and that Mr. Williams being unacquainted with me, Mr. New
man, as a Bostonian, had applied personally. Not knowing how to
proceed, being deterred from applying direct to the artist, by hear
ing that he was not accessible to such applications, and seldom
willing to copy his own paintings, I wrote to Mr. Newman that
Mr. Stuart refused many applications of the like while otherwise
employed, and that I feared it could not be accomplished. Many
weeks after, having forgotten it, being in the vicinity of Mr. Stuart's
residence on Fort Hill, I went to see him, and found him playing

The Five First Presidents, by Stuart. m
on his chamber-organ. After some remarks, I told him I had a
favor to ask, — one that my friends laughed at me for.
"Stuart stopped playing, and exclaimed: 'What is it? Let's
have it'
" ' To ask you to paint for me a copy of your Washington.' He
took a pinch of snuff, and went on playing, and I, feeling I had
made a mistake, rose to go, bidding him good-bye ; when he stopped
playing, and asked, ' Will you be here the end of next week ? '
' Certainly, Mr. Stuart, if I can be of any service to you.'
" Regretting my mistake, I left, fearing I had committed myself.
" I was punctual . at the end of the following week, and found
him at leisure, affable, and in his usual spirits, and I not a little
abashed by my late application to him. Suddenly rising from his
chair, he took a canvas that was facing the wall, and, placing it
before me upon the easel, exclaimed : ' Now let them laugh at
you ! '
" I forwarded the picture immediately to Cumberland Williams,
Esq., at Baltimore, and some years after, at the sale of his effects
after his decease, it was purchased by an early companion and friend
of mine, Thomas Handasyde Perkins, since deceased, and is now or
late in the possession of his son, Augustus Thorndike Perkins. Both
of these gentlemen applied to me for a written voucher of its being
a genuine Stuart copy, which I readily gave, being a fine copy, of
which I know of but one or two extant at the present time."
A set of the first five Presidents of the United States, by Stuart,
is owned by Mr. T. Jefferson Coolidge, Boston. The pictures were
bought by Mr. Coolidge at the sale of the estate of Colonel George
Gibbs, deceased, for whom they were painted. They are in Stuart's
best style, and Mr. Coolidge holds the following certificate 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 per
fect recollection of his painting the Presidents for his friend, Colonel

112 Additional Copies of his " Washingtons."
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."
There was another set of the first five Presidents ; three of them
were destroyed by the fire in the Library building in Washington,
and the other two, saved from the flames, but badly injured, are
somewhere in Virginia.
Tuckerman speaks of a cabinet head of Washington, owned at
one time by Mr. Gilbert, a Member of Congress from Columbia
County, New- York, and now dead.
Mr. Russell Sturgis writes from London : .
" I bought the Washington now in my possession some twenty
years ago, and always understood it was the portrait painted for
Earl Shelburne (afterward Marquis of Lansdowne), and his son,
the late Marquis, who saw it at my house, confirmed my impression.
* * * I have an engraving from a picture, which is like mine,
except that the right hand rests upon the table, whereas in my pict
ure it is extended, as in the act of speaking."*
" Besides the full-length, I have a kit-cat, painted by Stuart
about 1809, I think, for my uncle, James Sturgis, resident in China,
where it remained till my uncle's death, and then was bought by
me, and so has never been out of the family."
A portrait of Washington is owned by Dr. Herbert Norris, of
Philadelphia, to whom it descended from William Rawle, the elder,
who was the Attorney for the United States for the District of
Pennsylvania, under Washington. There is a tradition that Wash
ington, in compliance with the wishes of Mr. Rawle, gave Stuart
three sittings for this picture ; but this conflicts with Stuart's own
statement as to the number of original pictures. It is a fine, and
probably an early, copy of the head of 1796.
* May not this be one of the copies made by Winstanley, and palmed off as
Stuart's work ? It is certainly not the original.

The Only Half-Length of Washington, by Stuart. 113
In J;he State Library, at^Richmond, Va., there is a good portrait
of .. Washington, claimed to have^been painted by Stuart. " Mr.
Alexander Hamilton has one that was given by Mr. William Con
stable to his grandfather, General Hamilton, at whose death it
descended to his widow; from her it descended to her son, and from
him to his son, the present owner. It is of life size, seated, and
showing in the background a stretch of water and a few passing
vessels. In color it is fresh and beautiful. This picture has already
been spoken of as probably the only half-length of Washington by
Stuart. At Duddington, the house of the Carrolls, Washington, there is
a Washington, painted by Stuart for the late Daniel Carroll, of that
city, probably at the time that Stuart had his studio there. „ It is
not equal to the one owned by Mrs. Tayloe. A Washington owned
by Mr. William H. Appleton, New- York, has on the back the orig
inal receipt, in the hand- writing of Stuart: "Boston, 9th Sept., 1820.
" Received of Charles Brown, Five hundred dollars for a portrait
of George Washington. " Gt. Stuart."
Below it is marked: "Original, purchased from Mr. Brown by
Z. Collins Lee, at Boston, Aug. 4th, 1844."
Mr. Edward Shippen, of Philadelphia, has one of Stuart's Wash-
ingtons; Mr^joEn^C^tt^n^on-iias~o^T another is~owned Try Mr.
James Blight, 1205 Walnut streetT~PMadelphia (Dr. Shippen's old
house), and copies are held by fMr^JHliston P. Morris^Mr. Joseph
Samson Perot,} Mr. Swift and (jVIrs. Norrjg? all of Phila^elphTa. Mr7
William D. Lewis has a Washington, at Florence Heights, which,
if" n'ot a"luTl-length,. is more than a head. It was painted for him
by StuartT in January, 1822, and the head was copied from the
15

114 Chinese Reproduction on Glass of his "Washington."
Athenaeum picture. Washington is represented in his civil dress,
seated at a table, on which is spread a large sheet of paper, — pos
sibly a map, — the ends of the fingers and thumb of the right hand
resting on it, a corner of the paper being held between the thumb
and forefinger of the left hand. The hilt of his sword rests on his
left arm, above the elbow and against his side. Back of the figure
there is a massive crimson curtain, with tassels on one side and on
the other, and over the table there is a rainbow. The canvas is
3 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 9 inches.
About the close of the last century, or early in the present
century, Mr. Blight, who was an India trader, took his portrait of
Washington with him on a voyage to Canton. And this brings
me to another phase in the history of the Washington portraits.
About 1800, or a little later, a number of portraits of Washing
ton, on glass, were brought out from China and were offered for
sale in Philadelphia, till Stuart, through the aid of Horace Binney,
then a young lawyer, put an injunction on the sale. One of these
pictures, now owned by Mr. Welsh, brother to Minister Welsh, is
thus described by Mr. E. D. Marchant, artist, of that city :
" A member of the Welsh family, being at Canton on some
commercial enterprise, met with this work, and secured it, with two
others, one of which was broken on the passage. The other went,
he knew not where. The one in question is of the usual size,
25x30 inches, and is on glass, reversed. Its method and material,
Chinese of course, but in actual achievement far beyond anything
of that nature that I have ever before seen. It is a striking repro
duction of a better than an average of our Stuart's Washingtons ; it
has not the slightest dash of caricature ; in fact, I do not know that
it is deficient even in the dignity which we sometimes, if not always,
find in the original. Finely relieved, the shadows pure and trans
parent, with a treatment of the eyes and mouth (which is peculiar
in Stuart's Washington) that I have never seen so successfully
achieved in any other copy. The 'touches' are rendered with a

',J3"v™S1 imf .:^F^-' -

Mrs. Washington

(The Athenaeum Portrait)

The Origin of the "Washington" Pitchers. 115
truth, delicacy and adroitness, such as I have never met twith from
any other hand than that of Stuart himself. This Chinese por
trait surprised me with a keen wish, were the thing possible, to see
for myself the original, which the Orientals have so ably repro
duced. It, at all events, establishes the fact that there was, and
may be yet, one fine original of Washington by Stuart, even in
Canton." This Chinese picture calls to mind the Washington pitchers,
once so common, but now so highly prized by collectors. Miss
Stuart says : " Edward A. Newton, a nephew of Mr. Stuart, who
was in England on business, commissioned my father to paint for
him a Washington for the especial purpose of having it copied on
stone-ware pitchers in Liverpool, and had some dozen struck off to
send to his friends in America." This was, undoubtedly, the origin
of the Washington pitchers, of which scores were afterward sent
to this country.
A Stuart Washington is owned by Hon. Peter McCall, Phila
delphia, probably the one formerly owned by his uncle, James
Gibson. From it much of the color has flown ; possibly it may
have been in the hand of an unskillful picture cleaner.
A Washington that belonged to Mr. P. A. Browne, a contem
porary of Stuart's, is now in thel^ad^^ the.
Club by Mr. Swift. It is not a good specimen of Stuart's work,
and has probably been injured in some way.y Another Washington
is owned by Miss Wain, of that city. A print of Washington was
published in London, January 15th, 1798, by Robert Cribb, who
dedicated it to J. Seb'n De Franca, Esq., of Devonshire Place, who
was the owner of the picture. The engraving was by Nutter.
It has been said that Mrs. Washington was very anxious to
have a portrait of the President, painted by Stuart, and that it was
in compliance with her wish that he gave the artist further sittings;
it being understood that the picture, when finished, was to become
the property of Mrs. Washington. This picture gave Stuart more

116 Stuart Retains the Originals of the last "Washingtons."
satisfaction than any other portrait of Washington that he had
painted, and as he was not to deliver it till it was completed, he
took care never to put in the background. In this way he
managed to retain it. Miss Stuart gives a different version of the
story :
"When General and Mrs. Washington took their last sittings,
my father told Washington it would be of great importance to him
to retain the originals, to which Washington replied : ' Certainly,
Mr. Stuart, if they are of any consequence to you ; I shall be per
fectly satisfied with copies from your hand, as it will be impossible
for me to sit again at present.' The copies made from the originals
were for Mount Vernon, but where they are now I do not know.
A short time after these last pictures were finished, the President
called on my father to express the perfect satisfaction of Mrs.
Washington and himself at his success; he promised that if he
should sit again for his picture, it would be to him. My father at
this, time had . js&.jjianyr. commissions to copy the head of the Presi
dent, and the anxiety to possess them was so great, that gentlemen
would tell him if he would only make a sketch they would be
satisfied ; and as he was painting other distinguished men of
the day, and hurrying to complete their portraits, these Washing-
tons "were, with some exceptions, literally nothing but sketches.
H<T~ probably "painted two at a time, that is, an hour on each
in two mornings. So many people wrote to Stuart's family, after
Washington's death, to know if certain heads of the President
were from life, that my father was wont to say : ' If the General
had sat for all these portraits, he could have done nothing else ; our
Independence would have been a secondary matter, or out of the
question.' "
These portraits, as already stated, are the two well-known heads
now in the Boston Art Museum. Miss Stuart adds: "After the
death of Stuart they were offered to the State of Massachusetts for
the sum of one thousand dollars, which offer was declined. Subse-

Washington Loses his Self-Control. nj
quently an English gentleman offered his widow ten thousand dol
lars for the pair ; but while she was hesitating, thinking they ought
to remain in America, he became impatient, and returned to Eng
land. Some time after that, the offer of fifteen hundred dollars was
accepted from the Washington Association and other gentlemen, who,
in 1 83 1, presented them to the Boston Athenaeum.
" It was my father's intention to have these last heads engraved
by Sharp, the finest engraver in Europe, not only for his own repu
tation, but in order to leave some provision for his family." The
Athenaeum "Washington" was subsequently engraved by Joseph
Andrews, and in the most exquisite manner; but Stuart's family
could derive no benefit from it, for the picture had then passed out
of their possession. It was while Stuart was painting this picture
that a curious scene occurred, which has been related by Sparks,
as one of the few authentic instances where Washington's remarka
ble self-control lapsed into temporary excitement:
" One morning, as the artist approached the house, the street
door and inner door were open, so that his eye led directly into
the parlor, and just as he was about to ascend the steps, he saw
Washington seize a man by the collar and thrust him violently
across the room. This being an awkward moment to enter the
house, he passed on a short distance, but immediately returned and
found the President sitting very composedly in a chair. After the
usual salutation, his first words were : ' Mr. Stuart, when you went
away, you turned the face of your picture to the wall, and gave
directions that it should remain so, to prevent it receiving any
injury; but when I came into the room this morning, the face was
turned outward, as you now see it, the doors were open, and here
was a fellow raising a dust with a broom, and I know not but
that the- picture is ruined.' It so happened, however, that no essen
tial harm was done, and the artist proceeded with his task."
Tuckerman has said of the Athenaeum head of Washington :
"The freshness of the color, the studious modeling of the brow,

II 8 Tuckerman's Opinion of the Athen&um Head.
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. Ityis this
masterpiece of Stuart that has not only perpetuated, but distributed
over the globe, the resemblance of Washington. It has been some
times 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 dig
nity 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 watch
word but duty, no goal but freedom and justice, and no reward
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."
Stuart, when asked for his candid opinion of the various busts
and portraits of Washington, replied :'-•" Houdon's bust comes first,
and my head of him next. When I painted him, he had just had a
set of false teeth inserted, which accounts for the constrained
expression so noticeable about the mouth and lower part of the face.

Letter from Washington to his Dentist. 119
Houdon's bust does not suffer from this defect I wanted him as
he looked at the time."
Tuckerman, commenting on this defect in the mouth in the
Washington portraits, says : "The feature, usually exaggerated in
poor copies, and the least agreeable in the original [the Lansdowne],
is the mouth, resulting from the want of support of the muscles.
consequent on the loss of teeth, a defect which Stuart vainly
attempted to remedy by inserting cotton between the jaws and the
lips, and Wilson Peale, more permanently, but less effectually, sought
to relieve by a set of artificial teeth." ?.
In this connection, G. W. P. Custis, in his " Recollections,"
says: "In 1789, the first President lost his teeth, and the artificial
ones with which he was furnished answering very imperfectly the
purpose for which they were intended, a marked change occurred in
the appearance of his face, more especially in the projection of the
under lip, which forms so distinguishing a feature in the works of
Stuart, and others who painted portraits of the great man subse
quent to 1 789. "
The following letter from Washington to his dentist was written
only a year before his death, and after the portraits now known to
us were painted ; but the " old bars " to which he refers were prob
ably the ones that he wore when he sat to Stuart:
"Philadelphia, 12th Oct., 1798.
" Sir : Your letter of the 8th came safe, and as I am hurrying in order to leave
this city to-morrow, I must be short.
"The principal thing you will have to attend to, in the alteration you are about
to make, is to let the upper bar fall back from the lower one, thus : [cut 1].*
Whether the teeth are quite straight or inclining in a little, thus, [cut 2], or a little
rounding outwards, thus, [cut 3], is immaterial, for I find that it is the bars alone
both above and below, that give the lips the pouting and swelling appearance — of
consequence, if this can be remedied all will be well. 0
•Washington inclosed three explanatory drawings.

120 Stuart's Description of Washington' s Figure.
" I send you the old bars, which you returned to me, with the new set, because
you have desired ; but they may be destroyed, or anything else done with them
you please, for you will find that I have been obliged to file them away so much
above, to remedy this evil I have been complaining of, as to render them useless,
perhaps, to receive new teeth. But of this you are better able to judge than I am.
If you can fix the teeth (now on the new bars which you have) on the old bars,
which you will receive with this letter, I should prefer it, because the latter are
easy in the mouth; and you will perceive, moreover, that when the edges of the
upper and lower teeth are put together, that the upper falls back into the mouth,
which they ought to do, or it will have the effect of forcing the lip out just under
the nose. " I shall only repeat again that I feel much obliged by your extreme willing
ness and readiness to accommodate me, and that I am, sir, your obedient servant,
"George Washington.
" Mr. John Greenwood."

It will thus be seen that the "pouting and swelling" of the face
resulted from the badly fitting teeth, and not from any trick on
the part of the artist to give something like a natural look to the
lower part of the face, by stuffing cotton between the jaw and the
lip, or any other artifice.
" I have often heard my father," says Miss Stuart, " in conver
sation with Washington Allston, give his opinion of General Wash
ington's personal appearance. He said his figure was by no means
good ; that his shoulders were high and narrow, and his hands and
feet were remarkably large. He had 'aldermanic proportions,' and
this defect was increased by the form of the vest of that day. But
with all these drawbacks, his appearance was singularly fine. I have
heard my mother say that the first time she saw him, he entered
the hall door, as she passed from the entry to the parlor, and that
she thought him the most superb-looking person she had ever seen.
He was then dressed in black velvet, with white lace ruffles, etc.,
exactly as Stuart's picture represented him."

The Question of Washington's Lace Ruffles. 121
Here I may very properly make another extract from Miss
Stuart's narrative, touching this matter of lace and ruffles worn by
Washington :
" Many years after the death of Stuart, Mr. Peale gave a lecture
on the Washington portraits, in which he made an attack on the
style of dress in which Stuart had represented Washington, and
denied his ever having worn lace on his bosom or wrists. The
next day my sister Anne wrote him a note, to say that we had in
our possession some lace which my father cut from Washington's
linen. The circumstances were these : my father asked Mrs. Wash
ington if she could let him have a piece of lace, such as the Gen
eral wore, to paint from. She said, ' Certainly,' and then inquired
if it -would make any difference if it were old. He replied, ' Cer
tainly not, I only wish to give the general effect.' She then
brought the linen with the lace on it, and said, ' Keep it, it may
be of use for other pictures.'
" Mr. Peale answered my sister's note very politely, and said he
had never seen Washington in lace ruffles. I have given away this
lace, an inch at a time, until it has all disappeared; the largest
piece I gave to the late Mrs. Harrison Gray Otis, who had it
framed."

*

16

A LIST OF STUARTS WORKS

PORTRAITS PAINTED BY GILBERT STUART.
* Exhibited in Boston in 1828. f Known to have been engraved.
* f Adams, Mr. and Mrs. John.
THEIR portraits were begun in 1798, but were not out of
Stuart's studio till 18 12.
The finest portrait of President Adams is the one that Stuart
painted in 1825. Mr. Adams was then in his eighty-ninth year.
The circumstances connected with this portrait are mentioned by
John Quincy Adams, in his diary, under date of September 3d, 1824:
"I called, with Mr. Cruft, upon Stuart, the painter, and engaged
him to go to Quincy and there paint a portrait of my father.
More than twenty years have elapsed since he painted the former
portrait, and time has wrought so much change on his countenance
that I wish to procure a likeness of him as he is now. Stuart
started some objections of trivial difficulties, — the want of an easel,
of a room properly adapted to the light, but finally promised that
he would go and take with him his best brush, to paint a picture
of affection and of curiosity for future time."
This portrait is one of the finest efforts of Stuart's genius.
There is a portrait of President Adams, by Stuart, in the collection
of the New- York Historical Society, and another is owned by Mr.
T. Jefferson Coolidge, of Boston, who has the only complete set of
the first five Presidents of the United States ; the other set,

126 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
painted by Stuart, was in the Library in Washington, burnt a few
years ago.
President Adams was born at Braintree, October 19th, 1735, and
died at Quincy in 1826, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Fourth of
July. Mrs. Adams's maiden name was Abigail Smith, daughter of
Rev. William Smith, of Weymouth. She was born November nth,
1744, O. S., married, October 25th, 1764, and died October 28th, 1818.
The above portraits are owned by Hon. Charles Francis Adams,
Boston. * f Adams, Mr. and Mrs. John Quincy.
In his diary, under date of September 19th, 18 18, Mr. Adams
made this entry:
" I sat to Stuart before and after breakfast, and found his con
versation, as it had been at every sitting, very entertaining. His
own figure is highly picturesque, with his dress always disordered,
and taking snuff from a large, round tin wafer box, holding, per
haps half a pound, which he must use up in a day."
President John Quincy Adams was born at Braintree, July, 1767,
and died February 28th, 1848. Mrs. Adams was born February
12th, 1775, and died May 15th, 1852. Her maiden name was
Louisa Catharine Johnson, daughter of Joshua Johnson, of Maryland.
Mr. Johnson was United States Consul at London, and the marriage
of Mr. and Mrs. Adams took place in that city. Their portraits are
owned by Hon. Charles Francis Adams.
In Memorial Hall, Harvard University, there is a full length
portrait of President John Quincy Adams — the head by Stuart, and
the figure by Sully. The picture was ordered by Hon. Ward
Nicholas Boylston, and by him given to Harvard. The artist, although
repeatedly urged to finish it, never found the time, and at his death,
with many other portraits, it was left in an unfinished state. The
head is very fine.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 127

* Allen, Jeremiah.
His portrait is in the rooms of the Massachusetts Historical
Society. * Allen, Andrew.
He was the English Consul at the time that his portrait was
painted, and probably on his return to England he took it with him.

Allston, Washington, b. November 5th, 1779; d. July 9th, 1843.
A portrait of him, a mere sketch, was painted for Mr. Edmund
Dwight, whose daughter, Mrs. Mary Eliot Parkman, has it now in
her possession, in Boston. The late Richard H. Dana said of this
picture : " It is the mere head, but such a head ! and so like the
man!" Amersly, Richard.
His portrait was painted in Dublin, and is now at Carlton House.
* f Ames, Fisher, b. April 9th, 1758, d. July 4th, 1808.
The original portrait is in the possession of Mrs. John E. Lodge,
31 Beacon street, Boston. It belonged to the heirs of Mr. Ames,
and by them was given to Mr. George Cabot, who was one of his
most intimate friends, and the editor of his works. From Mr. Cabot
it descended to the present owner.
In Memorial Hall, Harvard, there is a copy of this picture, made
by Stuart, of whom it was purchased by subscription, in 18 10, and

128 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
presented to that institution. It is inferior to the original. Several
copies have been made since the death of Stuart. One is owned by
the descendants of Fisher Ames, and another has been placed in
Dedham Court-house. * Amory, Mrs. Elizabeth, b. 1741, d. 1823.
Mrs. Amory was the wife of Thomas C. Amory, and daughter
of William Coffin. Her portrait, painted soon after Stuart's arrival
in Boston, is owned by Mr. William Amory, Boston.

* Amory, Thomas C, b. 1767, d. 1812.
He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C, and the father
of Colonel Thomas, William and Charles. His portrait, painted
about 1 8 10, is owned by Mr. William Amory, Boston.
Amory, Thomas, d. in 1823.
He was a prominent merchant in Boston, and suffered severely
during the war of 181 2 by the loss of his vessels. His portrait,
painted soon after Stuart's arrival in Boston, is owned by his
daughter, Mrs. W. Raymond Lee, Roxbury.
Amory, Mr. and Mrs. John.
Their portraits are in the possession of their descendants, Misses
Codman, Bristol, R. I. Mr. Amory died in Boston, September
4th, 1832, aged y2> years. Mrs. Amory's maiden name was Kath
arine Willard, married January 15th, 1792, and died at Roxbury,
July 20th, 183 1, aged about 70 years.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 129
* Amory, Jonathan.
Anthony, Captain Joseph and Wife.
He was at the head of a prominent mercantile house in Phila
delphia, and was the uncle of the artist. Mention has been made
of him in these pages. Both portraits are superb works of art.
Brilliant as are the majority of Stuart's pictures, these portraits
stand out alone, so masterly are they wrought. They are owned
by Professor Wolcott Gibbs, of Cambridge, Mass.
Anthony, Judge and Wife.
The Anthonys, as already stated, were related to Stuart. These
portraits, when last heard from, were owned by the Clement family,
Huntington, Pa. That of Judge Anthony is rather florid. Mrs.
Anthony has her head powdered. She is dressed in white, which
is brought into relief by a crimson curtain and a bit of landscape
in the background. Through her hair a fillet of blue ribbon is
twisted. * Appleton, Mr. and Mrs. Nathan.
" A venerable person of more than four-score years ; a merchant
of large enterprise and unsullied integrity, a member of many
learned societies, a writer of many able essays on commerce and
currency, a wise and prudent counsellor in all private and public
affairs." Mrs. Appletons maiden name was Maria Theresa Gold, eldest
daughter of Thomas Gold, of Pittsfield, She was born November
7

130 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
7th, 1786, married in 1806, and died February 10th, 1833. Mr.
Appleton was born at New Ipswich, October 6th, 1779, and died
at Boston, July 14th, 1861. Their portraits are owned by their
descendants, and are now in the house of Mr. Longfellow, Cambridge.

Ashburton, Lord and Lady.
Thejr portraits are in England.
Aspinwall, Dr., b. May, 1745, d. April, 1823.
He took his degree of A. B. at Harvard, in 1764, and his M. D.
in 1808. His portrait, painted in 18 14 or 18 15, was one in which
Stuart was interested, and of it he made a fine picture. It is owned
by Mr. William Aspinwall, Boston.
Astor, John Jacob, b. 1773, d. 1848.
His portrait is now owned by his grandson, Mr. J. J. Astor, of
New- York. Atherton, Charles Humphrey, b. 1773, d. 1853.
His portrait, which has always been considered an excellent
likeness, was painted in 1823. In after years, Mr. Atherton used
to speak of Mr. Stuart's entertaining manners when engaged with
sitters. The portrait, owned by Mrs. Charles G Atherton, is at
Nashua,

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 131
Auchmuty, Mrs. Robert Nicholls.
Her maiden name was Henrietta Overing, daughter of Henry
John Overing, of Newport, and her husband was the fourth son
of the Rev. Dr. Auchmuty, of New- York. The portrait is owned
by Miss Joanna Auchmuty, Washington.

Babcock:, Mr. and Mrs. Adam.
He is seated in a chair, holding a snuff-box in his right hand in
such a way as to show only three of his fingers. Some one notic
ing this, asked Stuart where the other finger was; he suggested
that possibly it might be in the snuff-box. The portrait of Mr.
Babcock is owned by his grandson, Mr. William Babcock, of San
Francisco. Mrs. Babcock's maiden name was Martha Hubbard.
Her portrait is owned by her granddaughter, Mrs. Charles D.
Head, Brookline, Mass.

f Bainbridge, Commodore, b. May 7th, 1774, d. July 27th, 1833.
His portrait has been deposited in the Lyceum, at the Brooklyn
Navy- Yard. Baker, Admiral Sir Henry Lorraine.
His father was Robert Baker, of Richmond, England, and his
-nother was the daughter of George Hayley, a London Alderman,
and a merchant who had extensive dealings in this country. Hayley
died during the Revolution, and when peace was declared, his widow,
known as Madame Hayley, came to this country to settle his affairs.

132 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Her arrival was announced in the papers of the day. She married
the second time, taking for her husband Patrick Jeffrey, a connec
tion of Francis Jeffrey, of the Edinburgh Review.
Baker was with Admiral Cockburn, in 18 14, when the British
fleet was trying to push its way up the Potomac. At that time he
was in command of a sloop-of-war, the " Fairy," and, during an
engagement, was wounded in the cheek by a musket-ball. The
scar can be seen in the portrait, which was painted in 181 7, he
having come to this country the year before, to see if he could
recover land in New England that had belonged to George Hayley.
The portrait is now owned by Dr. A. L. Elwyn, 1422 Walnut
street, Philadelphia, who inherited it from his mother, to whom it
was presented by Admiral Baker. It is a good picture, and has
been well cared for. Bannister, Mr. and Mrs. John.
They resided at Newport, R. I., and are numbered among the
earliest patrons of Stuart. Their portraits, painted when Stuart was
thirteen or fourteen years of age, are now in the Redwood Library.

Barclay, John.
His portrait is owned by his grandson, Dr. Biddle, of Philadel
phia. Hon. John Barclay was Mayor of the city of Philadelphia in
1791, and this portrait was painted soon after Stuart's arrival in
that city, in 1794. Jr*
-€.
f Barri, Colonel Isaac.
Painted in England.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 133
Barrington, Admiral, d. 1800.
His portrait was painted in England in 1785. He was the
fifth son of the first Lord Barrington ; entered the British navy at
an early age, and in 1800 took St. Lucia from the French.

f Barry, Commodore John, U. S. N.
This is the only portrait of Commodore Barry, who was the
first Commodore in the United States Navy. It descended to the
late P. Barry Hayes, of Philadelphia, and from him to his widow,
who became Mrs. Dr. Leiper, of that city, the present owner. The
picture has been engraved by Longacre.

Barry, James David.
He was of Irish birth, and came to this country as British Con
sul, in the latter years of the last century. While here he resided
at New- York, and also at Washington. His portrait, and those of
his daughters, Ann and Mary, were painted by Stuart. It has
been said that he also painted a full-length of Mrs. Barry. The
eldest daughter, a girl of remarkable beauty, fell a victim to con
sumption. Her father sailed with her for Madeira, in the vain
hope that a change would be beneficial. She died on the return
voyage. The other daughter married Dr. Ducatel, the geologist
of Maryland. At the death of Consul Barry, his own portrait and
those of his daughters descended to his nephew, Robert Barry,
who had taken up his residence in Baltimore. At the death of
Robert, by some oversight, the portrait of Consul Barry was sold.
At one time it had a place in the C. M. Leupp collection. When

134 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
that collection was sold, it was purchased by Mr. John Taylor
Johnston, and at the sale of his pictures it was purchased by Mr.
W. T. Walters, of Baltimore, the present owner, who paid $560
for it. The portraits of the daughters became the property of Mrs.
Ducatel, from whom they descended to her grandson, Mr. G. W.
Whistler, of Baltimore, who now has them at his residence in that
city. * Bartlett, Dr. Thomas and Wife.
Their portraits were painted about 1804, at which time Dr.
Bartlett was thirty-six years of age. They are now in the possession
of Mr. Thomas B. Hall, Longwood, Mass.

Bartlett, Misses.
They were the daughters of Dr. Thomas Bartlett. In 18 16,
these young ladies, Maria and Ann, the one eighteen and the other
sixteen, sat to Stuart, at his studio in Roxbury. Maria became Mrs.
Dwight, and is still living in New- York. Her portrait is in her
possession, and is in excellent condition. The portrait of her sister
is owned by her granddaughter, Miss Ann H. Parker, of Boston.
While Stuart was painting Mrs. Dwight's portrait, some comment
was made on the drapery, to which the artist replied curtly : "I
don't want people to look at my pictures and say how beautiful the
drapery is; the face is what I care about." Mrs. Dwight, who is
now eighty years of age, says of Stuart : " His anecdotes were
always droll, keeping his sitters in a perpetual laugh. I remember
hearing him say it was to catch the expression, which is one of the
remarkable qualities of his pictures." And she adds : " I remember
the snuff-box to suffocation. I often wondered he could breathe
with such a nose-full. His young sitters would be sure to sneeze

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 135
under the ordeal, as did also the old, with so much snuff about. I
can see him now, in his negligent attire, to which he paid less
attention than to that of his portraits, which were always graceful."

Bartlett, Dr. John and Wife.
These portraits were painted about 18 14. Dr. Bartlett was a
bad sitter. He was too much absorbed in his profession to give
much heed to the painter. His sober, preoccupied face did not
suit Stuart, who asked him how it was that he always looked " so
devilish sombre." The Doctor remembered this, and in after years
laughed, when he thought of the discomfiture of the artist. The
portrait of Mrs. Bartlett is very beautiful : she was a fine subject
and interested Stuart, who did justice to one so attractive. Their
portraits are owned by their granddaughter, Mrs. S. W. Bush,
Park Square, Boston. Bayard, Mrs.
At the time that Stuart was painting in New- York, there was a
place about a mile from the compact part of the city, known as
" Bayard's Farm." It was owned by Nicholas Bayard, who was
annoyed by money- diggers, who persisted in working on his farm
under cover of night. At last he advertised, that if the seekers for
hid treasures should come in the day-time, and would engage
to fill up all the holes they might make, every facility would be
afforded them for carrying on their work. Bayard had been a
Tory ; but for all that he was very popular, and it was upon his
farm that the " Hamilton," drawn by ten white horses, and officered
and manned by patriots, came to anchor, when celebrating the
adoption of the Constitution. When they were refreshed, the crew
put her under sail again, in a seamanlike manner, and returned to

136 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
town. Mrs. Bayard, who was a handsome woman, was probably
Stuart's sitter. The picture has been lost sight of. Mrs. Bayard
had two beautiful daughters.

Beach, Miss Clementina.
Miss Beach, who was a native of Bristol, England, came to
America about 1800, and opened a school for young ladies at Dor
chester, Mass., in connection with a Mrs. Saunders. She was then
about twenty-five years of age, and wishing to learn something of
portrait painting, sat to Stuart between the years 18 10 and 181 5.
When the portrait was finished, she copied it, making of it a study,
and so perfected herself as to be able to paint the portraits of a
number of her pupils. The original is now in the possession of
Miss C. R. Smith, at Lenni Mills, a small village near Phila
delphia. The copy made by Miss Beach is owned by Miss E. S.
Beach, of Gloucester, Mass.

Bean,

f Benson, Judge Egbert.
There are two portraits of Judge Benson, painted by Stuart —
one owned by Hon. John Jay, late Minister to Austria, who has it
at Bedford, Westchester County, New-York ; and the other is in
the possession of the New-York Historical Society, to which insti
tution it was presented by Mr. Egbert Benson, Jr., who had pre
viously complied with the wish of Mr. S. Whitney Phoenix to allow
him to have it engraved. This, which is among the examples of
Stuart's works reproduced in this volume, is altogether a remarkable
portrait. Judge Benson is dressed in black, with a white cravat

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 137
and frill, and wears his own hair. It has a dark background,
which is very effective. It was painted in 1805, on a mahogany
panel, and the solid masses of color in the flesh tints are, appar
ently, as fresh and brilliant as when laid on by the artist, seventy
years ago. Judge Benson was the last survivor of the Provincial
Congress of the State of New- York, 1775, and was a member of
the first American Congress, and also one of the committee to
arrange for the inauguration of President Washington. A memoir
of Judge Benson, written for the New-York Historical Society, was
published in 1825. Bethune, Dr. George and Wife.
He was the son of George Bethune, of Boston, and the third of
the name. His portrait, painted about 1820, and that of Mrs.
Bethune, are owned by their son, Dr. George A. Bethune, of Bos
ton. Dr. Bethune was born 1759. Mrs. Bethune, whose maiden
name was Mary, daughter of John Amory, was born January 20th,
1773, and died January 24th, 1844.

f Bingham, Mr. and Mrs. William, and Daughter.
This picture of the Bingham family was painted (or rather
begun, for it was never finished) in England. Mrs. Bingham, whose
maiden name was Ann Willing, was then about twenty years of age.
It was brought to this country in an unfinished state, and in the
course of time it became very much cracked. The faces alone were
done, and the other parts were but little more than sketched in.
Mrs. Bingham was represented as standing by the side of a horse,
holding her little daughter, probably not more than ten months old,
on the pommel of the saddle. This was the second daughter, who
became the wife of Henry Baring. The little thing is in her night-
18

138 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
cap. The eldest daughter, Ann, afterward the wife of Alexander
Baring,* was at the time two and a half years old. She was standing
in the foreground with uncovered neck, over which her hair was
flowing, and had on a broad-brimmed hat. As she pulled at her
mother's dress, and looked for a recognition, she plainly showed
that she was jealous of the attention bestowed on the baby. Mrs.
Bingham's face was turned to her, while, with both hands, she
supported her infant. Near the head of the horse, there were the
outlines of a Newfoundland dog. Mr. Bingham was in a scarlet
hunting suit, and stood on the left of his wife, Ann being between
them and more in the foreground.
Such was the picture, which had been little cared for, and Mrs.
Bingham gave it to her brother-in-law, Henry Clymer. He, for
many years, took the best of care of it, but its condition was very
unsatisfactory, and he was induced to consult Mr. Sully, who
advised that much of the canvas should be cut away, and that the
remainder should be divided into three pictures. This was done by
Mr. Scarlet, under the directions of Mr. Sully. The largest picture,
about three feet square, gives the portrait of Mrs. Bingham. It
takes in the figure down to the waist, which is encircled by a broad
belt. She has flowing brown hair, which hangs in curls to her
waist. The dress, which is white, is cut half-low, with wide ruffles
at the neck and arm-holes. The arms are uncovered. A part of the
dog and horse appear in this picture.
Mr. Bingham, who has just dismounted, stands with uncovered
head, showing the hair fully powdered. The shoulders only are
seen. His coat, of scarlet cloth, is made with a standing collar.
He was then about thirty years of age, and is represented with a
full, florid face and coarse features. This picture is only seventeen
inches square, and the remaining picture, showing the head of Ann,
* Alexander Baring, who became the husband of Ann, was the Lord Ashburton
who made the treaty with the United States touching the eastern boundary line.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 139
is about the same size. These portraits are owned by the heirs
of the late Mrs. William Bingham Clymer.
There are two other portraits of Mrs. Bingham by Stuart: one
is owned by Mrs. J. F. Fisher, of Philadelphia, and the other is the
property of Hon. T. F. Bayard, of Delaware.
Of another portrait of Mr. Bingham by Stuart, I have gathered
the following from Mr. Hart:
"A beautiful picture, taken about 1795. The face is turned to
the right three-quarters, while the body turns slightly to the left,
giving a splendid air. He is dressed in a scarlet hunting-coat, with
large horn buttons, and his two hands rest upon his whip. His
waistcoat is elaborately damasked, his head is uncovered, and the
hair is powdered. This picture belonged to the Rev. Dr. Black-
well's second wife, Hannah, sister of Mr. Bingham. She died with
out issue, and left the portrait to Dr. Blackwell's eldest grand
daughter, who gave it to the late Mr. Thomas Balch, in whose
family in Philadelphia it now remains."

Binney, Horace.
From the diary of the late Horace Binney Wallace, a nephew
of Mr. Binney, I'-am permitted to make the following extract:
"Wednesday, June 31st, 1852. I called to-day upon Mr. Binney,
before leaving town for the summer. The conversation turned upon
Stuart's portrait of him, which hangs in our back parlor. He said
that it was painted in the autumn of 1 800, when he was not twenty-
one years old. Some one had brought out from Canton some
Chinese copies of Stuart's Washington, and Stuart prosecuted an
injunction in the Circuit Court of the United States against the sale
of them. ' I was sedulous,' said Mr. Binney, ' in my attendance on
the courts, and here I became acquainted with Stuart. He came
frequently to my office,' continued Mr. Binney, 'which was in Front

140 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
street. I was always entertained by his conversation. I endeavored
to enter into his peculiar vein, and show him that I relished his wit
and character. So he took snuff, jested, punned and satirized to the
full freedom of his bent' ' Binney,' he said to one of my friends,
' has the length of my foot better than any one I know of,' meaning,
I suppose, that I knew how to humor him, and give him play.
"'When your mother* requested me to give her the portrait that
is in your house, I made an appointment with Stuart, and called to
give my first sitting. He had his panel ready (for the picture is
painted on a board), and I said : ' Now, how do you wish me to
sit? Must I be grave? Must I look at you?' 'No,' said Stuart;
' sit just as you like, look whichever way you choose ; talk, laugh,
move about, walk around the room, if you please.' So, without
more thought of the picture on my part, Stuart led off in one of
his merriest veins, and the time passed pleasantly in jocose and
amusing talk. At the end of an hour I rose to go, and, looking
at the portrait, I saw that the head was as perfectly done as it is
at this moment, with the exception of the eyes, which were blank,
I gave one more sitting of an hour, and in the course of it Stuart
said : ' Now, look at me one moment' I did so. Stuart put in the
eyes by a couple of touches of the pencil, and the head was per
fect. I gave no more sittings.
" ' When the picture was sent home,' continued Mr. Binney, ' it
was much admired ; but Mr. T***** M****** observed that the
painter had put the buttons of the coat on the wrong side. Some
time after this, Stuart sent for the picture, to do some little matter
of finish which had been left, and, to put an end to a foolish cavil,
I determined to tell him of M.'s criticism ; but how to do it without
offending him was the question. The conversation took a turn upon
the excessive attention which some minds pay to the minuticz of
* Mrs. John Bradford Wallace, the oldest sister of Mr. Binney. For a tribute to
the worth of this accomplished and distinguished woman, see " The Republican Court."

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 141
costume, etc. This gave the opportunity desired. ' By the way,
said I, ' do you know that somebody has remarked that you have
put the buttons on the wrong side of that coat?' 'Have I?' said
Stuart. ' Well, thank God, I am no tailor.' He immediately took
his pencil and with a stroke drew the lapelle to the collar of the
coat, which is seen there at present. ' Now,' said Stuart, ' it is a
double-breasted coat, and all is right, only the buttons on the other
side not being seen.' ' Ha ! ' said I, * you are the prince of tailors,
worthy to be master of the merchant tailors' guild.'
" ' Stuart,' said Mr. Binney, ' had all forms in his mind, and he
painted hands, and other details, from an image in his thoughts, not
requiring an original model before him. There was no sitting for
that big law-book that, in the picture, I am holding. The coat was
entirely Stuart's device. I never wore one of that color [a near ap
proach to a claret color]. He thought it would suit the complexion.'
" ' On the day when I was sitting to him the second time,' said
Mr. Binney, ' I said to Stuart, ' What do you consider the most
characteristic feature of the face ? You have already shown me that
the eyes are not; and we know from sculpture, in which the eyes
are wanting, the same thing.' Stuart just pressed the end of his
pencil against the tip of his nose, distorting it oddly. ' Ah, I see,
I see,' cried Mr. Binney.
" Mr. Binney agreed with me in thinking that the Washington
was one of Stuart's least inspired heads. Stuart used to call that
head, you know, his ' hundred-dollar bill.' One day, when he had
his family at Germantown, and his painting room in the city, learn
ing from Mrs. Stuart that the domestic treasury was. empty, he set
off to come to town, to his bank, for one hundred dollars. At a
tavern, half-way, he got out of the stage to get something to drink,
and in searching his pocket-book found a fifty-dollar note, which he
had forgotten that he had. When the coachman called upon him to
get into the coach again, he replied, ' You may go on ; I mean to
wait for the return coach.'

142 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
" ' Stuart,' Mr. Binney said, ' thought highly of his portrait of
John Adams. Showing it one day to Mr. Binney, ' Look at him,'
said he. ' It is very like him, is it not ? Do you know what he is
going to do ? He is just going to sneeze.'
" ' Stuart had an anecdote illustrative of physiognomy — its truth
or falsehood. There was a person in Newport celebrated for his
powers of calculation, but in other respects almost an idiot. One
day, Stuart, being in the British Museum, came upon a bust, and
immediately exclaimed to his companion, who was also a Rhode
Island man: 'Why, here is a head of Calculating Jemmy.' He called
the curator and said : ' I see you have the head of Calculating Jemmy
here.' ' Calculating Jemmy ! ' said the curator ; ' that is the head
of Sir Isaac Newton.' "
The portrait of Mr. Binney above described, Mr. John William
Wallace gave back to his uncle in his old age. It is a picture of
a youth of twenty years, having a high complexion, bright chestnut-
colored hair and splendid blue eyes. Hon. Horace Binney died in
1875, aged 96 years. The portrait is now in the possession of
Miss Susan Binney, of Philadelphia.

Binney, Miss Mary.
She became the wife of Lucius Manlius Sargent, of Boston, and
her portrait is now owned by her son, Mr. Horace Binney Sargent,
of Salem, Mass., to whom it was given by his aunt, Mrs. Wallace,
as a great treasure.

f Blodget, Mrs. Samuel, b. April nth, 1772, d. March 9th, 1837.
She was the daughter of Rev. William Smith, D. D., Provost of
the University of Pennsylvania, and was justly celebrated for her

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 143
beauty. As a work of art and a picture of female loveliness, her
portrait has been highly extolled. It is owned by Mr. Henry C.
Carey, of Philadelphia.
In a forthcoming life of Rev. Dr. Smith, the father of Mrs.
Blodget, by Mr. Horace W. Smith, she is thus spoken of: "The
daughter, of whom a lovely portrait by Gilbert Stuart attests the
justice of the social judgment, was one of the most admired
beauties that ever adorned the drawing-rooms of Philadelphia, and
as much distinguished by sprightliness and wit as by personal come
liness. The portrait of her by Stuart has been universally acknowl
edged, I think, to be the finest female head that Stuart produced.
Boston has good works of this kind, I know; but they are in
Stuart's later style. That of the lady has a purity, an etherial
charm, which his pencil lost some time after the beginning of the
nineteenth century. As a general thing, Stuart's women were not
successful. It seemed as if he required a male head, and one,
moreover, of a high intellectual order, like that of the father, Dr.
Smith, whom he painted ; or Bishop White, or Robert Morris, or
William Lewis, or Chief- Justice Shippen, or Thomas McKean, — all
of whom he painted, — to bring out the full power of his wonderful
pencil. He had to become interested in what he did, in order to
do it well ; but when the interest that he felt was that which
beauty inspires, then, too, his pencil became inspired. It seemed as
if the very angels guided it This was the case in regard to the
portrait of Mrs. Bingham, and of her sister, — by some thought to
be the handsomer person, — Mrs. Major Jackson. It was as much
so, or more, in regard to the beautiful daughter of Dr. Smith."
The above portrait is a mere head, no attention having been
paid to the drapery.
There is another portrait of Mrs. Blodget, on the back of which
there is the following inscription :
" Original portrait of Mrs. Blodget and child, painted by Gilbert
C. Stuart, and presented through J. Neagle to the Artist Fund

144 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Society, of Philadelphia, by Isaac P. Davis, of Boston, Mass., Nov.
23d, 1838. Painted in Philadelphia after Mr. Stuart's arrival in
this city."

Bonaparte, Madame.
This portrait is among the plates here given. It is now the
property of Charles Joseph Bonaparte, Esq., but is in the keeping
of the Maryland Historical Society. Mrs. Seaton, in speaking of
her in one of her entertaining letters, says : " Madame Bonaparte
is a model of fashion, and many of our belles strive to imitate her,
but without equal eclat, as Madame Bonaparte has certainly the
most transcendently beautiful back and shoulders that ever were
seen." Again she says : " To her mental gifts was added the
beauty of a Greek, yet a glowing type, which not even the pencil
of Stuart adequately portrayed in the exquisite portrait that he
wished might be buried with him ; nor yet on his other canvas,
which, with its dainty head in triple pose of loveliness, still smiles
in unfading witchery."
Of this picture Miss Stuart writes : " Jerome Bonaparte, the
husband of Madame Bonaparte, was anxious to have her portrait
completed, it having been in an unfinished state for some time ; but
as sitters were crowding in upon my father, this request could not
be immediately complied with. Bonaparte deemed it an insult to be
so neglected, and when the two came together, — Bonaparte and
Stuart, — the painter thought that the remarks addressed to him
were impertinent ; the result was Bonaparte could not get posses
sion of his own or his wife's portrait on any terms. He sent his
friends to offer any price, but these offers made no impression on
Stuart. " In time, Mr. Patterson, Mrs. Bonaparte's father, came to Boston
and sat for his portrait. In the course of conversation with Stuart,

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 145
this picture was mentioned, when the painter had it brought down
from the garret. Mr. Patterson was delighted with it, and my
father presented it to him, which he could ill afford to do, to con
vince the world that he did not value his work as much as he did
his position as an artist.
" With this picture I have some interesting associations, for the
garret where these discarded pictures were heaped was my play
room when a child, and this beautiful sketch of Madame Bonaparte
was the idol that I worshiped. The stretcher had been taken
from it, and the canvas, unrolled, was lying on— the floor. Over it
I would sit for hours, wondering if I should ever be old enough
and clever . enough to copy it. At last, at the mature age of thir
teen, with the aid of my sister Anne, I obtained colors and an old
panel. Thus equipped, I went into a corner and worked away on
the picture in a state of enjoyment not to be described ; when,
suddenly, I heard a frightful, roaring kind of noise, and soon it
was evident that the kitchen chimney was on fire. I felt very
much alarmed, but could n't leave the picture : that was totally out
of the question, even if the house itself was on fire. Presently I
heard my father ascend the stairs, take hold of the knob and almost
break the door open in his haste to see if the fire was likely to do
any damage. I shall never forget the expression of astonishment
on his face, as he caught sight of me, seated as I was before an
easel. He saw I was very much annoyed and looked very
foolish, for I was sensible of my own assurance in attempting
such a task, and he passed on, pretending not to see how I was
employed. To the top of the house he mounted ; but when he
came down, he could not resist coming up to me and looking over
my shoulder.
" ' Why, boy,' said he, for so he used to address me, ' you
must not mix your colors with turpentine ; you must have some
oil.' "

l9

146 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Jerome Bonaparte.
This is an unfinished picture, and, with the above, is in the col
lection of the Maryland Historical Society. There was a portrait of
Jerome, Jr., I have been told, but I have not been able to find it.

* Bond, Mr. and Mrs. Nathan.
Mr. Bond was born at Concord, March 31st, 1752, and died
January 5th, 1816. He graduated at Harvard in 1772, and then
studied for the ministry, but his feeble health made it necessary
to adopt a more active life, and he became a merchant His
portrait was painted in the summer of 181 5. At that time he
was consumptive, and a hectic spot is seen on the cheek , in the
picture. Mrs. Bond, whose maiden name was Joanna Sigourney, was the
Widow Doane at the time that she married Mr. Bond, June 1st, 1783.
She was born August 8th, 1750, and died November 3d, 1828.
These two portraits are owned by their grandson, Mr. George
William Bond, of Boston, who has given me the following remi
niscence : " I remember, when a boy, going with my father to
Stuart's studio, then in the house that was Washington's head
quarters during the Revolution, upon the Neck, to see these pict
ures. I think they were not brought home till after my grand
father's death. I also remember repeatedly visiting the studio of
Mr. Stuart when he lived in Essex street. Late in life his hand
shook so it seemed impossible that he could paint. The last
time I saw him, I think, he was painting the portrait of Josiah
Quincy. Stuart stood with his wrist upon the rest, his hand
vibrating, and, when it became tolerably steady, with a sudden dash
of the brush he put the color on the canvas,"

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 147
From other sources I have had a like description of Stuart's
manner of painting in the last years of his life.

Booth, Kirk, b. at Derby, England, 1755, d. Boston, 181 7.
His portrait must have been painted a short time, a year or two
at most, before his death. He sat to Stuart at the request of his
eldest daughter, Mrs. William Wells, who retained the picture up to
the time of her death, 1873. It is now in the possession of Mr.
Kirk Booth Wells, of Philadelphia.

Bordley, Miss Elizabeth B.
She became the wife of James Gibson. Her portrait, which was
as much admired for the beauty of the subject as for the admirable
skill displayed by the painter, long hung in the Gibson mansion,
Eighth and Spruce streets, Philadelphia. It is now owned by Mr.
Edward Shippen, of that city. It was probably painted before 18 16.
Miss Bordley was the warm and intimate friend of Nellie Custis.

Borland, Mrs. Leonard Vassall, b. 1762, d. 1836.
Her maiden name was Sarah Lloyd, daughter of James Lloyd,
M. D., of Cambridge, and sister of James Lloyd, U. S. Senator
from Massachusetts. She was married February 8th, 1785. Mr.
Borland died on board the ship "John Jay," June, 1841, while on a
return voyage from Batavia. The portrait of Mrs. Borland, painted
at about the age of forty, is in the possession of Mr. John Jeffries,
Beacon street, Boston. It is on a panel.

148 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Bowdoin, James, b. September 22d, 1752, d. October nth, 181 1.
The eldest son of Governor Bowdoin ; he was a patriot under
arms at Dorchester Heights, and, with Washington, crossed over to
Boston when the British left that town. In 1804, he was appointed
Minister to the Court at Madrid. After his return to America, he
gave his whole attention to agriculture, and passed the remainder
of his days at Nashaun, on which island he died. His portrait is in
Bowdoin College.

Bowdoin, Mr. and Mrs. James Temple.
His portrait, painted in 1826, is now at Florence, in the posses
sion of the Princess di Pandolfina, who has also the portrait
of Mrs. Bowdoin, painted from sketches and crayons after her
death. Some notice of portraits of other members of the Bowdoin
family will be found with those of the Temples.

Bowditch, Dr. Nathaniel, b. March 26th, 1773, d. March 17th, 1838.
In the records of the East India Marine Society, under date of
January 23d, 1827, there is this entry: "It was voted that a por
trait of Dr. Bowditch be procured at the expense of the Society,
and John B. Osgood, William Fettyplace, and John W. Rogers,
were appointed a committee to procure it, and to ask Dr. Bow
ditch to sit for it." This picture was begun by Stuart, but he did
not live to finish it.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 149
After the death of Stuart, Dr. Bowditch bought the unfinished
picture of the heirs, for he was unwilling that an imperfect portrait
of himself (as it was then called) should be paid for by his friends.
But, unfinished as it is, it is a valuable picture, and one that shows
the artist's powers as a painter. The artist and sitter were evidently
in accord, for this anecdote is related of them. The Doctor used
to tell the story with a relish, and I have it from his son. He did
not want to have his portrait painted, and only submitted to what
he called an infliction, to gratify his friends. He was in the habit
of going daily to the Life Insurance Company of Boston, of which
he was Actuary, and he agreed with Stuart that he should be at
the studio at eight o'clock, and under no circumstances were the
sittings to last longer than one hour. With this understanding his
first appointment was kept, and with the sitting a most lively con
versation commenced. The artist told anecdotes of the most amus
ing character, and soon the pair were in high glee, the painter at
the same time working away. When, at length, the sitter looked
at his watch, he was amazed to find that instead of a sitting of one
hour he had given the painter two. It was ten o'clock.
This picture was left in a very unfinished state ; only one-half
of the mouth can be made out, and scarcely any outline of the ear
can be seen ; and yet the effect is fine, and conveys the impression
that the head is that of a man who was possessed of a remarkable
intellect. Some injudicious friends proposed that an artist should be
employed to finish the picture. " Fortunately," says Mr. Henry J.
Bowditch, " that poet and lover of beauty in nature and art, Henry
Pickering, protested against any change ; by his effort, the fragment
left by the artist was saved. On the back of the canvas was written
by him, ' Sancte inviolateque servatum sit' "
The portrait of Dr. Bowditch remained in the homestead, in
Boston, till the city took possession of the house to lay out Devon
shire street. In the distribution made at that time, it fell to Mr.
William J. Bowditch, of Brookline, who is now its owner.

150 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.

Boylston, Ward Nicholas.
Mr. Boylston, born at Boston, 1749, lived in England from
1775 to 1800. After his return to America, he lived alternately at
Jamaica Plain and Princeton, till his death, in 1828. He built the
homestead at Princeton ; there he received many distinguished
guests, and there he sat to Stuart, who was long remembered as a
great talker and a great snuff-taker.
There are two portraits of Mr. Boylston at Princeton. One is a
sketch, a profile, showing vigorous drawing and Stuart's rich color
ing. The hair is left in a very unfinished state, and there is no
background. It was painted to aid in preparing the medal, which
is given as a premium by Harvard College, for the best medical
dissertation, when the student prefers a gold medal in place of
money. The size of the panel is 17 x 21 inches.
A finer and more finished picture is a three-quarter length, but
it has not the strong characteristics of the sketch. He is sitting in
a high chair, and is dressed in a fur-lined wrapper, buff embroid
ered waistcoat, shirt frill and white neck-cloth. The hands are
introduced and are well painted. This picture measures 28x32
inches. With it there is the following receipt :
"Boston, April 25th, 1825.
" Reed, of Ward Nichs. Boylston, Two Hundred Dollars, being
in full for a picture of himself.
"$200. "G. Stuart."
The signature only is by Stuart, and that in a trembling hand.
Mr. Boylston was a benefactor of Harvard College and the
founder of the Boylston premium fund, for medical dissertations, etc.
In the Medical College there is a portrait of Mr. Boylston, essen-

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 151
tially the same as that above. All three portraits were painted at
the house in Princeton. * Bradlee, Mr. and Mrs. Josiah.
Their portraits, painted in Boston, are now owned by their
daughter, Mrs. Sheber, of Philadelphia.

Breschard, the Circus-rider.
Mr. George W. Riggs, of Washington, has an unfinished pict
ure, which, there is strong reason for believing, was painted by
Stuart. Breschard, sometimes called Pritchard, was well known to
Stuart. He was a noted rider in his day. The head alone is
finished. Two heads of horses are introduced, — one in the back
ground, and the other only faintly sketched in.

* Brewster, Mrs. Oliver, b. Feb'y 18th, 1784, d. April 2d, 1831.
Her maiden name was Catharine Jones, and her portrait,
painted about 1820, is remarkable not only for the richness of the
coloring, but also for the amount of work in the details. She is
dressed in a velvet robe, with a camel's hair shawl thrown around
her; the latter, with the Mechlin lace that is introduced with it,
Stuart worked up with a finish that has tested the skill and deli
cacy of touch of every artist who has attempted to copy it. Mrs.
Brewster was a favorite with Stuart : this, probably, led him to
prolong the sittings, and to give more than usual attention to the
details. The picture is owned by her daughter, Mrs. Augusta
Brewster Thayer, wife of Rev. Christopher Thayer, 131 Beacon
street, Boston.

152 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
*f Brooks, Governor John, b. May, 1752, d. March, 1825.
His portrait, painted about 1820, is owned by Mr. Francis
Brooks, who has placed it temporarily in the Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston.

Brown,  .
Of this picture I have not been able to gather any particulars,
other than that Stuart painted two heads, — portraits of two young
men from Liverpool, — on one canvas.

* Brown, Moses.
He was born at Waltham, April, 1748, graduated at Harvard,
1768, entered the army in 1775, and served till his corps was dis
banded in 1777. After the war, he resided at Beverly, where
he engaged in business with his brother-in-law, Colonel Israel
Thorndike. In 1800, he retired from business with an ample fort
une, and died in 1820. He was an active, public-spirited man,
and in politics a Federalist. His portrait, painted about 18 16, is
at 52 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, and is owned by his grand
children, heirs of the late Charles Brown.

* f Buckminster, Rev. Joseph Stevens, b. 1784, d. 181 2.
He was pastor of the Brattle Street Church, and entered upon
his ministry in 1805. A portrait of Dr. Buckminster is owned by

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 153
Mr. George W. Lyman, of Waltham, Mass. ; and another, also by
Stuart, is in the Boston Art Museum.

Bullus, Mrs. Dr.
This picture belonged at one time in New- York. I have not
been able to obtain any facts about it, other than that she was
represented as in a garden, surrounded by flowers.

* Burroughs, Rev. Charles, D. D., b. 1787, d. 1826.
Dr. Burroughs was Rector of St. John's Church, Portsmouth,
N. H., during a period of nearly fifty years, but resigned some
time before his death. This portrait was painted at the request
of his father, Mr. George Burroughs, who paid for it and had it
in his possession up to the time of his death. From him it
descended to his eldest son, Henry, who in turn bequeathed it to
his son, Rev. Henry Burroughs, Rector of Christ Church, Boston,
who now has it in his possession. It was painted about 1826.
Stuart began a portrait of Mrs. Burroughs ; but for some
reason she did not continue the sittings, and at the death of
Stuart the picture was not far enough advanced to be preserved.

Butson, Dean.
With the Dean, Stuart was very intimate while in Ireland, and
the portrait was painted there. A letter from the Dean to Stuart
will be found on another page.
20

154 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* Bussey, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin.
* Bussey, Benjamin, Junior.
These portraits are owned by Mr. Thomas Motley, Woodland
Hill, Jamaica Plain, Mass. That of Benjamin, Junior, was painted
from a plaster cast. These pictures date from 1808 or 1809.
Cadwalader, Lambert.
This is a full-face, to the right, and a poor specimen of Stuart's
work. It is owned by his grandson, Hon. John Lambert Cadwala
der, of New- York. At present it is in the possession of his sister,
Mrs. S. Weir Mitchell, of Philadelphia.
Colonel Lambert Cadwalader, the son of Dr. Thomas and Han
nah [Lambert] Cadwalader, of Philadelphia, was born in Trenton,
N. J., in 1742. He was a brother of the distinguished General
John Cadwalader, and on the breaking out of the Revolutionary
war, immediately took an active part in behalf of the Colonies.
In January, 1776, he was appointed Lieutenant- Colonel of Shee's
battalion, and in the following June marched with the Pennsylvania
troops to New-York, and encamped toward King's Bridge, on the
site of the future Fort Washington. In October, he was commis
sioned Colonel of the Fourth Regiment of Foot in the army of
the United States, and took a gallant part in the defense of Fort
Washington, on the 16th of the following November, when, on its
surrender, he became a prisoner of war. Owing to some kindness
shown by his father to General Prescott, when a prisoner in Phila
delphia, Colonel Cadwalader was released without parole, and sent
home. In 1784, he was elected a Deputy to the Continental Con
gress, and, after the adoption of the Constitution of the United
States, a representative from New Jersey to the first Congress.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 155
He married, at the advanced age of fifty-one, Mary, daughter of
Archibald McCall, of Philadelphia, and died September 13th, 1823,
leaving one son, the late Thomas Cadwalader. C. H. H.

f Cadwalader, Frances, Lady Erskine.
This portrait, a bust, faces left, with a veil draped over the
head and falling below and behind the shoulders. It is in the pos
session of the Erskine family, in England, and was engraved in
1834 for the "English Annual."
Frances Cadwalader was a daughter of General John Cadwal
ader (brother of the preceding), by his second wife, Williamina
Bond. She married, in 1800, David Montague Erskine, eldest son
of the distinguished lawyer and orator, Thomas Erskine, who, upon
being appointed Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, in 1808,
was raised to the peerage as Baron Erskine. On the death of the
first Lord Erskine, in 1823, the husband of Miss Cadwalader suc
ceeded to the title and estates. Lady Erskine died March 25th,
1843. She was the mother of five children. The second son, John
Cadwalader Erskine, is the present peer. Lord Erskine married,
secondly, July 29th, 1843, his first wife's cousin, Ann Bond, daughter
of John Travis, Esq., of Philadelphia. C. H. H.

* Callender, Thomas, b. 1778, d. 1830.
Callender, John, b. 1782.
They were brothers, and their portraits are owned by Miss
Callender, daughter of Thomas, who has them at her house, in
Newport, R. I. That of Thomas is an ordinary picture, but that
of John is superb. This portrait is one of those copied in this
volume.

156 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Calvert, Mr. and Mrs. George.
These portraits were painted about seventy years ago. In one
of them a child has been introduced. They are in a good state
of preservation, and are owned by Hon. George H. Calvert, New
port, R. I. Campbell, John.
He resided at Jamaica, West Indies. His portrait, on canvas,
is a three-quarter length, with hands. It was probably painted in
Boston, about 18 10, or possibly a little earlier. It remained in the
possession of Mr. Campbell's family, in New Jersey, until left by
the last surviving member to a near relative of Mr. James Lenox,
from whom it passed by gift to Mr. Lenox, fifteen or twenty years
ago. It is now in the Lenox Gallery, New-York.

Cary, Mrs. Samuel, b. 1753, d. 1825.
She was of Chelsea. Her maiden name was Sarah Gray,
daughter of Ellis Gray, of Boston, and her portrait is in the pos
session of her daughter, Miss Ann Montague Cary, of Chelsea.

f Carroll, Archbishop, b. 1735, d. 181 5.
While residing in Baltimore, he was a frequent guest at the
hospitable mansion of Robert Barry, an Irish gentleman, and at
Mr. Barry's request, he sat to Stuart for his portrait Stuart at that
time had his studio in Washington. He is painted in his Episco
pal robes (he was not then an Archbishop), and was seventy years

i/v-nvo

0'\

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 157
.of age at the time. At the death of Mr. Barry, the portrait was
put up for sale without the knowledge of his family, and was sold
to Mr. Lloyd Nicholas Rogers, of Druid Hill, near Baltimore.
This portrait was engraved in 1843, for Brent's Life of the Arch
bishop. It is now owned by Mrs. J. M'D. Goldsborough, of Eas-
ton, Md. Channing, Rev. William Ellery, D. D.
Born at Newport, R. I., in 1780; made regent of Harvard
University in 1801 ; licensed to preach in 1802 ; ordained in 1803,
and died October 2d, 1842. Dr. Channing was a ripe scholar and
a forcible writer, — a man of the purest nature and the most guile
less life. His portrait, owned by his heirs, is now in the posses
sion of Rev. George G. Channing, Milton, Mass.

Channing, Mr. and Mrs. Walter and Daughter.

Chase, Samuel, b. about 1707, d. at Corinth, N. H., 1800.
He was a Judge of the courts in New Hampshire, and was
painted in his judicial wig. The portrait shows him to have been a
very old man at the time that it was painted. On the back of the
canvas, in a large coarse hand, the name of Gilbert Stuart is writ
ten, evidently with a paint-brush. It has always remained in the
possession of the family, and is now owned by Dudley T. Chase,
of Claremont, N. H.
It is understood by the family that Stuart also painted the portraits
of General Jonathan Chase (son of Samuel) and his wife, which
pictures are said to be owned by Jonathan Chase, son of the
General.

158 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Chauncey, Commodore.
His portrait is in the Lyceum, at the Brooklyn Navy-Yard.
Chew, Miss Harriet.
* Cheverus, Bishop.
He came to this country as a missionary, and was made Bishop
of Boston by Pius VII. in 1808. He was recalled three times.
In response to the first and second call he urged that he could
do more good here than at home. When the third call came
he felt that it was imperative that he should go at once. This
was in 1826. On reaching France, he was made Archbishop
of Bordeaux; in 1836, he was honored with a Cardinal's hat. The
same year he died. He had been painted twice by Stuart, but I
have only been able to find one picture. When it was known that
the Bishop was about to leave the country, Mrs. John Gore, who
was an intimate acquaintance, asked him to sit to Stuart, and he
kindly gave the artist a number of sittings. The portrait, which is
very highly finished, is a three-quarter length, and represents the
Bishop in his robes. Chipman Ward.
His portrait is at St. Johns, New Brunswick.
Chipman, Ward and Wife.
Chipman, Ward.
The two Chipmans, father and son, were both Judges of the
Supreme Court of New Brunswick, and their portraits are owned

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 159
by Chief- Justice Horace Gray, Mount Vernon street, Boston. The
portrait of Mrs. Ward, whose maiden name was Hazen, is at St.
John's. Clare, Lord Chancellor.

f Clarkson, General Matthew, d. April 22d, 1825, aged 66 years.
General Clarkson entered the army as a private, at the age of
seventeen, rapidly rose in rank, and was in many of the battles of
the Revolution. He is dressed in the Continental uniform, with the
order of the Cincinnati in his button-hole. One hand rests upon his
sword and the other, crossed over it, holds his military hat. His
hair is powdered. The original picture, a three-quarter length, is in
the possession of Matthew Clarkson, Esq., 15 West Forty-fifth street,
New- York, and was painted as early as 1 793 or '4, at the time that
Stuart had his studio in Stone street. A number of copies of this
picture have been made : one by Mrs. Peter A. Jay, a daughter of
General Clarkson, and an amateur, and owned by Miss E. C. Jay; one
by Frothingham, in the possession of Mr. John Clarkson Jay, and one
by Waldo, owned by Mrs. Henry E. Pierrepont, Brooklyn. The
head of General Clarkson, in Trumbull's historical picture, was
copied from the portrait by Stuart.

Clive, Lady Charlotte.
This picture is in England.
Clymer, Mrs. Henry, b. 1770, d. 1852.
Her portrait was painted at the age of twenty-seven. She was
the daughter of Thomas Willing, of Philadelphia, and was married,

160 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
in 1 794, to Henry Clymer, son of George Clymer, one of the signers
of the Declaration of Independence. She is seated in an uphol
stered chair, which is covered with red satin damask, put on with
brass nails. In her left hand she has a book, held open by her
thumb, and it is crossed on her lap by the other hand. This book,
she said in after years, was " Gregory's Advice to Young Ladies."
Her hair is fully dressed and powdered ; and as she was a pale
brunette, her sister, Mrs. Bingham, and the artist, put on her head
an East India plaid cotton handkerchief, such as were then worn by
Creoles, who frequently came to Philadelphia from the West Indies.
The dress is white, high in the neck, with long sleeves, ruffled at
the neck and wrists with willow-green ribbon. It is cut long-
waisted, and is belted. This picture is owned by Miss Mary Willing
Clymer, Trenton, N. J.
There was another portrait of Mrs. Clymer, painted by Stuart
at about the same time, for which she gave the artist three sittings,
but I have not been able to find it.

f Cobb, General David.
This portrait, which has been engraved, is in the possession of
Mr. George F. Wilde, Boston.

Cobb, Lieutenant-Governor.
His portrait is now in the rooms of the Massachusetts Histori
cal Society. Cobb, Mr. and Mrs.
They were painted in Ireland.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 161

Codman, Charles Russell, b. Dec. 19th, 1784, d. Jan. 16th, 1852.
There are two portraits of Mr. Codman ; one, a half-length,
painted at about the age of twenty-five, is owned by his son, Mr.
Charles H. Codman, 57 Marlborough street, Boston, and the other,
which is the finer of the two, painted at about the age of thirty,
belongs to Mr. James M. Codman, Brookline, a younger son.

* Coffin, Admiral Sir Isaac, b. 1759, d. 1839.
He was the son of Nathaniel Coffin. Entered the British Navy
in 1772, as a midshipman, and rose, by bravery and courage displayed
on various occasions, to the rank of rear-admiral. He was created
a baronet in 1804. An institution for learning was founded at
Nantucket by Rear- Admiral Coffin, and in various other ways he
sought to promote the interest of the country of his birth. The
portrait is owned by Mr. William Amory, of Boston.
* Coffin, Dr. Nathaniel and Wife.
They belonged in Portland, Maine. Dr. Coffin's portrait is
owned by Mrs. George Derby, 102 Charles street, Boston, and the
portrait of Mrs. Coffin is in the possession of Mr. William S.
Appleton, of the same city. Constable, William.
His portrait, painted at the time that Stuart was engaged on
the Landsdowne full-length, in 1796, is in the possession of his
grandson, Mr. John Constable, Constableville, Lewis County, N. Y.
Inman said of this picture : " It is the finest portrait ever painted
by the hand of man,"
21

1 62 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Cook, George Frederick, b. 1775, d. 181 2.
Cook came to this country in 18 10, and made his first appear
ance at the old Park Theatre, New- York, in November of that
year. His fame as an actor had preceded him, and whenever he
appeared on the stage he was greeted with applause. He had
one infirmity, that at times more than mastered him, — a love of
the cup, — but the public was tolerant and nightly flocked to see him.
Dunlap relates that when Cook sat to Stuart he fell asleep, and
the artist, incensed, added asses' ears to the head. But Dr. J. W.
Francis, who knew the parties well, refutes this story, so far as
relates to the ears, in his "Old New- York": "Cook, when the
painter Stuart was engaged upon the delineation of his noble
features, chose to select these hours for sleeping ; yet the great
artist triumphed, and satisfied his liberal patron. Once, Stuart
proved a match for him, by occasionally lifting the lid of his eyes."
If we could get at the facts, probably many similar stories, told
of Stuart by Dunlap, might be set aside in the same way.
The skull of Cook came into the possession of Dr. Francis ;
from whom it passed into the hands of his son, Dr. V. M. Francis,
who now has it. * Coolidge, Joseph.
This portrait was painted in 1820, for Mrs. Coolidge. There
was a warm intimacy between Stuart and Mr. Coolidge, and the
artist is said to have looked upon this portrait as one of his most
successful efforts. It was inherited by Mr. Coolidge's grand
daughter, who was the wife of Samuel Wyllys Pomeroy, of Pome-
roy, Meigs County, Ohio ; from her it descended to her daughter,
Miss Pomeroy, and is now in the keeping of Mrs. H. C. Haight,
New-York, a granddaughter of Mr. Coolidge.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 163
Another portrait of Mr. Coolidge, painted for his son, in 1813,
is now owned by his grandson, Mr. Joseph Coolidge, 184 Beacon
street, Boston. It is a full-face with powdered hair.

Cooper, Thomas Apthorpe, b. 1776, d. 1849.
He was a man of fine attainments, having been liberally edu
cated, and for a period of thirty years he held a leading place
on the American stage. A daughter married a son of the late
President Tyler. A careful search has not brought the portrait to
light.

Cooper, William.
He is represented seated in a chair, with his hands resting on a
table, covered with a red cloth. In one hand he holds a map of
" Cooper Town." He is dressed in a suit of black, with large
white cravat, and powdered hair falling over the collar of the coat
The portrait is in the possession of Paul F. Cooper, Albany, N. Y.,
the youngest child of James Fenimore Cooper.
Judge Cooper was born in Chester County, Penn., but settled
in Burlington, N. J., whence he removed to Otsego County, N. Y.,
in 1785, and became one of the largest land-owners in the state.
The following year he settled the town which bears his name, on
Otsego Lake, at the head-waters of the Susquehanna. He was a
member of Congress from 1795 to 1801, during which period his
portrait was probably painted. He died at Albany, N. Y., December,
1809, at the age of fifty- five.
Judge Cooper was a man of strong- characteristics, great talents,
and much benevolence. C. H. H.

164 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
f Copley, John Singleton, R. A,, b. 1737, d. 181 5.
From Mrs. Charles Amory, a granddaughter of Copley, I have
learned the following :
"At a late visit to London, I saw the painting often, and
admired it more than ever ; and was not surprised to hear that
Lord Lyndhurst was in the habit of saying that it was the best and
most agreeable likeness ever executed of his father ; and this was
no small praise, for Mr. Copley painted several portraits of himself
at different epochs of his life; not one, however, gives us as agreea
ble an impression of the artist as the one by Stuart.
" I recommended it for the terra cotta 'Rondel' which now
adorns the exterior of the Art Museum building, in Boston. I have
a small engraving from the picture, which gives a very correct idea
of the work ; it has, however, I am sorry to say, beneath it the
name of Gainsborough instead of Gilbert Stuart."
The above portrait is in the possession of Lady Lyndhurst,
Eaton Square, London.
Stuart always spoke highly of Copley, when an opportunity
offered. There was a fine portrait of Josiah Quincy, of Braintree,
at Quincy. Stuart, while dining there, in 1825, greatly admired
it, and said : " There is as much work in one of those hands as I
put in a whole portrait. Why, I could take off that wig. Copley
put the whole man upon the canvas. Mr. Quincy had a white
hair in his eyebrow, and there it is. The industry of Copley was
marvelous."

* Cordis, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas.
Their portraits are owned by Mr. Francis Temple Cordis, Long
Meadow, Mass. Mr. Cordis was born in 1771, and died December

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 165
8th, 1854. Mrs. Cordis, whose maiden name was Rebekah Russell,
was born in 1790, and died July 25th, 1832. She was a descend
ant of Richard Russell, who came to America in 1632, and was
celebrated for her beauty. Her portrait shows her to have been
about twenty-two years of age at the time that it was painted.

COTTRINGER, MRS.
She was the wife of an Irish gentleman, who, at one time, was
a merchant in Alexandria, where he died in 1804. The above por
trait, now in Washington, is owned by the last surviving daughter
of Mrs. Cottringer. Craig, Mrs. William.
The portrait is at 1020 Arch street, Philadelphia.

Crocker, Allen.
He was a successful broker in Boston, and acquired a handsome
property, on which he retired. A man of excellent understanding
and of pleasing manners, he was surrounded by a large number of
friends, who were strongly attached to him. He was never married.
His portrait, painted about 1815, was bequeathed to the late Samuel
Crocker, of Taunton, in 1825, and his daughter, Mrs. Abby Crocker
Richmond, of that place, now owns it.
Another portrait of Mr. Crocker, by Stuart, was owned by Mrs.
Henry Gardner, who bequeathed it to the late George S. Hillard,
who in turn bequeathed it to Mrs. Eliza S. Rogers, his cousin.

1 66 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Cunningham, Mrs.
Her portrait is owned by her son, Dr. Edward L. Cunningham,
who has it at his residence, Newport, R. I.
Curtis,  .

Cushing, Mrs. Thomas, b. 1792, d. 1872.
Her maiden name was Eliza Constantia Watson, daughter of
Colonel Marston Watson, an eminent merchant in his day, and a
Revolutionary officer of Plymouth origin. He removed from Marble-
head to Boston, prior to 1800. The above portrait was painted about
1 8 14 or 16, soon after Mrs. Cushing's marriage. It is that of a
handsome young woman, in the full flush of health, and in the cos
tume of the period. It is now in the possession of her grand
daughter, Mrs. J. L. Chickering, 54 Chestnut street, Boston.

f Custis, G. W. Parke.
Cutts, Mr. and Mrs. Richard.
These portraits are numbered among the finest of Stuart's works.
Mrs. Cutts's maiden name was Ann Payne, sister of Mrs. Madison,
and she was married in 1804. In the drapery of her portrait, Stuart
drew his own profile, blending it in so quietly that no one would
ever notice it, if his attention were not called to it. The pictures
were painted in Washington, and before leaving that city, Stuart
wrote a note to Mrs. Cutts, thanking her for some service, and
alluding pleasantly to her portrait and his profile. These pictures

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 167
have been frequently loaned to artists, who have desired to make
a study of Stuart's coloring. They are owned by Colonel Richard
D. Cutts, Washington. * Dabney, Mrs. Charles W.
Her maiden name was Frances Alsop Pomeroy. Her portrait
was painted in 18 19. The same year she was married at Brighton
(then near to, but now a part of, Boston), to Charles W. Dabney, of
Fayal, Azores, to which place she went to reside with her husband.
There she died in 1826. The portrait is still at Fayal.

f Dallas, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander James.
There is an impression that the portrait of Mr. Dallas was
painted at Philadelphia, prior to his appointment as Secretary of
the Treasury. He was born at Jamaica, 1759, and died in 181 7.
The portrait of Mrs. Dallas is that of a beautiful woman.
Both of these portraits were given by Mr. Dallas to his eldest
daughter, Mrs. Sophia Bache, who left that of Mr. Dallas to her
son, Alexander Dallas Bache ; and by him it was given to Mrs.
Matilda W. Emery, wife of Major- General Emery, U. S. A., of
Washington, as a memento. The portrait of Mrs. Dallas became
the property of Mrs. Irwin, sister of Mrs. Emery, and is now at
her residence, 1834 Spruce street, Philadelphia. They are both
fine pictures. * Danforth, Doctor, b. 1739, d. November 16th, 181 7.
His portrait, painted about 1809, is said to be a striking
likeness. It is owned by his granddaughter, Miss Elizabeth S.
Danforth, Boston.

1 68 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Daschkoff, Count and Wife.
He is said to have been the first Minister sent to the United
States by the Emperor of Russia, and arrived in 1809. He was
cordially received by the President, and much attention was paid
him and Madame Daschkoff in Philadelphia. But his stay in this
country was attended with some unpleasant circumstances, and he
was recalled in 18 19. When he returned to Russia, he probably
took the pictures with him.

* Davis, General Amasa.
He was an officer of the Revolution, and his portrait is now in
the possession of Mr. Ernest Lemist, of Roxbury, Mass.

Davis, William.

* Davis, Mrs. Eleanor, d. 1825.
Mrs. Davis became the wife of Mr. John Derby. Her portrait,
painted prior to 1820, is owned by her grandson, Dr. G. C. Shat-
tuck, Boston. * Davis, Mrs. I. P.
She was the daughter of Dr. Jackson, of Philadelphia, and
Susan Kemper Jackson, his wife, a sister of S. Kemper Morton.
The late eminent Dr. Jackson, of Philadelphia, was her brother.
Her portrait, with that of her sister, Mary Jackson, who became

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 169
Mrs. Bernard Henry, are on one canvas. These portraits, though
unfinished, are very beautiful. Mary Jackson was celebrated for
her beauty, and mention is made of her in one of Mr. Twing's
letters, published in his memoirs. This picture is owned by Mrs.
F. O. Prince, a daughter of Mrs. Henry, Beacon street, Boston.
Mr. Davis was an intimate friend of Stuart's. The artist
painted the portraits of these ladies more than once, but always
felt that he had not done them justice. At one time he painted
a portrait of Mrs. Davis engaged in painting a portrait of Mrs.
Henry ; but not being satisfied with it, he cut out the head of
Mrs. Henry, which was framed by itself. At another time he
painted her with her son, an infant ; but this picture he also
destroyed. * Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Charles.
Their portraits, painted in 1808 or '9, are owned by Mr.
Thomas Motley, Woodland Hill, Jamaica Plain.

Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Morton.
Owned by their daughter, Mrs. George Bancroft, Washing
ton, D. C Davy, J. Browne.
This portrait, evidently painted by Stuart, was purchased some
years ago, at an auction, by the present owner, Mr. H. H. Fur-
ness, of 222 Washington Square, Philadelphia. It has the appear
ance of having been the portrait of some young English officer.
The name of the sitter is on the back of the picture.
22

170 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* Dawes, Colonel Thomas, b. Aug. 5th, 1731, d. Jan'y. 2d, 1809.
* Dawes, Judge Thomas, b. July 8th, 1758, d. July 21st, 1825.
Judge Dawes, who married Margaret, daughter of William
Greenleaf and granddaughter of Rev. Samuel Greenleaf, was a
Judge of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts from 1792 to 1802,
and later filled the office of Probate Judge for Suffolk County.
After his death, the portraits of Judge and Colonel Dawes were left
in charge of Mrs. James Hayward, of Roxbury, youngest daughter
of Judge Dawes, till about 1844, when, by a family arrangement,
they became the property of the late Thomas Dawes Eliot, of New
Bedford, grandson of Judge Dawes. They are still in what was his
house, and are in the possession of Mrs. Eliot, his widow. Both
pictures are in excellent condition, and they were probably painted
at one time.
* Dearborn, Major-General Henry, U. S. A., b. 1751, d. 1829.
General Dearborn was a distinguished officer of the Revolution.
He served with honor at Bunker Hill, Ticonderoga, Monmouth,
Yorktown, and on other important fields. In 1801, he was
appointed Secretary of War, and served through both terms of
President Jefferson's administration. In 181 2, he received the
appointment of Major-General, and in 1822 he was sent as Min
ister to Portugal. During his residence in that city, he and other
foreign Ministers were instrumental in saving the King and his
Court from a conspiracy of the Queen and her son, Don Miguel.
As an expression of his gratitude, the King conferred orders of dis
tinction upon all the foreign Ministers, except General Dearborn,
who, by the laws of his country, could not receive a favor of this
kind. The King, not willing to let such services pass unrecognized,

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. iji
presented him with his own miniature, set with large diamonds.
This miniature, with a portrait of General Dearborn, by Stuart, is
in the possession of his great-granddaughter, Mrs. Winthrop G.
Ray, 57 Clinton Place, New- York.
Another portrait of General Dearborn, painted by Stuart, is
owned by his grandson, Mr. H. G. R. Dearborn, ^^ Bartlett street,
Roxbury. This fine portrait was painted in 1812, and represents
the General in the uniform of his rank. This is the original pict
ure. It has been copied five times and by different artists, — Stuart,
Joseph Cole, Brackett and Tenny. That by Stuart is the one
above mentioned, owned by Mrs. Ray. That by Cole was made at
the request of Colonel Joshua Howard, of Dearbornville, Michigan.
Brackett's was for the War Department, Washington. Tenny's was
for the State-house, Concord, Mass. The fifth, in the Boston
Museum, was probably by Greenleaf, formerly proprietor of the New
England Museum.
Another portrait of General Dearborn is owned by Mr. Herbert
Welsh, 927 Clinton street, Philadelphia. It was formerly the prop
erty of John Neagle, the artist, who was a pupil of Stuart's.
This picture he valued highly, and kept it by him in his studio.
At his death it descended to his son, Mr. Garrett Neagle, who dis
posed of it to Hon. John Welsh, who in turn gave it to his son,
the present owner. It is painted on a panel, and on the back, in
Mr. Neagle's hand, are these words : " Portrait of Maj. Gen. Henry
Dearborn, by G. Stuart." It represents a large, fleshy-faced, but
fine-looking, man, with short gray hair coming nearly to a point on
the crown of the head, blue eyes, without high lights, looking at
the spectator with a quiet, kindly expression. The mouth is painted
as only an artist of the highest order could paint it, with a faint
smile lurking around the corners, giving the idea that the figure is
about to speak in reply to some remark that has been made. The
coat, rich in color, is a brownish black, and on the breast hangs the
order of the Cincinnati.

172 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* Dearborn, General H. A. S.
He was a son of the Major-General, and was Collector of the
Port of Boston and Adjutant- General of the State of Massachusetts.
His portrait, painted about 181 2, is owned by his son, Mr. H. G. R.
Dearborn, Roxbury.
The portrait of Mrs. Dearborn, which was also painted by
Stuart, is in the possession of Hon. A. W. H. Clapp, of
Portland, Maine. f Decatur, Commodore and Wife.
The portrait of Commodore Decatur was presented to the
Lyceum of the Brooklyn Navy- Yard by Stephen Price, Esq. In
an old newspaper, the following was found : " Married, at Norfolk,
March 8th, 1806, the gallant Stephen Decatur, Jun., of the U. S.
Navy, to the accomplished and much-admired Miss Susannah
Wheeler, only daughter of Luke Wheeler, Esq., of this Borough."
The portrait of Mrs. Decatur is owned by Mr. Charles Wilmer,
Baltimore. Delano, Mr. and Mrs. Abisha.
They were natives of Nantucket. Mr. Delano was born on that
island, July 24th, 1763, and died at Charlestown, December 26th,
1830. Mrs. Delano, whose maiden name was Eliza Hammatt, was
also born on Nantucket, April 1st, 1779, and died at Charlestown,
February 4th, 1858. Their portraits, which are fine, were painted
for their son-in-law, Samuel G. Williams. At his death they became
the property of his widow, who died in 1878. They are now
owned by their grandson, Mr. W. Roscoe Williams, Boston.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 1^3

* Dennie, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas.
Their portraits are in the possession of their son, Mr. James
Dennie, Pinckney street, Boston.

* Derby, John.
This portrait was painted before 181 2. He was the great-uncle
of the present owner, Dr. G._ C. Shattuck, of Boston, Mass. The
likeness has always been thought a good one.
Derby, Mrs. Richard M.
She was Miss Coffin, daughter of Dr. Nathaniel Foster Coffin,
of Portland, Maine, and her portrait is now owned by Mrs. Dr.
Perry, 113 Madison Avenue, N. Y.
Devereux, Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey.
These portraits remained in Stuart's studio a long time, waiting
to be finished. They were finally sent home in 182 1. That of Mr.
Devereux, who died in 1867, aged 88 years, shows a strong, manly
face. Mrs. Devereux, who was the daughter of Israel Dodge, and
who died in 1828, aged 43 years, was in delicate health at the time
she was painted. She was then about thirty-five years of age.
Stuart, in painting her portrait, was able to give it the bloom of
health without impairing the likeness. The hair is short, as it was
frequently worn at that time, and around the throat there is a deep
ruff. The head is beautifully painted, but the rest of the picture, as
was often the case with Stuart, was treated indifferently. Mrs. Dev-

174 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
ereux would have asked the artist to make" some change in the
drapery, but while casting in her mind how to introduce the subject
in a manner that would be least annoying, a lady called to make a
similar request. Stuart immediately replied that he was "not a
milliner." Mrs. Devereux at once decided that she had rather leave
her portrait, the head of which was all that she could desire, as it
was, than run the risk of losing it altogether by irritating the
painter. It is now the property of her daughter, Mrs. Marianne C.
D. Silsbee, Milton, Mass. D'Wolf, Charles.
His portrait is in the possession of Mrs. William Bradford
D'Wolf, Bristol, R. I.
* Dexter, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew.
They resided in Mobile. The portrait of Mr. Dexter was at
one time sent to Doll & Richards for sale, and by them disposed
of to Mr. B. C. Porter, of the Artist Studio Building, Boston, who
now has it. A search for the portrait of Mrs. Dexter has not been
successful. * Dexter, Samuel, d. 1816, aged 55 years.
His portrait, painted prior to 18 19, is owned by Mrs. Franklin
Dexter, Beverly, Mass. Dexter, Miss Mahitable.
The daughter of Knight Dexter, who kept the "Public House"
in Providence during the Revolution, and sister to Knight Dexter,

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 175
whose name is associated with the Asylum in that city. The pict
ure has been in the family sixty years. There is no positive proof
that it was by Stuart, but it has many qualities that lead to this
conclusion. It is owned by Mrs. Dorcas B. Greene, Warwick, R. I.

Dick, Lady.
Her portrait was painted in Dublin.
* Doggett, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel.
He was a descendant of Thomas Doggett, of Marshfield (1664),
born October 5th, 1751. Served as Lieutenant in Colonel Henry
Knox's regiment of artillery in 1776, and then as First Lieutenant
of the Suffolk Militia in the Revolution. Mrs. Doggett, whose
maiden name was Elizabeth Badlam, was born December 20th,
1753, and died December 2 2d, 1832. They were married June 1st,
1777, and made their home in Dedham. Their portraits, painted in
1815, are now the property of Mr. Jonathan Cobb, of Dedham.
Mrs. Cobb is a granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Doggett. Both
the portraits are said to be excellent likenesses.
Dorr, Mrs. Sullivan.
* Dorsey, Mrs. Hammond.
Her maiden name was Elizabeth Pickering. She was the
daughter of Colonel Timothy Pickering. The portrait was painted
for her brother, the late Henry Pickering, and is now owned by
her daughter, Mrs. Thomas Donaldson, of Baltimore,

176 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Duane, Colonel William, b. 1760, d. 1835.
He was an active politician at a time when the strife between
the Federalists and Democrats knew no bounds, and in the turmoil
of that day, Colonel Duane found a field for the display of his
talents, as editor of The Aurora. His portrait, owned by his
granddaughter, Miss Duane, is deposited in the Academy of Fine
Arts, Philadelphia. * Dunn, Counsellor.
He was an Irish gentleman who came to this country partly,
perhaps wholly, to study the Indian languages. He was here about
the time Stuart painted the Washington portraits, and remained in
the United States about three years. His portrait, by Stuart, he
gave to Mrs. Perez Morton, whose husband for many years was
Attorney- General of Massachusetts. After the death of Stuart, the
picture was bought of Mrs. Morton, or of her family, by Mr.
George W. Brimmer, of Boston, who paid $150 for it. It is now
in the possession of Mr. Brimmer's nephew, Mr. Martin Brimmer.
Mr. Dunn is represented as a man about forty years of age.
There are two of these portraits of Counsellor Dunn. The
first painted, Stuart would never part with, and it is now in the
possession of Miss Stuart. Stuart said of his portrait of Dunn, that
he was willing to stake his reputation as an artist upon its merits.

* Dunn, Mr. and Mrs. S.
Their portraits are owned by Mrs. Burgess, wife of Rev. Thomas
Burgess, and are now at St. Luke's Rectory, St. Albans, Vt. The
maiden name of Mrs. Dunn was Cutler.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 177
* Dunn, Mrs.
Durant, Miss.
She was a beautiful West Indian, and married Andrew Ritchie.
After the death of Mr. Ritchie the portrait was given to Hon. James
T. Austin, his intimate friend and classmate, who in turn gave it
to his son-in-law, Dr. G. H. Lyman, of Boston, who now has it in
his possession. * Dutton, F. L.
This is one of the very few pictures by Stuart in which there is
any departure from the strict line of portraiture. It is a picture of
a lad in a garden, chasing a butterfly, with morning-glories twining
over his head. It is known as the " Boy and Butterfly," and is
owned by Mrs. Henry D. Dalton, a niece of F. L. Dutton.
* Dwight, Mrs. Edmund, b. 1788, d. 1846.
Her maiden name was Mary Harrison Eliot, eldest daughter of
Samuel Eliot, of Boston. She was married in 1809, and in the
winter of 1808-9 her portrait was painted. It is now in the pos
session of her daughter, Mrs. Wells, widow of the late Judge John
Wells. * Dwight, Mrs. John.
* f D'Yrujo, the Marquis and Marchioness.
Sally McKean, daughter of Chief-Justice McKean, became the
very beautiful wife of Don Carlos Martinez, Marquis D'Yrujo, the
23

178 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Spanish Minister, who was received at Philadelphia in 1796. This
picture, engraved as one of the illustrations of "The Republican
Court," is owned by Mr. Pratt McKean, of Philadelphia. The por
trait of the Marquis is also owned by Mr. McKean.

* Eliot, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel.
He was born in 1740, and died in 1820. These portraits were
painted soon after Stuart's arrival in Boston, and are now in the
possession of President Eliot, who has them at his house in Cam
bridge. Mrs. Eliot, whose maiden name was Catharine Atkins, died
in 1829. Eliot, Samuel A., b. 1798, and d. 1862.
His portrait, painted in 181 7 or 181 8, is now in the possession
of Mrs. A. Norton, Cambridge, Mass.

* Ellery, John Stevens, b. July 29th, 1773.
His portrait was painted in 18 10 for his sister, Mrs. Sargent.
It is now owned by his nephew, Mr. Ignatius Sargent, Brookline,
Mass. * Elliot, James Henderson.
A superb portrait, owned by his niece, Mrs. Spooner, of Boston.
f Erskine, Lord and Lady.
These portraits belong to the heirs of the late John Cadwalader,

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 179
of Philadelphia. Hon. John Cadwalader was the nephew of Lady
Erskine. There is another portrait of Lady Erskine, by Stuart,
owned by the family in England. It has been engraved.

* Eustaphieve, Mr. and Mrs. Alexis.
He died in New- York, in 1857, aged about 82 years, and Mrs.
Eustaphieve died in the same city in 1853, aged 64 years. She
was of English birth, and noted for her beauty. The portraits are
in excellent condition, and are much admired. They are owned by
their son, Mr. A. A. Eustaphieve, of Buffalo, New- York.

* Everett, Edward.
The head is alone finished, and it now hangs on the wall of
one of the rooms of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Stuart left another unfinished head of Mr. Everett, dressed in
the robes of a clergyman, and after his death some one finished
it. The head alone was the work of Stuart. It is now owned by
Mrs. Everett's family.

* Fales, Samuel, of Boston, b. August 23d, 1775, d. August, 1848.
The portrait was painted in 1806. Mr. Fales took some friends
to see it while it was still in the artist's studio, to get their opinion
of it. When they had gathered in front of the picture, Stuart
asked, in a jocose way, whether they thought it a good likeness of
"the Great Mogul," as he facetiously styled his sitter. The verdict
was most satisfactory, and Stuart, as he cleaned his brushes and laid
down his palette, said there was nothing more to be done to it

180 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
The picture, as bright and fresh, apparently, as when first painted,
is owned by his son, Mr. Samuel Bradford Fales, 707 Vine street,
Philadelphia. Farnham, Lord.
His portrait was painted in Dublin.

Fitzgerald, Lord, b. 1763.
His portrait was painted in Dublin. In 1784 he had a seat in
the Irish Parliament, and in 1798 he died in prison, where he was
confined for treason.

Fitzgibbon, Lord, b. 1749, d. 1802.
He was Lord Chancellor of Ireland. The portrait, a whole
length, was painted in Dublin. Fluke, Count.
He was a Russian gentleman. Forrest, Edwin.
This portrait, painted at the close of the artist's life, when his
eye was dim and his hand had but little control over the brush, is
but an indifferent specimen of Stuart's work. It has a place in the
Forrest Gallery.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 181
Forrester, Mrs. John.
Her portrait is owned by her daughter, Miss Forrester, 9 Oliver
street, Salem. Mrs. Forrester was a sister of Chief-Justice Story.

Francis, Mrs.
She was Dolly Willing, daughter of Thomas Willing, and is
represented as a beautiful girl, holding a small dog in her arms.
The portrait is owned by her granddaughters, Misses Willing.

Frank, Colonel.
Owned by Mr. George W. Huffugle, New Hope, Bucks County,
Pa., who holds Stuart's certificate.

* Freeman, Rev. James, D. D„ b. April 2 2d, 1759, d. Nov. 4th, 1835.
He was a classmate at Harvard with Dr. Bently, Judge Dawes,
and Rufus King, and graduated in 1779. In 1782 he was invited
to act as reader at King's Chapel, Boston, and was ordained as
pastor in 1787, a connection that was not severed till he resigned
his charge in 1825. His portrait, which belongs to Mrs. Colonel
William E. Prince, of Newport, R. I., is hanging in the house of her
sister, Mrs. Sweet, 63 Beacon street, Boston.

1 82 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
f Gansevoort, General Peter.
He was an officer of the Revolution, and his portrait, by Stuart,
is owned by his daughter, Mrs. Catharine Gansevoort Lansing,
Albany, N. Y.
* Gardiner, Rev. John Sylvester John, b. 1775, d. 1830.
There are two portraits of Dr. Gardiner, who was born in
South Wales : the first, at the age of forty, hangs in the library
of his son, Rev. W. H. Gardiner, Brookline, Mass., and the other,
painted about twenty years later, is owned by his grandson, Mr.
John Gardiner Cushing, who has it at his residence in Boston.
Both pictures are good likenesses. Dr. Gardiner came from the
line of Gardiners of Narragansett, the birthplace of Stuart.
William, who was his great-grandfather, one of the early settlers,
died there in 1732. Sylvester Gardiner, his grandfather, was a
skillful physician and surgeon, having been educated for his profes
sion in England. John, his father, was also sent to England, to be
educated. He married in South Wales, and there the subject of
this sketch was born.
Dr. Gardiner was educated in Boston, but had the advantage
of a visit to England, where he became the pupil of Dr. Parr.
When he returned he was called to Trinity Church, Boston, and
was the Rector of that Parish up to the time of his death in 1830.
He was an accomplished and eloquent divine, and a fine classical
scholar.
* Gardner, Mrs. Samuel P., b. May 17th, 1779, d. May nth, 1853.
Her maiden name was Rebecca Russell Lowell, daughter of
John Lowell, Judge of the United States Circuit Court. Her por-

PHOTOGRAVURE &TMF GOUPIL & C

General Gates

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 183
trait, painted about 18 10, shows her to have been thirty or thirty-
five years of age at the time that it was painted. It is owned by
her daughter, Mrs. John C. Gray, Boston.

Gatliff, Samuel.
He was an Englishman, and the first husband of Mrs. Elizabeth
Griffin, whose portrait is mentioned under its proper head. His
portrait is owned by Miss Cornelia E. Taylor, of Philadelphia, and
was painted between the years 1796 and 1800.

f Gates, General Horatio, b. in England, 1728, d. 1808.
This is one of the most remarkable of the Stuart portraits for
power, strength and individuality. After the death of General
Gates it passed into the possession of the late Horatio Gates
Stevens, and from him it descended to his son, Mr. John R.
Stevens, of New- York, the present owner. It is a superb work
of art, and though the colors are somewhat darkened, making the
task of photographing it one of unusual difficulty, it has been chosen
for reproduction here because of its representative character.

George III.
Stuart, while a pupil with West, painted a portrait of the King.
Mention has already been made of this picture. The following anec
dote connected with it, and which has never appeared in print, was
told by Stuart himself, who, after working at the picture for some
time, was quite dissatisfied with the mouth. His efforts to improve
it were not successful, and at last, in anger, or through impetuosity,

184 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
he made a pass at it with his brush, intending to paint out the
mouth, but the brush, by a happy coincidence, gave such a turn to
the outline as exactly met the wants of the painter, who, seeing the
unexpected result of his impatient blow, jumped up and down before
the King, exclaiming, "I 've got it, your Majesty!" "Got what?"
"Your mouth, your Majesty." At which there was a great laugh,
at Stuart's expense. George IV.
His portrait, while Prince of Wales, was also painted by Stuart.
* Gerry, Elbridge, d. 1867.
* Gerry, Thomas Russell, U. S. N., d. 1846.
Gerry, James Thompson, U. S. N.
James was lost at sea, in the sloop-of-war "Albany," which vessel
he commanded. These portraits are owned by their sisters, Misses
Gerry, 127 Temple street, New Haven. They cannot be classed
with Stuart's best works.

Gibbs, George, b. 1734, d. October, 1803.
He was a successful merchant, at Newport, R. I., and was at the
head of the house of Gibbs & Channing. Mrs. Gibbs also sat to
Stuart. She was Miss Ruth Channing, and was painted in her
widow's weeds, between the years 1803 and 1820, in which latter
year she died. These portraits, numbered among the finest that
Stuart ever painted, are owned by Professor Wolcott Gibbs, Cam
bridge.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 185
Gibbs, Colonel George, b. 1780, d. 1853.
His portrait, also on a panel, was painted between 1825 and
1830, is owned by his son, Professor Wolcott Gibbs. It is a very
fine picture. A very valuable collection of minerals, now owned by
Yale College, was made by Colonel Gibbs, and was purchased by
that institution in 1825. Giles, Colonel.

Giles, Governor William B., b. 1762, d. 1830.
In a letter, under date of March 30th, .1866, Hugh Blair Grigsby,
LL. D., of Edge Hill, near Charlotte Court House, Va., addressed
to the Massachusetts Historical Society, the writer states that he was
so fortunate as to become the purchaser of Stuart's portrait of
Governor Giles, painted prior to 1795, and which represents him as
a very handsome man. Mr. Grigsby adds : " I knew him personally
as far back as forty years ago, when he was one of the homeliest
men I ever saw. His health was bad for many years before he
died." Gilmor, Robert.
Owned by Mr. W. G. Hoffman, Baltimore, Md.

Goldsborough, Mrs., ne'e Wilhelmina Smith.
This picture is somewhere in Maryland.
24

1 86 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Gore, Mrs. John.
Her maiden name was Mary Babcock, daughter of Adam Bab
cock, of Boston. She was very beautiful. At the time that she sat
to Stuart she was dressed in a riding habit, buttoned high in the
throat. Her neck was altogether too handsome in the eyes of the
artist to be covered up, and at his request, she opened the throat of
her habit ; but he, not content with this, and using an artist's
license, painted her with a low-cut waist, much after the style of
many of his pictures. Some time after completing the picture, he
met her on the road, riding, when he stopped and said : " Mrs.
Gore, my portrait of you is not half handsome enough, I wish you
would sit to me again."
This striking portrait is in the possession of Mrs. Horatio
Greenough, Cambridge. Mrs. Gore, later in life, became Mrs.
Joseph Russell, of Boston. GOUVERNEUR, ISAAC.
Stuart made two sketches of his head, but they did not satisfy
him and he rubbed them out. While he was doing this Mr. Gou-
verneur took a pinch of snuff. " Stop," said Stuart, " and stay as
you are." He then sketched him with his snuff-box in hand, and
he is so represented in the portrait, which belonged to the late
Gouverneur Kemble, who bequeathed it to Mr. Gouverneur Paul
ding, of Cold Spring, Putnam County, N. Y.

* Grafton, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph.
Their portraits are in the possession of their daughter, Mrs.
Charles H. Minot, i Berkeley street, Boston, but are owned by

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 187
Mr. Joseph Grafton, who is now in Europe. Major Grafton, born
in Salem, May nth, 1782, and died March 24th, 1857, entered the
army in the war of 181 2 as Major, joined the 21st regiment on the
Canadian frontier, and took part in several battles during the war.
He was complimented in general orders, and received many other
testimonials to his military character. Mrs. Grafton, whose maiden
name was Ann Maria Gurley, granddaughter of William Stackpole,
was born in 1800, married at sixteen, and died in June, 1850. At
the time of her marriage she was a reigning belle, and was
accounted one of the most beautiful girls in New England. Her
portrait was painted in 1818 or '19.

* Grant, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick.
Their portraits were painted about 18 10 — certainly earlier than
18 1 2, in which year Mr; Grant was lost at sea, on board a Balti
more clipper, which foundered. Mrs. Grant was a daughter of
Jonathan Mason, and died in 1861. Their portraits are owned by
their son, Mr. Patrick Grant, Boston.

W. Grant.
In the month of January, 1878, there was an exhibition of "Pict
ures by the Old Masters," at the Royal Academy, London. No.
128, in Gallery in, was entered as "A Portrait of W. Grant, Esq.,
Congalton, Skating in St. James' Park, Thomas Gainsborough,
R. A. (?)": the interrogation point showing very clearly there was
some doubt in the mind of those who made the catalogue, as to
the propriety of attributing the picture to Gainsborough. The
exhibition had hardly opened before attention was called to this
superb picture, and in the papers of the day there was much dis-

1 88 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
cussion as to who was really the painter, for but few believed that
it was by Gainsborough. The Saturday Review said, January 12th:
" The query is certainly pertinent, for, while it is difficult to
believe that we do not recognize Gainsborough's hand in the graceful
and silvery look of the landscape in the background, it is not easy
to reconcile the flesh tones of the portrait itself with any precon
ceived notions of Gainsborough's workmanship. The face has a
peculiar firmness and decision in drawing and painting which
remind one rather of Raeburn than of Gainsborough, though we
do not mean by this to suggest in any way that Gainsborough
wanted decision in either painting or drawing, when he chose to
exercise it."
The following is from the London Illustrated News of January
19th: "Another portrait, about whose authorship there is much doubt,
is that of W. Grant, of Congalton, skating in St. James' Park. In
the catalogue it is attributed to Gainsborough, but with a very
suitable mark of interrogation after the name. That it is a mag
nificent picture, magnificently painted, is patent to all eyes; but there
is too much masterly solidity about it — the modeling of the
face, — and of the whole figure for that matter — for Gainsborough's
hand; moreover, the costume is of a later period than his time,
and the name of the portrait does not occur in his works. One of
our weekly contemporaries assigns it to Romney, but the same
objection holds good. Besides, Lady Hamilton's adorer could never
have painted so complete and finished a work as this, only to com
memorate the face and» form of a private person. He would have
wearied of the task long before it was half done. The only man,
in our opinion, who was capable of painting this grand picture,
and whose period of art activity would coincide with the costume
worn, was Sir Henry Raeburn. It possesses, from hand to foot,
\ all his solid modeling and fine handling, and, although there is a
look of Gainsborough in the background, the landscape is too

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 189
vigorous in its leading lines and general suggestions to have come
from his dainty hand."
Under date of March 2 2d, Somerset House, London, Miss Stuart
received a letter from Mr. Mulgrave Phipps Jackson, son of the late
John Jackson, R. A., from which I am permitted to make the fol
lowing extract :
" A discussion has arisen in the British press as to the artist
who painted a very finely painted whole length portrait of Mr.
Grant, of Congalton, represented skating on the ornamental waters
in St. James' Park.
"The picture has been variously assigned to Sir Martin Archer
Shee, Raeburn, and others, as its author, but I, on the authority of
a letter I have received from the grandson of the Mr. Grant, the
original of the portrait, have stated it is by the great portrait painter
of America, Gilbert Stuart. Can you kindly assist me to the facts ?
And if you can add any particulars as to the artist, who, I am
informed was your father, and of whom we know but too little in
this country, I should be most grateful."
To this note Miss Stuart replied, and in return received the
following from Mr. Jackson :
"My dear Madam: — Permit me to assure you that I feel
extremely obliged to you for so kindly answering my enquiry as to
the 'Skating Portrait,' and in so very interesting a manner.
" I was somewhat pledged, having stated in the newspapers that
the work was by your father, when subsequently a letter appeared
in the Times newspaper, from Mr. Graves, the well-known print-
seller, saying positively the portrait was by the late Sir Martin
Arthur Shee.
"The son of Sir Martin I know personally, and on my applying
to him he told me he could give no information.
" I received my intelligence in the matter from the uncle of Mr.
Charles A. Grant, who is a grandson of the Mr. Grant in the
picture, himself a promising young (American) artist.

190 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
" I knew the instant I saw the portrait it was not by Gainsbor
ough, whose name was given in the Royal Academy as the artist, it
being far more solid and sound in execution than the works of even
that great master. Nor was it in the least in the manner of Raeburn,
to whom also it was attributed by the more learned connoisseurs."
The above portrait is owned by Lord Charles Pelham Clinton.

Gratz, Mrs. Michael.
Her portrait, painted by Stuart, in 1802, is now in the posses
sion of Mr. Benjamin Gratz, Lexington, Ky., who is also the owner
of a portrait of Mr. Gratz, painted by Sully. Mr. Benjamin Gratz
has reached the ripe age of ninety years.

* Gray, Mr. and Mrs. William.
The portrait of Mr. Gray, who died November 3d, 1825, aged
75 years, was painted in 1807, and is owned by Mr. William Gray,
of Boston, and that of Mrs. Gray, who died September 29th, 1823,
at the age of 67, and whose maiden name was Elizabeth Chipman,
is in the possession of Mr. John C. Gray, of that city.

* Gray, William R., d. July 28th, 183 1, aged 48 years.
His portrait is owned by Mr. William Gray, Boston.
Gray, John C.
His portrait, painted at near the close of Stuart's life, is in his
possession.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 191
Greenleaf, Mrs. James.
She was the daughter of Chief-Justice Allen. In her portrait
she is dressed in white, with a light-blue sash. It belonged to the
late J. Gillingham Fell, Philadelphia, who also owned a "portrait of
a gentleman," by Stuart, painted with great freedom, and very rich
in color. Greenleaf, James. 24 x 30.
Faces to the left. This picture was painted in 1795, and is a
perfect gem of modeling and color, in Stuart's purest manner. It
represents a remarkably handsome man, with hair powdered and tied
in a cue. He is dressed in a tightly-buttoned double-breasted blue
coat, with gilt buttons, large white neckerchief and ruffled shirt.
The background is a rich crimson curtain, festooned to show in the
distance the blue and cloud-flaked sky. Nothing finer as a work
of art ever proceeded from Stuart's easel.
Mr. Greenleaf was born in Boston, June 9th, 1765, and was one
of fifteen children of the Hon. William and Mary Brown Greenleaf.
He was appointed, very early in life, Consul of the United States
to Amsterdam, where he amassed a large fortune, and married
Antonia Cornelia Elbertine Scoten, by whom he had one son, and
from whom he was subsequently divorced. Returning to this coun
try, in 1795, he embarked in speculations with Robert Morris and
John Nicholson, and became, with them, one of the founders of the
celebrated North American Land Company, which resulted in the
ruination of its originators. Afterwards he took up his residence in
the District of Columbia, and died in the city of Washington, Sep
tember 17, 1843, in his seventy-ninth year.
Mr. Greenleaf married, April 26, 1800, Ann Penn Allen, daughter
of James Allen, the founder of Allentown, Pa., and son of William

192 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Allen, Chief-Justice of the Province before the Revolution. Her
mother was Elizabeth Lawrence, a granddaughter of the distin
guished Tench Francis, the uncle of Sir Philip Francis, the accred
ited author of Junius. Mrs. Greenleaf 's portrait, by Stuart, is
also a beautiful picture, of which there were three painted — the
original being in the possession of her daughter, Mrs. Thompson
Livingston, of Paris ; the second belongs to the estate of the late
J. G. Fell, Philadelphia, and the third is owned by Bishop Kep, of
California. The portrait of Mr. Greenleaf is owned by his daughter, Mrs.
Walter Livingston, of Philadelphia. C. H. H.

Greenough, David S.
His portrait is in the possession of Mrs. David S. Greenough,
the widow of his son. A duplicate is owned by Mr. Richard
Greenough, and is at present stored in Newport, R. I.

Griffin, Colonel Samuel.
He was an officer of the Revolution, and a brother of Cyrus
Griffin, the last President of the Continental Congress. The picture
is owned by Miss C. F. Taylor, Philadelphia.

Griffin, Elizabeth.
She was the daughter of Colonel Samuel Griffin, and is repre
sented as holding her daughter, a lovely babe, in her arms. It is
the property of her granddaughter, Miss C. F. Taylor, Philadelphia.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 193

Griffith, Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Eglesfield.
Their portraits were painted in 1800, and are the property of
their daughter, Mrs. Edward Coleman, Philadelphia. That of Mrs.
Griffith is very beautiful, and the coloring in both pictures is
remarkably fine. * Hale, William.
Mr. Hale was a fine specimen of manly beauty. He died in the
West Indies at the early age of 26 years, leaving a widow and
three children. His portrait descended to his grandson, the late J.
D. Parker, Jr., of Boston, and is now in the possession of his
widow, at 25 Chestnut street, in that city.

Hall, John, b. 1739, d. 1797.
This portrait of the eminent engraver belonged to the Alderman
Boydell collection, and was presented to the National Gallery, Lon
don, in 1850, by Messrs. Graves & Co., successors to Alderman
Boydell. It is a half-length. In the background may be seen a
sketch of " Penn's Treaty with the Indians," which was engraved by
Hall. * Hall, Mrs. Joseph, Jr.

Hallowell, Robert, of Boston.
His son took the name of Robert Hallowell Gardiner, and the
portrait is in the possession of his grandson, Robert Hallowell Gar
diner, of Gardiner, Maine.
25

194 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* Hatch, Matty.
She was a great beauty, and her appearance on the street is
said to have created a sensation. " In her prime," says one who
knew her, — Mr. J. Ingersoll Bowditch, the present owner of her por
trait, — "she was the 'observed of all observers,' as she gracefully
moved down Washington street." One of the old Boston merchants
of that day laughingly said that all business was suspended when it
was reported that Miss Hatch was coming down the street, and every
one in the shop, boys and all, rushed to the door to see her. In her
later days she kept a boarding-house, in order to support herself
and her aged mother. Dr. Bowditch boarded with her, when in
Boston as one of the Governors' Council. " He, like all others who
knew her, was fascinated by her dignified deportment, her lady-like
manners, her intelligence and queenly form and features." At the
time that Dr. Bowditch removed to Boston, she had retired from
her occupation with a small sum, barely enough to support her in
old age. Dr. Bowditch advised her to buy an annuity with it from
the office of which he was actuary, and, until his death, he was her
friend and counsellor. A few days before he died he told his son,
J. Ingersoll Bowditch, to go to her after he had passed away, and
say that his father had told him to take care of her, as he had
done. The son was faithful to the trust, and she, in gratitude, gave
him the choice between her portrait by Stuart and her miniature by
Malbone. He chose the portrait, and it is now at his house, Jamaica
Plain.

Hare, Robert, Senior.
Miss Stuart relates the following anecdote in connection with
this picture. When the portrait was finished and ready for delivery,

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 195
Mr. Hare offered to pay for it, which Stuart declined, with the
remark that it had already been paid for. " Excuse me for contra
dicting, Mr. Stuart, but it has not, I assure you," said Mr. Hare.
The portrait is in the possession of his grandson, Judge Hare, of
Philadelphia. In this portrait the figure is shown almost to the feet Mr. Hare
is seated upon a sofa of a reddish hue, and his form is relieved by
a red curtain of a deeper shade. His daughter, a child of six years,
dressed in white, is standing by his side. The expression of her
face, particularly of the mouth, is fine. Mr. Hare is dressed in a
blue coat and pale buff pantaloons. The hair is powdered. The
picture is pervaded by a silvery gray tone that is charming.

Harman, Mrs. Thomas L.
She was the daughter of Sturgis Gorham, of Barnstable, and
at the time of her marriage Mr. Harman was living in New
Orleans. The portrait was painted in 1816, during a visit to Bos
ton. It is owned by a son-in-law of Mrs. Harman, now residing
in London.

Harrison, Richard.
He was an agent of the Confederation, and represented the
American cause in Spain in. the Revolution. By General Washing
ton, who valued him as a personal friend, he was made Auditor of
the Treasury, — an office that he filled up to the time of Jackson's
administration. The portrait is now in the possession of Mr. J. H.
E. Coffin, of Washington, D. C, whose wife was a grand-niece of
Mr. Harrison, and was adopted by him when she was a child.

196 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Hartigan, Mrs. Betsey.
She was the sister of the late Carlisle Pollock, of New- York.
The portrait is now in the possession of Commander Edward Terry,
U. S. N., to whom it has descended from his grandfather, Mr. Pol
lock. It was painted in Dublin, Ireland, where Mrs. Hartigan
resided at the time. Her husband was an eminent physician of that
city. Haven, Mr. and Mrs. John.
Their portraits are owned by their son, Mr. George W. Haven,
of Portsmouth, N. H., and hang on the wall where they were
placed by his father fifty-four years ago. On the frame of Mr.
Haven's portrait are these words, in his own hand-writing: "January,
1824. John Haven, aged 57 years." He died in 1849. Mrs.
Haven, who was two years younger, died in 1845. These pictures
are as fresh in color as they were half a century ago.

Haven, Nathaniel Appleton, b. July 19th, 1762, d. March 13th, 1861.
Dr. Haven studied medicine, after graduating at Harvard, and
served during the Revolution as a surgeon on board an American
armed vessel, and was captured and confined for a time on board
the Jersey prison-ship. In 181 2, he was elected a member of Con
gress by the Federal party, and was succeeded by Daniel Webster,
his life-long friend. His portrait, now in the possession of his
granddaughters, Misses Eliza A. and Charlotte M. Haven, of Ports
mouth, N. H., shows him to have been a man of about five and
forty years at the time that it was painted. John and Nathaniel
were brothers.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 197
* Hayward, Mrs. Dr. Lemuel, b. 1763, d. 1848.
It was stated, in the catalogue of 1828, that this was the last
portrait begun and finished by Stuart. At the request of Mrs.
Hayward, whose maiden name was Sarah Henshaw, the artist had his
name and age and the date put upon the canvas. He said he had
never signed his pictures, but he would willingly have this one
marked as she desired, and asked Mr. George Brimmer to do it for
him, his own hand being too tremulous. It is owned by Mrs. Har
riet S. Wyman, of Wayland, Mass.
Hayes, Judah.
* Head, Joseph.
His portrait is owned by Mrs. M. J. Rheer, Freehold, New Jersey.
* Henry, Mrs. Bernard, b. June 19th, 1789, d. August 14th, 1876.
This portrait, on a panel five and a half inches square, has evi
dently been cut out of a larger picture. It is nearly full face,
turned to the left, and looking over the shoulder, and is the portrait
of a young girl of about sixteen. It is in the possession of her son,
Morton B. Henry, Esq., who writes: "I have often heard my
mother say that Stuart was dissatisfied with the figure, and pleased
with the head, which is exquisitely painted, and cut the head out
and gave it to her.
Mrs. Henry, whose maiden name was Mary Miller Jackson, was
the daughter of Dr. David and Susan [Kemper] Jackson, of Ches-

198 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
ter County, Penn. She was one of the "three pocket Venus" men
tioned in Salmagundi, and Washington Irving writes to Henry Bre-
voort, from Philadelphia, March 16th, 181 1: "I was out visiting with
Ann [Hoffman — Mrs. Charles Nicholas] yesterday, and met that little
assemblage of smiles and fascination, Mary Jackson. She was
bounding with youth, health, and innocence and good humor. She
had a pretty straw hat tied under her chin with a pink ribbon, and
looked like some little woodland nymph lured out by Spring and
fine weather. God bless her light heart, and grant that it may
never know care or sorrow ! it 's enough to cure spleen and melan
choly only to look at her." Mrs. Henry was a younger sister of
Mrs. Isaac P. Davis, of Boston, and of Dr. Samuel Jackson, a
renowned physician of Philadelphia. C. H. H.
The above picture is also mentioned with that of her sister Mrs.
Davis, on another page.
* Higginson,. Stephen, d. 1826.
His portrait, painted between the years 1815 and 18 18, is owned
by Mr. George Higginson, Boston.

Hinkley, David, d. December 19th, 1825, aged about 58 years.
He was a descendant of Thomas Hinkley, of Barnstable, and for
many years a well-known merchant in Boston. Mr. Hinkley married
Ann Outram, an English lady, who died soon after giving birth to a
daughter. Hinkley, Anne Outram, b. February 18th, 1794.
She was married in Boston, October, 1826, to William Gill Hodg-
kinson, of Kilton, Nottinghamshire, England, who died in 1871. Mrs.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 199
Hodgkinson, who is now living at Brampton Grange, Hinkleydon,
England, has in her possession her portrait by Stuart. She has also
the portrait of her father, , David Hinkley. They are each a half-
length, are full and rich in color, and are in a good state of preser
vation. Hoffman, Josiah Ogden.
"A life-size portrait, painted at the beginning of the present
century, and now owned by the widow of the late Ogden Hoffman,
of New- York.
" Judge Hoffman was the son of Nicholas and Sarah [Ogden]
Hoffman, and was born in New- York, April, 1 766. He was admit
ted to the bar in 1 786, appointed Attorney General of the State by
Governor Clinton in 1795, and in 1800 became Recorder of the
City. At the time of his death, January 24th, 1837, he was one of
the judges of the Superior Court. He was twice married, his
first wife being Mary Colden, a granddaughter of the very eminent
Lieutenant-Governor Colden. Of his several children, the second
daughter, Matilda, was the heroine of Washington Irving's life. She
died in her eighteenth year, when he was only twenty-six ; but she
never faded from his memory or his heart, and he died half a cent
ury later, faithful to his first and only love. Judge Hoffman mar
ried, secondly, in 1802, Maria Fenno, daughter of the rampant
Federal editor of Philadelphia, John Fenno. By her he had several
children, the youngest of whom was the fanciful litterateur, Charles
Fenno Hoffman." C. H. H.

Holley, Rev. Horace, LL. D., b. February 13, 1781, d. July, 1827.
Rev. Dr. Holley graduated at Yale, and was ordained in 1805.
In 1809, he was called to the Hollis Street Church, in Boston, over

200 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
which society he presided ten years. It was while he was in Bos
ton that his portrait was painted. In 1818, having connected him
self with the Unitarian Society, he accepted a call, and entered upon
his duties as president of the Transylvania Seminary, of 1795, and
the Kentucky Academy, established in Virginia in 1780. In 1827
he resigned and went to New Orleans, where he issued the pro
spectus of a college, to be built in the immediate neighborhood of
that city. But his health, already shattered, failing rapidly, he
embarked for the north, but died a few days after leaving port His
portrait I have not been able to find.

* Holker, Mr. and Mrs.
Their portraits are in the possession of their grandson, Mr. Hugh
Nelson, who resides at Nilwood, near Winchester, Va.

Hooper, Robert.
He was of Marblehead. This portrait, painted by Stuart, from
a small water-color drawing, is now owned by his grandson, Mr.
Robert Hooper. Hooper, Mrs. Polly.
The daughter of Mrs. C. S. Williams, she became the wife of
Dr. C. S. Robbins, and her portrait is now in the possession of her
son-in-law, Rev. Charles Robbins, of Boston.
The portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Hooper, with portraits of Mrs.
Mary Sumner Williams, John Williams, her son, and Miss Sally
Patten, were all painted for Mrs. P. Hooper, and when she became
Mrs. R. G. Robbins, she bought the house in which Stuart had

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 201
lived for many years on the corner Shawmut Avenue and Washing
ton street, Roxbury. These, with other portraits, hung on the walls
of the long hall that led to the studio in which the Stuart portraits
were painted. f Hopkinson, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph.
In the portrait of Mrs. Hopkinson there is a piece of paper slid
ing from the table. On the paper there is a head sketched, said to
be that of Stuart. The portraits are owned by Mrs. William Biddle,
Philadelphia. Mrs. Hopkinson was the daughter of General Thomas
Mifflin. Houghton, Dr.
He was an Irish gentleman from Dublin. His portrait, by
Stuart, was at one time owned by Mr. Charles Elliot, who had it
from Dr. Houghton's family. Subsequently it found a place in the
A. M. Cozzens collection. When that collection was broken up it
was sold for $500. Beyond this point I have not been able to
learn anything of its history.

* Howard, Dr. and Mrs. John C.
His portrait painted after death (he died in 18 10, aged 37
years), is owned by his daughter, Mrs. Arthur Pickering, Roxbury.
Mrs. Howard's maiden name was Hepsy Clark Swan. Her por
trait is owned by Mrs. Charles Stafford, Providence, R. I.
Hughes, Christopher.
This picture is said to be in Canada.
26

202 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* Hull, General William, U. S. A., b. 1753, d. 1825.
His portrait, painted in 1823, is owned by his granddaughter,
Mrs. J. H. Hollock, Savannah, Ga.

*f Hull, Commodore Isaac, U. S. N.
His portrait, painted in 1813 or 18 14, is now in the Boston
Art Museum.
*f Humphreys, General David, b. 1753, d. Feb. 21, 1818.
A soldier of distinction, and one who was on the staff of Gen
eral Washington. As a diplomat he was also successful ; and for
his valor at Yorktown Congress honored him with a vote of
thanks, and presented him with a sword.

Hunnewell, Mrs. Jonathan.
For many years before her marriage to Mr. Hunnewell she was
the widow of Charles Davis, and as Mrs. Davis the portrait was
probably painted. Her portrait is owned by her great- niece, Mrs.
Kellogg, Boston. Mrs. Hunnewell was a sister of Mrs. Dr. John
Bartlett, of Roxbury. Hunt, Mrs. Jane Bethune.
The date, 18 19, and the artist's name, are on the back of the
picture, now in the possession of her daughter, Mrs. Maria B.
Craig, widow of the late General H. K. Craig, U. S. A.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 203
Hurlbut, Rev. Joseph.
He was of New London, and his portrait is in that city, in the
possession of his daughter.

* Inches, Miss Elizabeth, d. 1851.
Her portrait, painted in 18 12, is owned by her nephew, Mr.
Henderson Inches, Boston. Izard, Miss Ann.
Her portrait was painted in New- York, in 1794. She after
wards became Mrs. William Allen Deas. The picture is at the
residence of her grandson, Dr. Watts, 49 West 36th street, New-
York. Jackson, Mr. and Mrs.
He was the British Minister, and was known as Copenhagen
Jackson. Dunlap relates that West told Jackson when he was
leaving England, that he would find the best portrait painter in the
world in America, and that his name was Gilbert Stuart. Judge
Hopkinson said he saw the portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, and
that they were admirable. They were probably taken to England.

Jackson, Mrs. Major.
She was Miss Willing, of Philadelphia, and with her sister, Mrs.
Bingham, was distinguished for her beauty and accomplishments.

204 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Her portrait has lately come into the possession of the Philadelphia
Academy of Fine Arts, having been bequeathed to that institution
by the late Ann Jackson.

Jackson, Governor Francis J.

* Jackson, General Henry.
He raised a regiment in 1776, and remained in active service
till the close of the Revolution. His portrait is owned by Mr.
Henry Winthrop Sargent, of Fishkill, on the Hudson.

Jarvis, Rev. Samuel Farmer, D. D., b. 1 786.
His portrait was painted in Boston, about 1820. It was in
Stuart's studio at the time the building took fire, and was somewhat
injured by smoke. The family relate the following anecdote, as
evidence that the likeness is an excellent one : Mrs. Jarvis was in
the studio with her little son, a child of about six years, who
wandered around the room. Presently he ran to his mother and
hid his face in her lap, crying as he did so, that they had cut off
his father's head and he had seen it.
The picture was never finished by Stuart While he was
engaged upon it Mrs. Jarvis ventured to criticise some of the
details, which so annoyed Stuart that he refused to go on with his
work. After the death of Stuart, the drapery and hands were
finished by his daughter. This portrait was painted for Miss Calla
han, one of the Doctor's warm friends, and after his death it was
presented by her to his son, Mr. Samuel F. Jarvis, of Windham
County, Conn.

PHOTOGRAVURE & IMP GOUPIL & CIE

John Jay

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 205
t Jay, John, b. December 12th, 1745, d. May 7th, 1829.
There are a number of portraits of this distinguished man
painted by Stuart. The finest, the head of which was painted in
England, is owned by Mr. Augustus Jay, who inherited it from his
father, Peter Augustus Jay, to whom, as his elder brother, John
Clarkson Jay, M. D., already had a portrait of John Jay by Stuart,
it was allotted by the family at the decease of Peter A. Jay, in
1843. It was originally given by John Jay to his eldest son, Peter
A. Jay. It measures about three by four feet. It was finished in
America In this portrait, Hon John Jay is seated by a table, one hand
resting on a book on the table and the other in his lap. He wears
a black silk robe, faced with salmon-colored satin, and having a
white edge. The head is bald on the top. Miss Ann Jay, the
second daughter, who always lived with him, considered this portrait
the best likeness of him ever taken. The present owner has the
original robes worn by the Chief-Justice. The previous owner,
about the year 1850, displayed them to the members of the United
States Supreme Court, who were very much surprised that such
robes had ever been worn by any Chief-Justice of the United
States. This portrait has been engraved for the United States $20
and $50 bills. It is at present in the house of Mr. Henry E.
Pierrepont, No. 1 Pierrepont Place, Brooklyn, N. Y.
A second portrait of Hon. John Jay was given to his youngest
son, William Jay, and is now at Bedford, Westchester County, New-
York, in the possession of Hon. John Jay, late Minister to Austria,
the only son of William Jay. He is seated, dressed in black, with
a white cravat and frill, wearing his own hair, which is powdered
and tied in a cue. The right hand hangs on the back of a chair
and holds a pen, the left rests on a table, on which there are a green
cloth, papers, inkstand and books.

206 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
This portrait is considered by the family to be the best likeness
of all the heads of Mr. Jay that were painted. It was engraved by
Cornelius Tiebout, and published at No. 16 Duke street, Portland
Chapel, London, April, 1795. From one or two letters we may get
at the time these pictures were painted. Mrs. Jay writes to her
husband, from New- York, under date of August 2d, 1794:
 "Would you believe that Stuart has not yet sent me your
picture? I call upon him often. I have not hesitated telling him
that it is in his power to contribute infinitely to my gratification, by
indulging me with your portrait ; he has at length resumed the pen
cil, and your nephew [probably Peter J. Munroe] has been sitting
with your robe for him ; it is now nearly done, and is your very
self. It is an inimitable picture, and I am all impatient to have it
to myself. He begged me to remind you of the promise you
made him the day he breakfasted with you. There is an excellent
engraver in New- York, and Stuart has been solicited to permit him
to copy that portrait of yours by a very respectable number of citi
zens, for which reason he has asked and obtained my consent."
Mrs. Jay again writes to her husband in England :
"New- York, November 15th, 1794. Just as I had laid aside my
pen to take tea, Mr. Stuart arrived with your picture. He insisted
on my promising it should be destroyed when he presented me with
a better one, which he said he certainly would, if you would be so
obliging as to have a mask made for him. In ten days hence he is
to go to Philadelphia, to take a likeness of the President. He
informed me that Cerrachi and his family are come out to reside at
Philadelphia, and have actually been there three months. As Stuart
was leaving, Judge Hobart came in, and passed the evening with
me." On the 5th of the following December, Mrs. Jay writes : " Your
picture, as I mentioned formerly, is received. It hangs in the din
ing-room, where the little prints used to hang, and you cannot
imagine how much I am gratified in having it."

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 207
This last note probably refers to the portrait at Bedford, and not
to the one in robes.
The third portrait of Hon. John Jay, by Stuart, is in the pos
session of John Clarkson Jay, M. D., at the old family place, Rye,
Westchester County, New- York, to whom it was given by his father,
Peter C. Jay, about 1830. About that time, Trumbull, who had
been secretary to John Jay, discovered it in a garret in London.
The head was the only part finished. Trumbull put in the details,
and Mr. Peter A. Jay sat for the figure.
John Jay and Van Rensselaer, while Governor and Lieutenant-
Governor of New- York, exchanged portraits. That of Jay, by
Stuart, now belongs to a granddaughter of the Patroon.

*t Jefferson, Thomas, b. April 2d, 1743, d. July 4th, 1826.
There were two sets of portraits of the five first presidents of
the United States. One set was in the library in Washington
when it was burnt. Three of the portraits were destroyed; the
other two, badly injured, are somewhere in Virginia. The other
set is owned by.JMr. T. Jefferson Coolidge, of Boston. In this set,
of '"course, there is a portrait of President Jefferson. A full-length,
similar to the portrait owned by Mr. Coolidge, is now at Edgehill,
Albemarle County, Va., the home, during his life, of the late Col
onel Thomas J. Randolph, grandson of the President. Originally
it was a very fine picture, but it is now badly cracked and defaced.
This was once the property of Jefferson, and is probably the origi
nal picture.
For many years there hung in the hall at Montecello a profile
likeness of Jefferson, life-size, painted by Stuart, in a gray color,
on a panel, and in imitation of an antique cameo. This very
striking picture, with the date, 1804, upon it, was given to Mr.

208 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Joseph Coolidge, Boston, after the death of Mr. Jefferson, and is
now in his house, Beacon street, Boston. In the President's house,
at Washington, there is a portrait of Jefferson, by Stuart, but it is
not thought equal to other portraits from the same pencil. There
is also a portrait of Jefferson, by Stuart, at Bowdoin College,
painted for Mr. Bowdoin. In the collection of the New- York His
torical Society there is another, which was presented by David
Hosack, in 1828 ; and Mr. Edward Coles, of Philadelphia, owns
one, that was painted for his father, Governor Coles.

Johnson, Dr. Samuel William, b. 1727, d. 18 19.
This portrait was one of the first, if not the first, painted by
Stuart after his return from England. It has on the back : " By
Stuart, 1792;" and there is a tradition in the family that the artist
took great pains with it, as a specimen of his skill after years of
study in England. A copy of it was made at one time by a Mr.
Graham, who was so unprincipled as to retain the original, and in
place of it he sent his copy to the family. The cheat was detected
and the original was recovered. The copy was never called for.
Mention is made of this in Dr. Beardsley's Life of Dr. Johnson.
The original is owned by Mrs. William Bellamy, of Dorchester,
Mass., one of Dr. Johnson's descendants. In this portrait he is
represented in the scarlet robes of an Oxford Dr. of Civil Law.
Dr. Johnson was the first Senator from Connecticut, and President
of Columbia College. Columbia, Yale, and Trinity College have
each a portrait of him, but I believe the only one by Stuart is that
owned by Mrs. Bellamy.

Jones, Mrs.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 209
Jones, Judge Stephen, of Maine.
Owned by Mr. Francis E. Richards, Gardiner, Maine.
Kemble, Mr. and Mrs. John.
Their portraits were painted in England. Mrs. Kemble sat to
Stuart several times and in various characters. The actor and the
artist were warm friends, and were much together.
Keppele, Mr. and Mrs. Michael.
Their portraits are owned by their grandson, Mr. Cadwalader
Biddle, 208 South Fourth street, Philadelphia. It is a remarkably
fine head.
Mr. Keppele was born September 9th 1771, and died February
2d, 1 82 1. He was of German extraction, and for many years was
President of the German Society. In the year 181 1 he was elected
mayor of Philadelphia for one term. There is a tradition in the
family that Mr. Keppele, who was of large fine physique, stood for
the figure in Stuart's full length portrait of Washington, but his age
at the time, twenty-four, would seem to throw doubt upon it.
Mrs. Keppele, whose maiden name was Catherine Caldwell, was
born June 7th, 1774, and surviving her husband more than half a
century, died August 23d, 1862, at the advanced age of eighty-
eight. There is an incident connected with the portrait of Mrs. Keppele
by Stuart, which is of importance, as showing the presumption and
lack of true honor too often found, unfortunately, among the follow
ers of the brush, and which accounts for the apparent inferiority of
27

210 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
the picture. Mr. Biddle writes : " A friend of my grandmother bor
rowed it in order that a young artist might be benefited by its
study. It was removed for that purpose to his studio. Shortly after
ward the family were asked if they knew that the artist had removed
a great part of the picture, and upon going for it found that he had
painted out all but the face and hands. When Sully was asked to
replace the portion removed, he at first refused to touch anything
which had been done by Stuart; but upon reflection, and seeing that
the portrait was ruined as it stood, relented, and agreed to do so."
C. H. H.
f King, Rufus, b. 1755, d. April 29th, 1827.
The original portrait is now at Highwood, Weehawken, New
Jersey, the residence of the late James G. King. It is said there
was also a portrait of Mrs. King, but I have not been able to
trace it out.
* Kirkland, Rev. John Thornton, D. D., b. 1770, d. 1840.
He was President of Harvard College. His portrait is in the
possession of his nephew, Rev. Dr. Lothrop, to whom it was
bequeathed, and who says of it : " It was painted on wood, badly
prepared, and so uneven in its surface that the marks of the plane
appear, and in certain lights interferes with the impression the pict
ure would otherwise make ; with the exception of this defect, it
is a splendid portrait, and an admirable likeness. The first time I
saw it, in October, 181 7, it was hanging in the west parlor of the
President's house, at Cambridge, and I have a distinct recollection
that Dr. Kirkland told me at the time that it was painted' in 18 10,
just before he came to Cambridge. In August, 18 10, Dr. Kirk
land was forty years old. The picture is in good condition at the
end of sixty-eight years, and has never been cleaned or retouched."

PHOTO 9F.WtTR.fc feIMP GOUPIL & C™

General Knox

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 2 1 1
* Knapp, Charles.
*fKNOx, General Henry, b. July 25th, 1750, d. October, 1806.
In connection with this picture, Miss Stuart writes :
"A great many absurd stories have been circulated about my
father, which, I am happy to say, are not correct, particularly the
one connected with the portrait of General Knox ; and, in justice
to the artist's memory, I must offer the following explanation :
" The difficulty at that time in obtaining canvas, except from
England, compelled Stuart to paint on panels, and if the wood of
which these panels were made was not very superior, and properly
seasoned, it would, when put into a warm room, warp and split
In several instances, growing out of defects of this kind in the
wood, Stuart had to throw aside pictures that he had painted, and
which otherwise would have been very valuable. This was the
case with a portrait of General Knox, who sat for another picture,
as ' one-half in advance ' had probably already been paid. The
last portrait hangs in Faneuil Hall, it having been presented to
the city of Boston, and is one of the artist's bold, characteristic
heads. "When the first panel began to split, Stuart instantly put it
aside as a dead loss. Sometime after, wanting a cover for a mush
room bed near the stable, without a moment's thought he used the
discarded and half-wrought panel for that purpose. Some one pass
ing that way recognized the likeness of the General ; and, drawing
his own conclusions — that the picture had not been paid for, and
that therefore it was thus dishonored — put a story in circulation that
was very annoying both to the artist and the General, for they
were very warm friends."

212 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Kurtzing, Mr. and Mrs. Abraham.
Mrs. Kurtzing's maiden name was Margaret Harbeson. They
were married in 1780. Mrs. Kurtzing died in 1804, but the exact
time when the portraits were painted is not known. The pictures,
now in Philadelphia, are owned by their granddaughter, Mrs. Ella
Kurtzing Birckhead. Lathrop, Rev. John, D. D.
His portrait is in England, in the custody of Mrs. Sheridan, a
daughter of Mr. J. Lathrop Motley, the historian. Dr. Lathrop
was formerly pastor of a church in Boston.

Law, Mrs. Thomas.
Her portrait, — a superb picture, — it is said, belongs to Mrs.
George Goldsborough, Talbot County, Maryland. She was Eliza
Parke Custis.
*f Lawrence, Captain James, U. S. N., b. 1781, d. 1813.
In the portrait he wears his uniform. The picture, a fine one
and well preserved, is owned by his granddaughter, Mrs. William
Redmond, Newport, R. I.
Lear, Benjamin Lincoln.
He was the son of Colonel Tobias Lear, the warm per
sonal friend of Washington. It is owned by Mrs. Wilson Eyre, a
descendant, Newport, R. I.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 213
Le Conte, Mrs. William.
This portrait is owned by Miss Penington, of West Philadelphia.
f Lee, General Henry, b. January 29th, 1756, d. March 25th, 1818.
General Lee took an active part in the Revolution, and he also
served his native state, Virginia, in Congress. It was he, in his
eulogy of Washington, who first used the expression : " First in
war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen."
Lee, Mrs. George G.
Her maiden name was Hannah F. Sawyer, and she was the
sister of Mrs. Philip Schuyler. Her portrait, a half-length, painted
about 1806, is owned by her granddaughter, Mrs. Charles J. Paine,
87 Mount Vernon street, Boston.
Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Charles.
Mr. Lee held the office of attorney-general under both Wash
ington and Adams. Mrs. Lee, who was the daughter of Richard
Henry Lee, and niece of Arthur Lee, accompanied her husband in
winter to Philadelphia, where she won the admiration of the society
into which she was thrown. Stuart painted her portrait only six
weeks before her death, and when he heard that she was no more
gave vent to his feelings in tears. Her portrait he never could be
induced to complete. It is in the possession of Mrs. Dr. Thomas
Miller, Morrisworth, near Leesburg, Va.

214 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Mrs. Miller writes to me of this portrait:
"She is taken in a white cap with a black ribbon round it,
and the frill hangs quite low on the forehead, hiding her hair
(which was said to be very beautiful) entirely, and this, together
with its being unfinished, was a great disappointment to her friends ;
consequently it was not hung for a great many years, but was put
away in a box, until one day a friend, who had known her well,
was at the house, and asked to see it. It was brought down, and
while it was in the parlor Lord Napier called, and was imme
diately so much struck with the great beauty of the picture, that
he and several other friends begged me to have it framed and hung
where it could be seen. This was done, and it hung in our parlor
in Washington until last fall, when we brought it with other pict
ures to the country with us."
The portrait of Mr. Lee is owned by his daughter, Mrs. Pollock,
near Warrenton, Va.

Lenox, Misses.
They were the daughters of the late Robert Lenox, and their
portraits were painted while they were on a visit to Boston. One
became the wife of the late Robert L. Maitland, of New-York, and
the other married Mr. William Banks, of the same city. The por
traits are in the Lenox Gallery.

f Lewis, Colonel and Mrs.
The portrait of Colonel Lewis I have not found; that of Mrs.
Lewis, whose maiden name was Nellie Custis, is at Audley, near
Berryville, Clarke County, Va., the residence of the widow of her
son, and of his youngest son, Mr. H. L. D. Lewis.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 215
f Lewis, William.
He was a distinguished jurist in Philadelphia, and a copy — from
the original by Stuart, but not by Stuart, — hangs in the Law
Library, Philadelphia.

Liston, Robert.
\jk\A i» U
He was the British Minister, and came to Philadelphia in 1796.
He had a letter to a Scotchman, named James Buchanan, an adopted
American, by .whom the Listoris were entertained on their arrival.
It was in connection with Buchanan that Mr. Liston made a mistake,
as serious as it was ludicrous, he having gone so far as to say in a
letter to Buchanan, " I must now endeavor to lead Mr. Adams by
the nose," with other equally improper expressions, which letter
found its way to. England. Liston, when confronted with it, admit-
^ ted that he had written it, and offered in extenuation that he had
used the expressions in a playful mood, and intended no disrespect
to the President.
Chauncey Goodrich, in announcing the arrival of the new minister
to Oliver Wolcott, senior, May 12th, 1796, said of him: "He
appears to be an amiable and worthy man ; if he proves to be a
candid envoy, he will be a new and valuable acquisition to the
United States."
^ Mr. and Mrs. Liston were cordially received in Philadelphia, and
during their stay resided in a house on Arch street. They were at
the dinner given by Washington the day before his term of service
expired, when the President said to his guests, as he lifted his glass:
"This is the last time I shall drink your health as a public man."
Stuart's portrait of Mr. Liston probably found its way to Eng
land.

216 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Livingston, Mrs. Margaret (Beekman).
She was the mother-in-law of Dr. Thomas Tillotston, and the
portrait is in the possession of his granddaughters, at 23 East
28th street, New-York.

Lloyd, Dr. James, d. 18 10, aged 80 years.
For many years he was at the head of the medical profession in
Boston. His portrait is owned by his great-granddaughter, Miss
Alida L. Borland, 37 Beacon street, Boston. Another portrait of
Dr. Lloyd, owned by Mr. Gardiner Greene, of Norwich, Ct, is
believed to have been painted by Stuart. In it he appears as a
middle-aged man, seated in an arm-chair, with a red curtain behind
him. His hair, dressed after the fashion of the day, is well pow
dered. Lloyd, Mrs. James.
She was a great belle in her day, and the sister of Samuel
Breck, of Philadelphia. Her husband was the son of the above-
named Dr. James Lloyd, of Boston, and U. S. Senator from Massa
chusetts. He was an influential man at home and in Washington.
Her portrait, a very fine one, is in the Aspinwall Gallery, New-
York. Lopez Family.
They were wealthy Jews, residing in Newport, and their portraits
were painted in the youthful days of Stuart. The family is extinct,
and all trace of the pictures is lost.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 217
* Loring, Mr. and Mrs. Caleb.
Their portraits are owned by their grandson, Mr. Charles J.
Loring, 1 Mt Vernon Place, Boston.
Low, David.
* Lowell, John, b. 1769, d. 1840.
His portrait, painted about 1824, is owned by his son, Mr. John
Amory Lowell, Boston. Lowndes, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas.
In the summer of 1804 Mr. and Mrs. Lowndes resided in the
immediate neighborhood of Philadelphia, and Stuart was a frequent
visitor at their house. It is stated that the portrait was painted at
that time, but it must have been a year or two earlier that they sat
to Stuart, for he was not then in Philadelphia. Mr. Lowndes was a
Representative in Congress, from Charleston, from 1800 to 1808.
He was a Federalist, and a supporter of John Quincy Adams.
Mrs. Lowndes, to whom he was married in 1798, was Sarah Bond,
daughter of Richard Jou, of Springfield, St. James, Santee: "This
lady united a charm of manner to a handsome and distinguished
presence, and her portrait, by Gilbert Stuart, has been ranked
among the most successful of all his pictures of women."
Macdonough, Commodore.
This portrait could not have been painted till after 18 14 (the
year of the battle of Lake Champlain), as is evident from his
28

218 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
uniform. He probably sat to Stuart in 1816 or '18. The picture
shows all the admirable qualities of the artist — great force in
execution and admirable flesh tints. It is owned by A. R. Macdon
ough, Esq., New- York, but will ultimately belong to his nephew and
namesake, the son of his deceased eldest brother, Captain Macdon
ough. At present it hangs on the walls of the Century Club, New-
York, where it is greatly admired.

* f Madison, Mr. and Mrs. James.
The portraits of President and Mrs. Madison hung on the walls
at Montpelier some two or three years after the death of Mr.
Madison. Mrs. Madison, not feeling equal to the managing of the
estate, removed to Washington in 181 7, and resided there up to the
time of her death. All the portraits at Montpelier she took with
her ; one of them was a portrait of Mr. Jefferson, and her nephew,
Colonel Richard D. Cutts, is under the impression there was also
a portrait of Washington by Stuart, and also of Adams and Monroe.
After the death of Mrs. Madison the pictures were sold. That of
Madison was purchased by Judge Edward Coles, of Philadelphia,
who had been a private secretary to the President. This picture is
now owned by Mr. Edward Coles, son of Governor Coles, now
residing in Philadelphia. The portrait of Mrs. Madison was
assigned to her niece, Miss Ann Payne, afterwards Mrs. Kunkle,
of Baltimore. Mrs. W. W. Seaton, in one of her delightful letters, says : " I
would describe the dignified appearance of Mrs. Madison, but I
cannot do her justice. 'Tis not her form, 'tis not her face, it is the
woman altogether whom I should wish you to see. She wears a
crimsort cap that almost hides the forehead, but which becomes her
extremely, and reminds one of a crown, from its brilliant appearance,
contrasted with the white satin folds and her jet black curls; but

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 219
her demeanor is so far removed from the hauteur generally attending
on royalty, that your fancy can carry the resemblance no further than
her dress. In a conspicuous position every fault is rendered more
discernible to common eyes, and more liable to censure; and the
same rule certainly enables every virtue to shine with more
brilliancy than when confined to an inferior station in society ; but
I, and I am by no means singular in my opinion, believe that Mrs.
Madison's conduct would be graced by propriety, were she placed
in the most adverse circumstances in life."
Mr. A. A. Low, of Brooklyn, N. Y., owns a Madison painted
by Stuart; there is one in the set of the first five Presidents of the
United States, owned by Mr. T. Jefferson Coolidge, already referred
to, and at Bowdoin College there is another.

Manigault, Gabriel.
Painted in London, in 1779. The portrait is owned by Mrs.
Heyward Manigault, and it is at the residence of Mr. Martin
Zborowski, Westchester, County, N. Y.

Manigault, Joseph.
Painted in London in 1781. It is owned by Mr. Henry M.
Manigault, Charleston, S. C.

Manigault, Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel.
Painted in New- York in 1794.
The portrait of Mr. Manigault belongs to the heirs of the late
Charles Manigault, Charleston, S. C, and that of Mrs. Manigault

220 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
is owned by Mrs. Heyward Manigault. It is at the residence of
Mr. Martin Zborowski, Westchester Co., New- York.
This anecdote is related in connection with the portrait of
Joseph Manigault, who was studying in the Middle Temple, Lon
don, at the time that his portrait was painted. He was then quite
a young man. In 1821, while spending the summer at the north,
he was bowed to and stopped in the street by a gentleman, who
called him by name. He expressed some surprise, and said he was
quite unconscious of ever having met the stranger, who then told
him he was Stuart, the artist, who had painted his portrait in Lon
don forty years before.

Marshall, Mrs. James Markham.
Nixon, Mrs. Henry.
These ladies, represented as playing a game of chess, were the
only daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Morris. Hetty Morris,
born July 30th, 1774, was married April 10th, 1795, to James
Markham Marshall, of Fauquier Co., Va., and died April 13th,
18 1 7. Maria Morris, born April 24th, 1779, married March 4th,
1802, Henry Nixon, of Philadelphia, and died September 17th,
1852. Judge Marshall was a younger brother of Chief- Justice
Marshall. The picture of these two ladies is at Happy Creek,
Warren Co., Va., in the old Marshall homestead, built by Judge
Marshall shortly after his marriage, and now owned by Misses
Marshall. It is related that some member of the family criticised this
picture in the presence of Stuart, who, giving way to his temper,
dashed a knife through the canvas. The picture was repaired and
the defect has been in a great measure concealed.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 221
* Mason, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan.
His portrait was painted in Washington in 1805. At that time
Mr. Mason was a Senator in Congress from Massachusetts, and it
was through his solicitation that Stuart the same year removed to
Boston, and there set up his easel. The portrait is now owned by
the family of the late David Sears, 3d, Boston, Massachusetts.
Mr. Mason was born August 30th, 1752, and died November 1st,
1831. Mrs. Mason, whose maiden name was Susan Powell, born in
1 76 1, and died in 1836, sat to Stuart at the same time. Her por
trait is owned by her grandson, Mr. Herbert C. Mason.

Mason, Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah.
Mr. Mason was one of the foremost lawyers of his day. Born
at Lebanon, Ct, April, 1768, he graduated at Yale, and in 1797,
settled at Portsmouth, N. H. From 1813 to 181 7 he was a repre
sentative in Congress from New Hampshire. November 9th, 1799,
he married Miss Meanes, daughter of Colonel Meanes, of Amherst,
N. H., and in 1832 he removed to Boston, where he died in 1848.
Their portraits are owned by the heirs of their son, the late Mr.
Robert M. Mason, Boston.

Mason, Mrs. J. Thompson.
Her portrait is owned by Mrs. Judge Mason, Baltimore.

222 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* May, Colonel Joseph.
His portrait is now owned by his grandson, Mr. Joseph Edward
May, of Cambridge, Mass. * May, Mrs. John.
She was one of the founders of the Orphan Asylum, Boston, and
her portrait has a place in that institution.

f McKean, Chief-Justice, b. 1734, d. 18 17.
An upright Chief-Justice, an enlightened lawyer, and a sagacious
politician, he was looked up to as one of the most reliable men of
his day. His portrait is at Binghamton, N. Y., where it is owned
by the family of Mr. S. M. McKean. There is a copy of it in the
Law Library, Philadelphia, but not by Stuart.

* McLean, Mr. and Mrs. John.
After the death of Mr. McLean, who left a large legacy to the
Massachusetts General Hospital, the trustees wanted Stuart to paint
his portrait, and asked him to view the corpse. He reluctantly con
sented, not liking to paint from a dead face. The moment he saw
him, he exclaimed : "I can paint that man's portrait. I remember
seeing him one day on State street, with his head out of a carriage
window, in earnest conversation with a gentleman, and was struck
with the expression of his face." From that recollection he painted
a fine portrait. It is a three-quarter length. A similar portrait, also
by Stuart, is owned by Dr. George A. Bethune, of Boston ; the only

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 223
apparent difference being in the size of the pictures. Dr. Bethune's
is a half-length.
Mrs. McLean's maiden name was Ann Amory, daughter of John
Amory. Her portrait is owned by her nephew, Dr. Bethune.

Merry, Mr. and Mrs.
Mr. Merry was the British minister, and these portraits were
painted in Washington. In connection with the portrait of Mrs.
Merry, the following was found among Mr. Stuart's papers :
" Mr. Merry presents his best compliments to Mr. Stuart, and
begs leave to accompany the enclosed notes (for $200), with his
acknowledgments, for the valuable portrait of Mrs. Merry, on which
Mr. Stuart has had the goodness to exert his known talents with so
much success."
Washington, July 3d, 1805.
When they returned to England they probably took the pictures
with them. Mieres, Mr. and Mrs.
Miercher, Mr. and Mrs. Peter.
Their portraits were painted in 1 798. At that time Stuart
was residing at Germantown, a distance of eight miles from
Philadelphia, and during the sittings Mr. and Mrs. Miercher
drove daily to and from the studio. Mrs. Miercher's maiden
name was Maria Snowder. These portraits are owned by Miss
Estelle Miercher, Philadelphia.

224 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Mifflin, General Thomas.
He is dressed in a general's uniform ; his hair white and flow
ing ; his complexion ruddy, and on his face there is a pleasant
expression. Owned by F. E. Dixon, Esq., of Farley, Bridgewater,
Bucks County, Penn., a son-in-law of the late George Mifflin Dal
las, to whose father, the late Alexander James Dallas, General
Mifflin presented the picture.
Thomas Mifflin was born in Philadelphia in 1744, of quaker
parents. He was graduated by the college in Philadelphia, after
wards the University of Pennsylvania. In 1772 he was elected one
of the two burgesses to represent the city in the General Assembly
of the Colony, and two years later a delegate to the first Congress.
On Washington's appointment as commander-in-chief of the army,
he selected Mifflin as his aid-de-camp, and the two journeyed
together to the camp at Cambridge. A few months later he was
commissioned by Congress a brigadier-general. He did yeoman
service in the cause of his country in the gloomy closing months
of '76, by exhorting the militia of his native city and state to come
forward in the defense of their country. Early in 'jy he was pres
ent at the battle of Princeton, and in February Congress made
him a major-general. In the fall of 1 783, then a member of Con
gress, he was chosen president, and in this capacity received from
Washington the resignation of his commission as commander-in-
chief — a striking coincident, taken in connection with his first service
eight years before. He was a member of the convention, called in
1787, to frame a constitution for the United States, and the next
year he became the president of the Supreme Executive Council of
Pennsylvania. He was president of the convention called to reform
the plan of Government of the state, and was the first governor
elected under the new constitution. A great sufferer for many years
from gout, he died after a short confinement at Lancaster, then the

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 225
seat of government of the state, on the 20th of January, 1800.
General Mifflin possessed a gay and generous temper and extraor
dinary powers of conversation, which, with his frank, popular man
ners, gave him a magnetic influence over his fellow -citizens and
friends. C. H. H.
f Morris, Mr. and Mrs. Robert.
The head in the portrait of Mrs. Morris is the only part finished.
It came into the possession of the late Mr. Beaumont, of New-
York, in 1836, and at the sale of his pictures it was bought by Mr.
James Lenox. The coloring is as brilliant as when first spread
upon the canvas. It is said to have been the last female head on
which Stuart worked. It displays a handsome, vigorous face, much
resembling her only brother, the late Bishop White. It is now in
the Lenox Gallery.
The portrait of Robert Morris, who was born in 1 734, and died
in 1806, is owned by the daughter of his son, Thomas Morris, at
Bay Ridge, Long Island. A copy of it is owned by Mr. Charles
Henry Hart, of Philadelphia, and for his memoir of Robert Morris
it has been engraved. The picture — 24x30 — is a full face, with
flowing hair. The expression is very fine, and the full character of
the man is portrayed in the face. It is what would be called "a
speaking likeness," and was painted in 1795. A replica is in the
possession of his granddaughter, Miss Nixon, of Philadelphia.
See Penn. Mag. of Hist, and Biog., vol. 1, p. 333.

* Morton, Mrs. Perez.
There are two portraits of this gifted woman, and, possibly,
three, painted by Stuart. For the first, Mrs. Morris sat to Stuart;
the other he painted without sittings, at the request of Counsellor
29

226 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Dunn, and at his death his family sent it to Mrs. Morton. It is on
a panel. These pictures are in the possession of Rev. J. H. Clinch,
East Boston. Mrs. Clinch was the granddaughter of Mrs. Morton.
The finished picture has always been considered one of Stuart's
finest works. Mrs. Morton was called the American Sappho. She
and her friends were greatly pleased with the picture, and after it
was finished she addressed the following lines to the painter. They
appeared in the Portfolio of 1803.

To Mr. Stuart,
On his Portrait of Mrs. M.
Stuart, thy portrait speaks with skill divine:
Round the light Graces flows the waving line,
Expression in its finest utterance lives,
And a new language to creation gives.
Each varying trait the gifted artist shows,
Wisdom majestic in his bending brows ;
The warrior's open front, his eye of fire,
As when the charms of bashful youth retire ;
Or patient plodding, and with wealth content,
The man of commerce counts his cent, per cent.
'Tis character that breathes, 'tis soul that twines
Round the rich canvas, trac'd in living lines,
Speaks in the face, as in the form display'd,
Warms in the .tint and mellows in the shade.
Those touching graces and that front sublime,
Thy hand shall rescue from the spoil of Time ;
Thence the fair victim scorns the threatening rage,
And stealing steps of slow advancing age ;
Still on her cheek the rose of beauty blows,
Her lips full tint its breathing sweetness shows:
Like the magician's wand, thy pencil gives
Its potent charm, and every feature lives;

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 227
Quick as the powerful eye's transcending ray
Steals its soft glance, and bids the heart obey,
Thy fine perceptions flow, by heaven design'd,
To reach the thought, and pierce the unfolded mind:
Through its swift course the rapid feeling, trace,
And stamp the sovereign Passion on the face.
E'en me, by no enlivening grace array'd,
Me, born to linger in affliction's shade,
Hast thou, kind artist, with attraction drest,
With all that Nature in my soul express'd.
Go on — and may reward thy cares attend,
The friend of Genius must remain thy friend;
Though sordid minds with impious touch presume
To blend thy laurels with the cypress gloom,
With tears of grief its shining leaves to fade,
Its fair hopes withering in the cheerless shade,
The well-earn'd meed with sparing hand deny,
And on thy talents gaze with dubious eye.
Genius is Sorrow's xhild, to Want allied,
Consol'd by Glory and sustain'd by Pride;
Unknown — unfelt — unshelter'd — uncaress'd —
In walks of life where worldly passions rest."

Stuart immediately replied as follows :

To Mrs. M-

Who would not glory in the wreath of praise,
Which M  n offers in her polished lays ?
I feel their cheering influence at .my heart,
And more complacent I review my art ;
Yet, ah, with Poesy, that gift divine,
Compar'd, how poor, how impotent is mine !

228 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
What though my pencil trace the hero's form,
Trace the soft female cheek, with beauty warm :
No farther goes my power : 'tis thine to spread
Glory's proud .ensign o'er the hero's head ;
'Tis thine to give the chief a deathless name,
And tell to ages yet unborn his fame —
'Tis thine to future period to convey
Beauty enshrin'd in some immortal lay.
No faithful portrait now Achilles shows,
With Helen's matchless charms no canvas glows ;
But still in Homer's mighty verse portrayed,
Ne'er can her beauty or his glory fade.
Nor wonder, if in tracing charms like thine,
Thought and expression blend a rich design:
'Twas heaven itself that blended in thy face,
The lines of Reason with the lines of Grace;
'Twas heaven that bade the swift idea rise,
Paint thy soft cheek, and sparkle in thine eyes:
Invention there could justly claim no part,
I only boast the copyist's humble art.
Mid varied scenes of life, howe'er deprest,
This blest reflection still shall soothe my breast;
M  n commends — and this alike outweighs
The vulgar's censure, or the vulgar's praise.
With such distinction, wrapt in proud content,
No more my adverse fortune I lament:
Enough for me that she extends the meed,
Whose approbation is applause indeed."

Moses, Mr. and Mrs. Solomon.
These portraits were painted in 1806, and are owned by Mr.
Horace Moses, 1429 Chestnut street, Philadelphia.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 229

* Motley, Thomas.
. This picture was begun by Stuart about 1825, and then thrown
aside. It was secured by the family, and is now in the possession
of the daughter of Mr. Motley, Mrs. L. W. Rodman.

* Monroe, James.
A portrait of President Monroe is owned by Mr. A. A. Low,
Brooklyn, N. Y., one is owned by Mr. T. Jefferson Coolidge, Bos
ton, and there is one in Washington.
President Monroe sat to Stuart in Boston. A few days after his
arrival in that city, he went out early one morning in his carriage
to sit to the painter. A stranger in the place, he stopped a coun
tryman seated in his cart, and asked him to direct him to Mr.
Stuart's house. The countryman looked steadily at him for a
moment, and then exclaimed, " It is the President, I vow ! "
Instantly taking off his hat, he gave three loud .and hearty cheers,
and then drove off, leaving the President unanswered and astonished.
This anecdote is taken from the Salem Register of that date — 181 7.

Murray, John R.
His portrait, painted about 1800, at which time he was not far
from twenty-seven years of age, is owned by his son, Mr. John R.
Morris, of Mount Morris, New- York. It has always been con
sidered an excellent likeness, and is in an excellent state of
preservation.

230 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Murray, Mrs. and Miss.
Mrs. Murray was the sister of Winthrop Sargent, the first
governor of Mississippi. The portraits are owned by Mrs. W.
Butler Duncan, New- York, and are in Stuart's best style.

Newton, Edward.
Owned by Mr. Edward N. Perkins, Jamaica Plain, Mass.
Nicholas, Governor Wilson C. N.
His portrait was painted in Philadelphia. At that time he
was a member of Congress from Virginia. It is owned by his
grandson, J. Louis Smith, of Harmony Village, Middlesex Co., Va.

Nicklin, Philip 24 x 30.
Faces to the right. It represents a fine-looking man of about
forty, with blue eyes and powdered hair, dressed in a blue coat
with brass buttons, and a large white neckerchief.
Mr. Nicklin was a native of Staffordshire, England; came to
this country and settled in Philadelphia, where he entered into
mercantile pursuits. In 1786 he became a contributor to the
Pennsylvania Hospital, and was treasurer of the society of the
Sons of St. George from 1797 to 1799, in which latter year he

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 23 1
was elected vice-president, and continued to hold the office until
his death. Mr. Nicklin died November 1st, 1806, in his forty-
seventh year, and was buried in St. Peter's burying-ground, but
no stone marks his grave. He was married April 1st, 1793, by
Bishop White, to Julianna, daughter of Chief-Justice Chew, and
was the father of Mrs. George M. Dallas, and of Philip Hol-
brook Nicklin, author of "A Pleasant Peregrination through the
Prettiest Parts of Pennsylvania. By Peregrine Prolix." C. H. H.

Nicklin, Mrs. Philip, 24 x 30.
Faces to the left. She is seated in a red velvet chair, with
her hands crossed upon her lap, holding in the left a book with
her fore-finger between two open pages. She is* dressed in thin
white muslin, cut surplice, with a ruffle around the neck. She
wears a gold necklace, set with pearls and a pendent cross.
Around her waist a blue sash is tied. From this picture she
must have been an exceedingly handsome woman, of dignified
mien, and with her head set beautifully upon her shoulders. The
complexion is brilliant, the eyes deep blue, and the hair pow
dered. It is one of Stuart's best pictures; quite equal to his
portrait of Mrs. Peters.
Mrs. Nicklin was the fourth child of Benjamin Chew, — some
time Chief-Justice of Pennsylvania, — by his second wife Elizabeth
Oswald, and was born April 8th, 1765. Mrs. Nicklin survived
her husband many years, dying in Philadelphia in the summer
of 1845, in her eighty-first year. The two portraits of Mr. and
Mrs. Nicklin are now in the possession of their granddaughter,
Mrs. Charlotte Dallas Morrell, of West Philadelphia, Pa.
C. H. H.

232 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Nicols, Henry, b. December, 1746, d. January, 1831.
He was a gentleman of great refinement, and noted for his
hospitality at his mansion on the Eastern shore of Maryland. It is
related of him that in 1799 (there must be an error in the date, for
Stuart was not then in Boston) he determined to have his portrait
painted by Stuart, and to this end, attended by his body-servant
he drove from Baltimore to Boston in his own carriage, giving three
weeks to the journey. Stuart rewarded his enthusiasm by painting
a remarkably fine head of him, which picture is now in the posses
sion of his grand-nieces, Misses Troup, of Baltimore.

t Nixon, Colonel John, d. December 31, 1808, aged 76 years.
He was an officer of the Revolution, took part in the battle
of Princeton, and held several offices of trust in Philadelphia.
His portrait, painted prior to 1800, is owned by Mr. Henry
Cramond, of that city.

Northumberland, Duke of, and his two children.
When Stuart was ready to begin the portraits of the children, he
asked the Duke if he had any particular fancy about the composi
tion of the picture. The Duke replied : " I think my girl has found
out that she is very pretty, and her brother, who has also discov
ered it, like a true boy, is fond of teasing her about it." Stuart
took the hint, and painted a picture of the girl looking at herself in
the water, while the boy behind her is throwing a stone into the
pool to spoil the mirror.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 233
Ogden, — : — .
Oliver, John.
His portrait, a florid one, is owned by his niece, Miss Emily O.
Gibbes, Newport, R. I.

Oliver, Robert.
He was a brother of John, and his portrait is owned by his
niece, Mrs. Edwin A. Post, of New- York. John and Robert Oliver
made their home in Baltimore.

* Oliver, Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer.
Ormand, Lady.
Painted in Ireland.
Orne, William, b. 1761, d. October 15th, 18 15.
He was a very successful East India merchant, of Salem, and
was about fifty years of age when he sat to Stuart His portrait
descended to his son, the late William W. Orne, and it is now
in the possession of his widow, Mrs. Lucy G. Orne, Springfield,
Mass. 30

234 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Ossory, Lord Bishop.
His portrait was painted in Dublin. While sitting to Stuart,
" the Bishop," writes Miss Stuart, " thought he would give the con
versation a religious turn, believing it to be a duty to improve
every moment of his valuable time. Stuart painted away until he
came to the lower part of the face, and not caring to be lectured
any longer, bowed and politely said, ' Will your lordship please close
your mouth,' a request with which the Bishop at once complied,
while an amused expression passed over his face. Notwithstanding
this rebuff, he admired the artist, and at parting presented him with
a valuable snuff-box, made of tortoise shell and mounted with silver.
Since Stuart's death this snuff-box has been presented to the Boston
Art Museum."
The above anecdote has been erroneously credited to Jarvis, but
it properly belongs to Stuart. It calls to mind another story of
Stuart. He was painting the portrait of a very beautiful woman
who was a great talker. When the picture was nearly finished she
asked permission to look at it, and on seeing it, exclaimed, "Why,
Mr. Stuart, you have painted me with my mouth open ! " " Mad
am," said he, " your mouth is always open." The portrait he never
finished, for he would never after touch it

Otis, Mr. and Mrs. George Alexander.
Mr. Otis was the translator of Botta's history of " The American
Revolution," and his portrait is now in the possession of his son,
Mr. George A. Otis, Cambridge.
The portrait of Mrs. Otis is owned by Miss Georgiana Otis,
Highland street, Roxbury.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 235
* f Otis, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Gray.
Their portraits, painted about 18 14, are owned by Mr. George
W. Lyman, of Boston. Mrs. Otis is in full dress, and Mr. Otis is
in a morning costume.

Otis, Samuel Alleyne, b.-Nov. 24th, 1740, d. April 22d, 1814.
He was the father of Harrison Gray Otis, and the portrait, a
remarkably fine one, is in the possession of Mrs. James W. Otis,
14 West 1 2th street, New- York. Mr. Otis was a member of Con
gress in 1788, and after the adoption of the Constitution he held
the office of Secretary of State up to the time of his death. His
portrait was painted about the year 1800.

Paine, Robert Treat.

* Parker, D. P., b. August 30th, 1781, d. August 31st, 1850.
Mr. Parker was the father of Mrs. Edmund Quincy, and his
portrait is now at Dedham, at the residence of the late Edmund
Quincy, whose children have inherited it. Stuart painted a portrait
of Mrs. Parker, but it has been destroyed.

* Parker, John.
His portrait is owned by Mr. E. F. Shimin, Boston.

236 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Parkman, Mr. and Mrs. John.
Their portraits are owned by their grandson, Rev. John Park-
man, Boston. * Parkman, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel.
Mr. Parkman died in 1825, aged 72 years, and Mrs. Parkman
died 1 1 years later. The hair in Mr. Parkman's portrait is pow
dered. These portraits are at the house of Mr. Francis Parkman,
his grandson, Beacon street, Boston. There is another portrait of
Mr. Parkman, by Stuart, painted when the hand of the artist
had become enfeebled by sickness and age. It is very inferior
to the above. Mr. Parkman was the donor to the city of Boston
of the fine picture by Stuart, known as Washington at Dorches
ter Heights. * f Parsons, Chief-Justice, b. 1750, d. 1813.
His portrait was painted after death. This was easily done, for
Stuart knew him intimately and had often dined with him. The sketch
was made at the request of the Judge's brother, William. It is an
unfinished head, but as a whole it is an admirable likeness. From
it Stuart painted a finished picture for Mr. William Parsons, and
it is thought that he made one or two copies of it One is owned
by Mr. J. Lewis Stackpole, Boston. The sketch was subsequently
engraved for the Memoir of Chief-Justice Parsons, written by his
son, Professor Parsons; but before this was done it was necessary
to paint in the eyes, a work that was intrusted to Alexander, the
artist. This book is now out of print, and the plate was destroyed
in the great fire in Boston.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 237
Patten, Miss Sally.
This is the portrait of a plump, rosy-cheeked child of seven years,
and is now owned by her daughter, Mrs. George Hollingsworth, of
Mattapan, Mass. Patterson, William.
He was a merchant, and the circumstance attending the painting of
his portrait has already been alluded to. His daughter became the
wife of Jerome Bonaparte, of Baltimore. His portrait is owned by
Mrs. Edward Patterson, the widow of his son, a venerable lady of
eighty years.
It is said there was also a portrait of Mrs. Patterson by Stuart.

Penington, Miss Ann.
Miss Penington was half-sister to Elizabeth (Harvey) Wister, wife
of John Wister, deceased, and made her home in New Jersey. It is
owned by Mr. John Wister, who, with his sisters, resides in the old
house in Germantown. Mr. William Rotch Wister says of the por
trait : " It is in excellent preservation, and is rich in color. It was
said by my grandmother to be an excellent likeness, and it was no
doubt painted for Miss Penington for the purpose of presentation to
my godmother." Penington, Mr. and Mrs. Edward.
Mr. Penington's portrait is owned by Mrs. John Penington, of
Philadelphia, and that of Mrs. Penington is the property of Mrs.
Robert Smith, of that city.

238 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* Perkins, James, b. March 30th, 1761, d. August 1st, 1822.
He was a benefactor of Harvard College, and his name is asso
ciated with the founding of the Boston Athenaeum. This portrait
was painted after his death. It is owned by his grandson, Mr.
Edward N. Perkins, Boston, who has related to me the following
anecdote, told him by his great-uncle, the late Colonel Thomas H.
Perkins. It illustrates Stuart's great power of memory and his keen
observation. "About the time of my grandfather's death he was sitting to
Stuart for his portrait, which was supposed by his brother and the
family to be in a forward state, and, indeed, nearly finished. After
his death, he having died very suddenly from pneumonia, Colonel
Perkins called at the studio, and was very much disappointed to
find that the artist had only a mere sketch on his easel. The
fact was, the hours given to sittings had been passed in con
versation, for the two were well acquainted, and the result was
the faithful memorial of one so dear, which my uncle had counted on
seeing, did not exist. After some words of explanation from Stuart,
the Colonel, being very indignant, left the studio, saying, 'Very
well, Mr. Stuart, you have inflicted an irreparable loss by your
dilatoriness, and I never shall enter your studio again." He
accordingly left without hearing the artist's explanations. Some
weeks passed, when they met by chance one day in the street, and
Stuart, who had been • busy painting on the portrait from memory,
begged the Colonel to reconsider his resolution. To make a long
story short, my uncle yielded, and, as he told me, ' I entered the
studio, and there on the easel I saw the perfect portrait of my dear
brother, which (pointing to the picture on the wall) now hangs
before you.' "
A copy of this picture, made by Stuart, is now owned by the
Athenaeum, but it is not as good as the original.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 239
Perkins, Thomas.
He was a merchant, and his portrait is owned by Mr. William
P. Perkins, 34 Mount Vernon street, Boston.
Perkins, Mrs. Anna Dummer.
Her portrait is owned by her daughter, Mrs. Henry B. Rogers,
5 Jay street, Boston.
Perkins, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Handasyde.
Mr. Perkins was born in 1764, and died in 1854. Mrs. Perkins,
whose maiden name was Sarah Elliot, daughter of Simon Elliot, of
Brookline, died in 1852. Their portraits are in the possession of
Mrs. T. G. Cary, Boston. Mrs. Perkins wears a turban and the
short-waisted dress of the early part of the century. Mr. Perkins'
portrait must have been painted just at the close of Stuart's life.
There is another portrait of him, owned by Mrs. William Howard
Gardiner, 17 Marlborough street, Boston. It was taken at a com
paratively early age, as his hair is worn in a cue.
f Perry, Commodore O. H., U. S. N.
His portrait is owned by . his grandson, Mr. Oliver H. Perry,
Lowell, Mass. Perviance, Mrs. William Y.
«
This was an early portrait, thought at one time to be in Balti
more, but no clue to it has been found. She was an English lady
of great beauty, who lived and died in New- York.

240 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Peters, Mrs. Richard.
She is seated before a table, on which there are writing mate
rials; her hands are folded across her lap, and her hair is powdered.
The portrait, a very beautiful face, and exquisitely painted, at about
the age of thirty-five, is in the possession of her daughter, Miss
Nancy Bingham Peters, of Philadelphia.
Mrs. Peters was Abigail Willing, the ninth child and fifth daugh
ter of Thomas Willing, and was born May 13th, 1777. Louis
Philippe, when sojourning an exile in this country, is said to have
sought her hand, but she refused his offer, and married Richard
Peters, Jr., sometime reporter to the Supreme Court of the United
States. He was the son of Washington's friend, Judge Richard
Peters, of Belmont. Mrs. Peters died in Philadelphia, October 29th,
1841. C. H. H.
Phillips, Lieut. -Governor William.
There is a good portrait of him in the Massachusetts General
Hospital, of which institution he was a benefactor.
Phillips, Mrs.
Phillips, Sophia Chew.
* f Pickering, Colonel and Mrs. Timothy.
Colonel Pickering, who sat to Stuart a number of times, was
born July 17th, 1745, and died January 29th, 1829. A portrait

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 241
of him, painted in 1808, for the late William Pratt, of Boston, whose
wife was a niece of Colonel Pickering, is now in the possession of
Miss Mary Pratt, Mr. Pratt's only surviving daughter, Mount Ver
non street, Boston. In 18 14 Colonel Pickering sat to Stuart for a
portrait for the late Alexander C. Hanson, of Maryland. This pict
ure is now owned by Mrs. Thomas Donaldson (granddaughter of
Colonel Pickering, and daughter of Mrs. Hammond Dorsey). Mr.
Hanson, a warm personal friend of Colonel Pickering, married a
sister of Hammond Dorsey. Mention has already been made of
this portrait. The portrait of Colonel Pickering, owned by Miss
Pratt, was engraved in 1873, for the Life of Colonel Pickering.
Mrs. Pickering's maiden name was Rebecca White. Her por
trait was painted by Stuart for her son, the late Henry Pickering,
and is now owned by his nephew, Mr. Henry W. Pickering, 249
Beacon street, Boston.

Plumstead, Mr. and Mrs. George.
Their portraits, painted in 1800, are owned by C. R. Plumstead,
1 1 22 Girard street, Philadelphia.

Porter, Mrs. W.

Porter, Mrs. William.
She was Miss Field, of New- York. After her death it was given
by her husband to Mrs. William H. McLellan, of Boston, the
present owner.
31

242 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* Powell, Mrs. Ann Catharine.
Her portrait was bequeathed to Mr. Jonathan Mason (she was
his grandfather's second wife), and by him given to his daughter,
Mrs. Alice Mason.
* Prescott, Judge William, b. 1762, d. 1844.
His portrait is owned by his daughter, Mrs. Franklin Dexter,
who has it at her house, Beverly, Mass. This is said to have been
the last portrait on which Stuart painted.
Another portrait of Judge Prescott, painted by Stuart, is owned
by the heirs of the late James Lawrence.
Preston,  .

There was a portrait of one of the family at one time in New
Orleans. f Priestley, Dr. Joseph.
He earnestly espoused the cause of the Democrats when he
came to this country, and opposed the Federalists with the most
determined spirit. In 1840 there was a portrait of him in Liver
pool, owned by Mr. T. B. Barclay, which has been engraved. It is
also said there is a portrait of him in Pennsylvania, owned by mem
bers of the Priestley family.
* f Quincy, Mr. and Mrs. Josiah.
The first portrait of Mr. Quincy, who was born February 4th,
1772, and died July 1st, 1864, was painted in 1806, when he was

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 243
thirty-four years of age. It is a half-length, and one of the most
finished of Stuart's pictures. That of Mrs. Quincy, whose maiden
name was Eliza Susan Morton, was painted at the same time. She
was born September 21st, 1775, married June 6th, 1797, and died
at Quincy, September 1st, 1850. Their portraits are at Dedham, in
the possession of the family of the late Edmund Quincy, of that
place. Permission has been granted me to make the following extract,
from a letter from Miss Eliza Susan Quincy, touching the Quincy
family portraits :
" The rest of the family were satisfied with the portrait painted in
1806, but I thought there ought to be another, at the age of fifty-
two years. My father complied with my request, promised to give
me the portrait, and in November, 1824, I accompanied him to the
house of Mr. Stuart, in Essex street, Boston. He was gratified that
Mr. Quincy, in the midst of his engagements as mayor, and in the
erection of Faneuil Hall market, was willing to give him time for a
portrajt. His canvas was ready on his easel, a bold outline was
sketched in chalk, and while conversing rapidly, Mr. Stuart began to
put on his colors, apparently at random, but of course every touch
told. Presently a bright shade of blue appeared in the upper part
of the canvas, and Mr. Stuart said to me, ' Your father is an active
man, and likes to be in the open air ; he shall have blue sky behind
his head. Few artists would attempt to give effect to a portrait with
such a light background. It is a bold effort ; but I will try it'
" I asked if he had any particular mode or rule for mixing his
colors : He said, ' No, I mix them as I put sugar in my tea ;
according to my taste. The whole theory of shadow may be taught
by a billiard ball — the simplest object I can think of. Lay it on a
table and draw it. You first sketch a circle ; you then look at it,
and see there is one light, one shadow, and one transparent reflec
tion ; on the gradation of these all painting depends. My rule for a
portrait is, one-third light, one third dark, and one-third demi-tint'

244 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
" Mr. Stuart asked for the elevation and plan of the new mar
ket, as he intended to represent Mr. Quincy as seated at a window
of Faneuil Hall, commanding a view of the edifice.
"This portrait remained at Mr. Stuart's studio till May, 1825,
when I told him that Allston had said ' the head was worthy of the
old masters.' He replied, with a sharp glance of his piercing eye,
' And am not I an old master, Miss Quincy ? You deserve half the
credit of the portrait, as you persuaded your father to sit to me a
second time. You must always say that we painted that portrait'
"As Mr. Stuart chose to represent Mr. Quincy as the mayor, I
intended to give this portrait to Faneuil Hall, but as that edifice
was deemed unsafe, in 1876 I presented it to the Museum of Fine
Arts, as my gift to the city of Boston.
" To the deep regret of the family, there is no portrait of
my grandfather, Josiah Quincy, Jr. [He was born in Boston,
February, 1744, and died at sea, near the entrance to Gloucester
Harbor, April 26th, 1775.] There was an engraving that his
widow, Mrs. Abigail Quincy, considered an excellent likeness.
This print Stuart had declined to copy ; but after reading the
memoir of J. Quincy, Jr., published in 1825, he said: 'I must
paint the portrait of that man,' and requested that the print, and
the portrait of his brother, Samuel Quincy, by Copley, should
be sent to his studio.
" Stuart expressed a wish to see the family portraits at Quincy,
and on the 1st of October, 1825, came here with Mr. I. P.
Davis. As he entered the house my father said : ' Here is a
family, Mr. Stuart, who are looking to you for a head.' He
appeared much pleased, and said : ' It is seventeen years since I
was here last, and I am very glad to find myself here again.'
He admired the portrait of Colonel Josiah Quincy, of Braintree,
painted by Copley in 1769.
"Seeing a print of the 'Battle of the Boyne,' Mr. Stuart
said : ' I was studying with West when he painted that picture,

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 245
and I had to lie on the floor, dressed in armor, for hours, for
him to paint me in the foreground as the Duke of Schomberg.
At last West said: "Are you dead, Stuart?" "Only half, sir," was
the reply : and my answer was true, for the stiffness of the
armor almost deprived me of sensation. Then I had to sit for
hours on a horse belonging to King George, to represent King
William. After the picture was finished, an Irishman came into
West's room and said, looking at the painting : " You have got
the battle-ground there correct enough ; but where is the monu
ment? I was in Ireland the other day, and saw it." He
expected to see the monument of a battle in the representation
of its commencement'
" These reminiscences were interrupted by the entrance of Mr.
John Quincy Adams, who had arrived the day previous, on a
visit to his father, for the first time as President of the United
States, and who had that morning accepted an invitation from
Mr. Quincy to dine at his house and meet Mr. Stuart. Mr.
Adams was in fine spirits, gave Mr. Stuart a cordial greeting,
and conversed with animation. Speaking of the departure of
Lafayette, and of the arrangement for his voyage, he said :
" ' The first of June the Superintendent of the Navy Yard
came to inform me that the frigate, then on the stocks, was
nearly ready to be launched, and that they called her the Susque
hanna. I told him to apprize me of the day, as I intended to
be launched in her., Accordingly, on the 16th of June I went
on board the frigate, and when all was ready, and a lieutenant,
with a bottle on a string, asked me her name, I said, " The
Brandy wine." Amazement appeared on every countenance. But
when I explained that the battle of the Brandywine was the
first Lafayette fought in our cause, and in which he was wounded,
and that I intended to send him to France in this frigate, appro
bation and pleasure became universal. The next day, the 17th
of June, I wrote to Lafayette, expressing my regret that I could

246 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
not be with him on Bunker Hill on that day ; but to prove that
we had been thinking of him at Washington, I mentioned the name
of the frigate to be placed at his command for the voyage home.
His reply to me was that he was indeed highly delighted.'
" Every one present listened with great interest to the conver
sation of the President, on this and many other subjects ; and
before he parted with Mr. Stuart, they arranged a day when his
portrait, at full length, — now in Memorial Hall, Cambridge, — should
be begun. " In the evening Mr. Stuart took leave of Mr. and Mrs. Quincy,
in a graceful and courteous manner, saying : ' I have had a delight
ful day, and hope it will not be seventeen years before I am here
again.' " Mr. Stuart painted the portrait of Josiah Quincy, Jr., without
delay, and soon requested his sister, Mrs. Storer, then eighty
years of age, to come and see it. She thought a good likeness
had been obtained, and made some criticisms, which were adopted.
According to his promise, Mr. Stuart finished the portrait in
November, and on the morning of Thanksgiving day, when Mrs.
Quincy requested it, he sent it to Hamilton place (then the winter
residence of the family), saying : ' There, take your picture, and I
hope you will all be happy together.'
"After regarding this portrait steadily for some time, the late
Jonathan Mason, of Boston, who studied law in the office of J.
Quincy, Jr., in 1770, said: 'Stuart has given you seven-eighths of
a likeness ; ' and it was also recognized by two of his other contem
poraries, who had seen him in London in 1774. It hung in the
President's house, in Cambridge, for sixteen years. In May, 1829,
when Mr. Webster brought Mr. Wirt to visit Mrs. Quincy, he
advanced to the portrait and said : ' Mr. Wirt, Josiah Quincy, Jr., of
whom you have heard so much,' as if he were introducing them to
each other. Mr. Wirt also approached the picture and said : ' It
is not the spirit that vapors within these walls,' etc., and recited

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 247
Mr. Quincy's speech in the Old South, on the 16th of December,
1773 — the night of the destruction of tea in Boston harbor."
This picture is now in the possession of the Quincy family.
The full length portrait of President John Quincy Adams, above
referred to, has already been noticed under its proper head.

Rainier, Admiral Peter.
Painted in England. After his death it descended to his
nephew, who bore his name, and to whom he left a large fortune.

Rawle, Mrs. William.
Mr. Rawle was the attorney of the United States for the Dis
trict of Pennsylvania at the time that Stuart was painting in Phila
delphia. For him Stuart painted a portrait of Washington, already
noticed, and one of Mrs. Rawle, which last is now in the posses
sion of Mr. Francis W. Rawle, of Fairfield Farm, Lycoming County,
Penn. Reed, Mrs.
*Reid, J.
Reigard, Mrs.
This is an unfinished head, upon a mahogany panel, and is
now at Lancaster, Penn. Mrs. Reigard was the daughter of
Wager, the wine merchant of Philadelphia, with whom Stuart had
dealings, and of whom mention is made by Dunlap.

248 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Reignold, George.
Owned by H. D. Sherwood, Philadelphia.
* Revere, Mr. and Mrs. Paul.
Paul Revere, who was born in 1735 and died in 1818, was an
engraver, a colonel of artillery, a grand master of the society of
Free Masons, and a patriot, — one whose name is intimately associ
ated with the struggle for Independence. He was alive to the
wants of others, and was the first president of the Massachusetts
Charitable Society. These portraits are now in the possession of
their grandson, Mr. John Revere, Boston.
Revere, Joseph W.
He was the son of Paul, and his portrait is owned by his son,
Mr. John Revere, Boston. * Reynolds, Dr. Edward.
His portrait, loaned at the time of the exhibition of the Stuart
pictures in 1828, was never returned, and no trace of it has ever
been found. f Reynolds, Sir Joshua, b. July 16th, 1723, d. 1792.
His portrait was painted in 1 784, for Alderman Boydell, and was
afterwards purchased for two hundred and fifty guineas by Lord
Inchiquin.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 249
* Rice, Colonel Nathan.
An officer of distinction in the Revolution. His portrait is
owned by his grandson, Mr. Benjamin T. Rice, Millbury, Mass.
Richards, Mr. and Mrs. John.
In the possession of Mr. Francis E. Richards, Gardiner, Maine.
Ridgeley, Colonel, U. S. A.
Ritchie, Mrs. Andrew.
She was a very beautiful West Indian. Her maiden name was
Durant After her death, Mr. Ritchie gave the picture to his inti
mate friend and classmate, Hon. James T. Austin, who in turn
gave it to his son-in-law, Dr. George H. Lyman, Boston, who now
has it at his house, 131 Boylston street.
Rivington James.
He was a printer and bookseller, and during the revolution he
gave the title of Royal Gazette to his paper. He was then known
as " Printer to the King." At the time that his portrait was painted
by Stuart he was residing in Philadelphia. The picture, now owned
by Mr. William H. Appleton, New- York, was purchased by him at
the John Hunter, of Hunter's Island, sale. There is a copy of the
picture, but not by Stuart, in the rooms of the New- York Histori
cal Society. 32

250 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Robinson, Mrs.
Formerly Miss Stewart, half-sister of Mrs. Thomas Law. Her
mother was the second wife of John Parke Custis. The picture
is owned by Mrs. George Goldsborough, of Talbot County,
Maryland. Rodman, Mrs.

Rodney, Lord, b. 1718, d. 1792.
From this picture a bronze statue was modeled.
* Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Dennison.
Mrs. Rogers, born 1763, and died 1833, was Miss Elizabeth Broom-
field, daughter of Henry Broomfield. The portrait was taken when
she was quite young. She is seated on a red chair, dressed in
white, with a white lace scarf pinned in her hair and falling around
her figure. It is owned by Mrs. Walter C. Cabot, Brookline. The
portrait of Mr. Rogers is owned by Mr. John Rogers, Boston
Highlands.
* Russell, Nathaniel Pope, b. August 15th, 1779, d. July 3d, 1848.
His portrait was painted about 18 18, and is a remarkably fine
specimen of Stuart's work. He is seated in the conventional studio
chair, with a table and writing implements before him. Mr. Russell,
who was the treasurer of the Bunker Hill Monument Association,
was descended from a family that settled in Boston in 1680. He

PttOTO&RAYURE &IMP GOUP1L& C:

Elizabeth Willing
(Mrs. Jackson)

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 251
held many offices of trust in Boston, and took an active part in the
state and city government. His portrait is owned by his son, Mr.
Samuel H. Russell, Boston. * Russell, Mrs. Joseph.
*
She was Miss Lydia Smith, and her portrait was probably
painted before her marriage. It is owned by Mrs. G. B. Upton, of
Boston. Rutledge, Miss Mary, of South Carolina.
All traces of this picture were lost during the recent war.

* Salisbury, Deacon Samuel, of Boston, b. November 29th, 1739,
d. May 2d, 1818.
* Salisbury, Stephen, of Worcester, b. Sept., 1749, d. May nth, 1829.
* Salisbury, Mrs. Elizabeth, b. Jan. 10th, 1768, d. Oct. 19th, 185 1.
Samuel and Stephen were brothers, and Mrs. Salisbury was the
wife of Stephen. The above portraits are owned by Hon. Samuel
Salisbury, son of Stephen. That of Stephen was painted in 1823.
Stuart's receipt for one hundred dollars, the amount paid for it, is
dated July 23d of that year, and the picture was ready for delivery
on the 6th of the following September. It is on canvas. The por
traits of Samuel and Mrs. Stephen are on panels, and were painted
earlier, probably in 18 10.
Sargent, Governor and Mrs. Winthrop.
He was the first Governor of Mississippi. Their portraits, painted
about 1805, are owned by Mrs. W. Butler Duncan, of New- York.

252 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* Savage, Mrs. Samuel, b. March 24th, 1756, d. December 2 2d, 1830.
Her maiden name was Hope Doane, daughter of Colonel Elisha
Doane, of Wellfleet. She was married to Dr. Samuel Savage,
February 18, 1777, and resided at Barnstable during the remainder
of her days. Her portrait, in the possession of her daughter, Mrs.
Lemuel Shaw, 49 Mt. Vernon street, Boston, represents her to have
been a woman of fifty or sixty years of age at the time that it
was painted. It is on a panel.

* Schuyler, Mr. and Mrs. Philip J.
Mr. Schuyler was born at Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, N. Y.,
in 1768, and died in 1835. Mrs. Schuyler, whose maiden name was
Mary Ann Sawyer, daughter of Dr. M. Sawyer, of Newburyport,
was born in 1786, and died in 1852. Their portraits were painted
at about the time of their marriage, 1806, and are now owned by
Mr. George L. Schuyler, of New- York.

* Searle, Mrs.
She resided in Newburyport, and was a sister of Dudley A.
Tyng, whose portrait is spoken of under its proper head. This pict
ure is owned by Mrs. Edward A. Newton, Pittsfield.

* Sears, David, the elder, b. 1753, d. 1816.
His portrait belongs to the heirs of his grandson, the late David
Sears, 3d.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 253

Sears, Mr. and Mrs. David.
Hon. David Sears was the son of David, the elder, born 1787,
and died in 1871. One portrait of him, painted in 1806, was given
to his brother-in-law, Mr. Jonathan Mason, in 1822, on the eve of
his departure for England. This portrait was given by Mr Mason
to a cousin of Mr. Sears, in London, after whom Mr. Knyvet Sears
'was named. Another portrait of Mr. Sears is owned by his daugh
ter, Mrs. William Amory, Boston. Mrs. Sears, whose maiden name
was Miriam Mason, was a daughter of Jonathan Mason. Her por
trait, painted in 1806, is owned by the family of her son, the late
David Sears. A portrait of Mrs. Sears, painted by Stuart in 1809,
is owned by her daughter, Mrs. William Amory, Boston. Mrs.
Sears was born in 1790, and died in 1870. She was one of the
most beautiful women of her day. Stuart painted her several times.
One of the portraits was painted with the eyes looking up — their
finest expression — but for some reason Stuart cut the head out of
the canvas. Sedgwick, Theodore.
He was the first Speaker of the House of Representatives under
Washington. Subsequently he was United States Senator from
Massachusetts, and Judge of the Supreme Court, at Washington.
His portrait is owned by Mrs. S. P. Parker, Stockbridge, Mass., who
inherited it from her Mother, Mrs. Pomeroy, the eldest daughter of
Judge Sedgwick. Selfridge, Thomas O.
His portrait is in the possession of his son, Commodore Thomas
O. Selfridge, U. S. N. It is a fine picture, and was painted in
1814 or 1815.

254 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Serris, D.
Painted in London in 1782.
Seton, William.
Owned by Mr. Burgwynn Maitland, Baltimore. Mr. Seton was
the uncle of " Mother Seton," who founded the order of " Sisters
of Charity " in the United States.
* Shattuck, Dr. George C.
His portrait, painted between the years 18 18 and 1820, is
owned by his son, Dr. George C. Shattuck, Boston.
Shaw, John.
He was a wine merchant, and the owner of the ship in which
Stuart returned to America. Stuart had not the means to pay his
passage, and he agreed to paint Mr. Shaw's portrait. For this
work he had three sittings, on Sundays, for Mr. Shaw was too
much occupied with business to give him any other time. The
picture is now in the possession of his granddaughter, Mrs. John
Foley, 210 East 10th street, New-Yor-k.
* Shaw, Mr. and Mrs. Robert G.
Their portraits were painted in 18 16 or 18 17, when Stuart had
his studio on "the Neck," near Boston. Mr. Shaw was born June

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 255
4th, 1776, and Mrs. Shaw, whose maiden name was Eliza Willard
Parkman, was the youngest daughter of Samuel Parkman. These
pictures are owned by Mrs. George R. Russell, 1 Louisburg Square,
Boston. * Shaw, William Smith.
He took an active part in the formation of the Boston Athe
naeum, and for many years was its librarian. His portrait is owned
by that institution, and justice has been done his memory by
President Quincy, in his history of the Athenaeum.

Shepard, R. D.
This portrait is owned by Mrs. Gorham Brooks, 91 Beacon
street, Boston. t Shippen, Chief- Justice, b. 1729, d. 1806.
When this portrait was sent to New- York a few years ago to
be cleaned, a large price was offered for it and refused. It was
given by Miss Bird, a granddaughter of Judge Shippen, to Mrs.
Julius Izard Pringle, of South Carolina, who disposed of it to the
Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C.

Shippen, Miss Sally.
She was the daughter of Judge Shippen, and became the wife
of Thomas Lee, a lawyer from Dublin, residing in Philadelphia.
She was one of the Queens of Love and Beauty at the Mischianza,
when that city was occupied by the British. Stuart is said to have

256 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
spoken of her as one of the most beautiful women he ever painted.
She lived for many years with her grandmother, Mrs. Luquer, of
Brooklyn, and died at her house, — her last gift to her grandmother
being this portrait. It hangs in Mrs. Luquer's parlor, and is in
fine condition.

Shurtleff, Dr. Benjamin.
His portrait is owned by Dr. Benjamin S. Shaw, Marlborough
street, Boston. Shurtleff, Dr. Samuel A.
Owned by Dr. Augustine Shurtleff, Boylston street, Brookline,
Mass. • Siddons, Mrs.
Painted in England, for her brother-in-law, Mr. Twiss, and said
to be very fine.

* Sigourney, Mrs. Andrew, d. May 19th, 1843, aged yy years.
Her maiden name was Elizabeth Williams, a daughter of Henry
Howell Williams, who owned and occupied Woddle's Island, now
East Boston. His house was then the only one in the neighbor
hood. This portrait became the property of Mr. Andrew J. C.
Sigourney. After his death it was purchased by his widow, who
is now the wife of Surgeon William M. King, U. S. N. The pict
ure will become the property of Miss Martha Sigourney, a daughter
of Mrs. King, and now a minor.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 257
Slade, Mrs.
Her portrait is owned by her son, who resides at Chestnut
Hill, near Boston. Smith, Mrs.
Owned by Mrs. M. J. Rheer, Freehold, N. J.
Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Abiel.
Their portraits are owned by their great-niece, . Mrs. John
Wilson, Framingham. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Barney.
Mr. Smith's portrait is owned by his granddaughter, Mrs. G. B.
Upton, Boston, and Mrs. Smith's is in the possession of another
granddaughter, Miss R. G. Russell.
f Smith, Rev. William, LL.D.
He was Provost of the University of Virginia. The following
interesting paragraph is taken from the Newport (R. I.) Mercury,
of June 25th, 1764, under the head of Philadelphia:
" Late on Wednesday evening, the 6th inst, the Rev. Dr.
Smith, provost of the college of this city, arrived in perfect health,
having come in the Halifax packet in about six weeks, from Fal
mouth. The day following the professors of the college, in their
proper habits, and many of the principal gentlemen of the city, gave
33

258 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
him a most cordial welcome at his house, and on Tuesday last the
Trustees of the college received him at the college, and, after perus
ing the papers and accounts which he laid before them, they did,
by the mouth of the president, return him their unanimous thanks
for the great zeal, ability, and address which he had shown in the
management of the collection, carried on in connection with Sir
James Jay, for this college and that of New- York, by means of
which about ^13,000 sterling will come clearly to be divided
between the two seminaries."
Dr. Smith was painted by West in his youth, and by Stuart in
his old age. This portrait is a large half-length. A theodolite
stands on a table near him, and in the background there is a land
scape. The head is superb. It was well engraved by Edwin, about
1800, and has been engraved of late by a youth named George
Herbert White. The portrait is owned by Dr. Brinton, Philadelphia,
and in the University of Pennsylvania there is a good copy, made
by Mr. E. D. Marchant.
Among Stuart's papers the following letter was found :
"Falls of Schuylkill, February 28th, 1803.
" My dear sir : — By Dr. Rush's order, I am now wholly confined
to my bed-chamber, and the Doctor, my brother, and my friends
who have any regard for me, or business with me, visit me here. I
grow every day weaker, but, thank God, he keeps my mind sound
and my intellect not much impaired. I beg the pleasure and
comfort of a short visit from you in a day or two. My son in two
or three weeks will embark for England ; I shall never see him
again, as I believe. He has consented to sit to you for his picture
before he goes. I shall pay you cash down, as we may agree. An
answer per bearer is requested, by your affectionate,
" Gilbert Stuart, Esq. " Wm. Smith."
Stuart at this time was making his arrangements to go to
Washington, and there. is no evidence that he ever filled the order.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 259
Smith, Henry.
His portrait is owned by his niece, Miss R. G. Russell.
Smith, General and Mrs. Samuel.
General Smith was an officer of the Revolution. His portrait
was painted while Congress was holding its sessions in Philadelphia.
In it he is dressed in the Continental uniform, and on his breast he
has the order of the Cincinnati. Mrs. Smith wears a black silk, cut
surplice, with short sleeves. These pictures were given by General
Smith to his son, John S. Smith, of Baltimore, who gave them to
his daughter, Mrs. Robert Hill Carter, of Albemarle, Va., the pres
ent owner. Smith, Colonel William, b. 1751.
Colonel Smith was on the staff of Washington all through the
war, and when the Society of the Cincinnati was organized he took
a prominent part in its affairs. He was married to Abigail Adams
in London, by the Bishop of St. Asaph. At that time he was sec
retary of Legation, Mr. Adams being minister to the Court of St.
James. The above portrait, painted in early life, is now in the
possession of his niece, Mrs. A. M. King, Newport, R. I.
t Sparks, Jared, b. May 10th, 1789, d. March 14th, 1868.
He became the president of Harvard College in 1849, and
resigned in 1853. Of him it was said by Lord Campbell, in the
House of Lords, he was "the first of living writers on the law."

260 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
His portrait, of which the head alone is finished, was painted in
1827-8, just at the close of Stuart's own life. It is owned by Mrs.
Parks, Cambridge, and has been engraved.

Spring, Mrs. Marshall B., b. 1791, d. 1825.
She was Miss Willing, of Philadelphia, and after her marriage,
in 18 16, she resided in Boston. Her portrait was painted in or
about 1820. It was the property of Mrs. Peter, wife of Judge
Peter, of Philadelphia, and the aunt of Mrs. Spring. The picture
now belongs to Mrs. John Field, the daughter of Mrs. Peter, who, on
her departure for Europe some years ago, deposited it with Mrs.
Edward N. Perkins, the daughter of Mrs. Spring, Pinebank, Jamaica
Plain. It is an admirable specimen of Stuart's genius as a portrait
painter. Stackpole, William.
Owned by his grandson, Mr. J. Lewis Stackpole, Boston.
* Stewart, Mrs. Delia Tudor.
Mrs. Stewart was the wife of the late Admiral Charles Stewart,
U. S. N. It is unfinished, but is still a very beautiful picture, and
is owned by Mrs. Frederick Tudor, Boston.
* Story, Joseph, LL. D., b. Sept. 18th, 1779, d. Sept. 10th, 1845.
Mr. W. W. Story, in his biography of his father, says : "No
satisfactory portrait was ever made of him. There are many paint
ings, but they lack that which was most charming in his face.
The best is one by William Page, which gives pretty well the

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 261
earnest expression of his face. Two busts were made of him ; one
by Frazee, and the other by myself. I believe that the last is
generally considered the best likeness which remains of him. The
constant change of expression, and the actual form of his face,
made it a most difficult task to express it in sculpture or painting.
Every representation lacks the life and animation and glow of the
original, and that union of strength and sweetness which it so
beautifully displayed."
Stuart's portrait of Judge Story is now owned by Harvard Col
lege, and that of Mrs. Story is in the possession of her son, Mr.
W. W. Story. f Strong, Governor Caleb.
Owned by Rev. Mr. Anderson, Roxbury. It was engraved by
Longacre. Stuart, Gilbert, Senior.
This portrait of the artist's father was painted when the son was
sixteen years of age. All traces of the picture have been lost.
* f Stuart, Gilbert.
This is the artist's portrait, painted by himself. He has on a
Rubens hat. The picture is now in the Redwood Library, to
which institution it was presented by Mrs. Dr. Waterhouse. It is
very inferior to Stuart's later works, and has evidently been injured
by the application of bad varnish. On the back there is written,
in Stuart's hand: " G. Stuart, Victor Se Ipso Pinxit A. D. 1778.
Aetatis Suae 24."
A portrait of Stuart, painted by himself in London, is owned by
Mr. Henry Graves, of that city.

262 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
* Sturgis, Mr. and Mrs. Russell.
There are three portraits of Mr. Sturgis by Stuart, and one of
Mrs. Sturgis. The earliest of Mr. Sturgis is owned by Rev. John
Parkman, 20 Brimmer street, Boston, who has also that of Mrs.
Sturgis. The next in order is owned by Mr. Russell Sturgis, Lon
don. This was painted in middle life. The last and finest is
owned by Mrs. Frederick William Paine (Ann Cushing Sturgis),
who has it at the family mansion, Worcester, Mass. It is a superb
picture. The costume, a fur-bound maroon robe, is rendered with
great care and truth. St. Vincent, Lord.
Painted in England.
Sullivan, Governor James, b. 1744, d. 1808.
There are two portraits of him by Stuart, painted in 1 807 ;
one of them is in the rooms of the Massachusetts Historical
Society, where it was placed by his grandson, Mr. Richard Sullivan,
and the other is owned by Mrs. S. W. Oakey, his granddaughter,
44 West 17th street, New- York. This last is the finer of the two.
Sullivan, Mrs. George.
Noticed among the Winthrops.
Sullivan, Mrs. Richard.
This beautiful portrait is at the Boston Art Museum.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 263
* Sullivan, Mrs. William.
Her maiden name was Sarah Webb Swan, daughter of Colonel
James Swan, and her portrait is owned by Miss Sullivan, daughter
of Dr. James Swan Sullivan, Savannah, Ga.

* Stillman, Mrs.
Her portrait hangs on the wall in the Female Orphan Asylum,
Boston. Stuyvesant, Petrus.
His portrait, at present deposited in the rooms of the New- York
Historical Society, is owned by a descendant, Mr. R. Van Rensse
laer Stuyvesant, of New- York.

* Swan, Colonel and Mrs. James.
Colonel Swan's portrait, painted about 1808, is owned by his
granddaughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Howard Bartol, Manchester, Mass.
Mrs. Swan, whose maiden name was Hepsibah Clark, sat to Stuart
early in the century. Her portrait is in the possession of Mrs.
Charles Stafford, Providence, R. I.

Swan, James.
He was a son of Colonel James, and married a daughter of
General Knox. This portrait is supposed to have passed into the
hands of Judge Thatcher, of Maine.

264 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.

Swett, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel.
Their portraits, painted in 1807, are owned by Mr. William
Gray, of Boston. Mrs. Swett's maiden name was Gray.
Tappan, Rev. and Mrs. Benjamin.
The portrait of Mrs. Tappan is noticed in Mr. Winthrop's
letter. Tayloe, Colonel and Mrs. John.
He was born in 1771, and died in 1828. Mrs. Tayloe, who was
the daughter of Governor Benjamin Ogle, of Maryland, and grand
daughter of Governor Samuel Ogle, of the colony of Maryland, was
born in 1772, and died in 1855. Their portraits, painted in 1804,
and which have never been cleaned or retouched, are as fresh, appar
ently, as when first painted. They are now owned by Mrs. B.
Ogle Tayloe, who, it is understood, intends to give them, with a
portrait of Washington, also by Stuart, to the Corcoran Gallery, in
Washington, after her death. Taylor, Rev. Dr.
This portrait was burnt in the Charlestown Convent, at the time
that building was destroyed. * Temple, Sir John, Bart.
His portrait is in the possession of Hon. Robert C. Winthrop,
Brookline.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 265

* Temple, Miss Eliza.
She was the daughter of Governor Bowdoin, and the wife of Sir
John Temple. The portrait is owned by the heirs of General Gren-
ville T. Winthrop.
Duplicates of the above are owned by Sir Grenville Temple,
bart, Ryde, England.

TempLe, Miss Eliza Bowdoin.
She was the daughter of Sir John, and became the wife of Hon.
Thomas L. Winthrop. The portrait is owned by Hon. Robert C.
Winthrop. The portraits of the Bowdoins and the Winthrops are referred to
in the following letter from Hon. Robert C. Winthrop to Miss
Stuart,- under date of August 29th, 1876.
"Your note of the 2 2d reached me a few days ago; to-day I
have turned to a letter from my mother to her aunt Bowdoin. The
letter is dated Boston, November 26th, 1806. Mrs. Bowdoin, to
whom it was addressed, was then in Paris, where her husband was
United States minister. After speaking of the health of Lady Tem
ple (her mother), my mother goes on as follows:
" 'Stuart has just finished her picture, which is an excellent like
ness. He is also copying my father's, and my mother gives them
to me, to take the place of those done by Copley. I have sat
three times for mine, as my mother is determined to have all her
children taken by him. He is a very pleasant companion, and
promises himself much pleasure in conversing with my uncle when
he returns. He has seen these pictures, which were sent out from
Paris, and thinks several of them have merit. He is also pleased
with yours. Sarah [my sister, Mrs. Sullivan] he knows nothing of,
34

266 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
but is surprised that you both have acquired the French character,
which appears the case from these pictures. I asked him if he
could alter the drapery of the one which he took of you, which he
can with much ease when you return.'
" This letter, as you perceive, is full of information on the
portraits which you inquire about. It fixes the date of Lady
Temple's portrait, and of my mother's. But it also proves that
your father copied the portrait of Sir John Temple. Sir John
died in New-York ten years before the date of this letter. He was
a great friend of Colonel Trumbull, who had taken more than one
portrait of him during his life, and it was his portrait which your
father consented to copy, as a pendant to the portrait of Lady
Temple. I have never seen the original Trumbull, but every one
who looks at the copy perceives your father's touch and color in it.
" I have never seen the portrait of Sir Grenville, by your
father; I presume it went to England. But I have a very good
Sir Grenville, as a young man, by Trumbull.
"Twenty years nearly after the date of my mother's letter,
her youngest brother, Mr. James Temple Bowdoin, sat to your
father, and the portrait is in Italy, in the possession of his
daughter, my cousin, the Princess di Pandolfina. I saw it in
Florence last year, and with it a portrait of Mrs. Temple Bow
doin, which my uncle had induced your father to take from
sketches and crayons after death.
" There is a very beautiful portrait, by your father, of my eldest
sister, Miss Eliza Temple Winthrop, afterwards the wife of the
Rev. Benjamin Tappan, of Augusta, Maine. I have a copy of
it by your father, but the original is in the possession of my
niece, Mrs. E. B. Webb. Nothing more beautiful ever came
from your father's pencil .than this. It must have been taken
about the same time with Lady Temple's and my mother's, as
my sister Eliza was then living with her grandmother, Lady
Temple, as an adopted daughter, almost.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 267
" Your father, as you may possibly remember, commenced a
portrait of my father, somewhere about 1824. It remained
unfinished when your father died, and my father purchased the
sketch. Strange to say, that precious piece of canvas has dis
appeared ! I would give much to recover it. I have often
heard my father say, that when Stuart first came to Boston, he
advanced him the sum necessary for opening a studio. There
was always a warm regard between the two, and nothing gave
me greater pleasure than to supply him with any information
in my power. I may add that your father painted Hon. James
Bowdoin, after his return from Europe, and the portrait is at the
Bowdoin College, together with portraits of Jefferson and Madi
son, painted by your father for Mr. Bowdoin. There is also a
portrait of my sister Sarah, afterwards Mrs. George Sullivan,
painted by your father, probably about the time he was painting
Mr. Bowdoin.
"You will see by this how large a number of Temples, and
Bowdoins, and Winthrops, have enjoyed the privilege of your
father's pencil.
" I have a miniature copy, by Malbone, of your father's por
trait of Hon. James Bowdoin : thus I have Stuart's copy of a
Trumbull, and a Malbone copy of Stuart. It was a rare thing,
I imagine, for these great artists to condescend to copy anything.
" One thing more, and I will relieve your patience. Mrs.
Winthrop has on our walls what purports to be the only land
scape your father ever painted ! It was purchased by her former
husband, the late Mr. John E. Thayer."

| \n^ rfcc

Thayer, Rev. Nathaniel, D. D., b. July nth, 1769, d. June 23d, 1840.
Dr. Thayer was ordained October 23d, 1793, in Lancaster,
Mass., and continued to be the pastor of the Congregational Church

268 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
in that place up to the time of his death, which took place while
on a journey to Niagara Falls. His portrait is owned by Mrs.
Robert C. Winthrop, Brookline, Mass.

* Thorndike, Colonel, Mrs. Israel, and Mrs. Israel Thorndike, Jr.
Mr. Thorndike was born at Beverly, Mass., and died May nth,
1832, aged about 75 years. He was a successful merchant. His
portrait, painted between the years 181 5 and 1820, is owned by
his granddaughter, Mrs. Robert C. Winthrop, Jr., Boston. A
duplicate belongs to the heirs of Colonel Thorndike's eldest son.
A portrait of Mrs. Israel Thorndike, senior, is owned by her nephew,
Mr. S. T. Dana, 3 Arlington street, Boston. A portrait of Mrs.
Israel Thorndike, Jr. is owned by Mrs. George H. Thorndike, New
port, R. I. The head in this picture is fine, but the arms are
carelessly drawn. Thornton, Sir Edward.
He came to this country in 1790, and remained here till 1803.
He died in 1853, aged 86 years. While in America he sat to
Stuart at least three times ; for he and the artist were warm friends,
and lived very much together, Sir Edward often told his son, the
present British Minister, that Stuart's conversation was brilliant, and
that he talked in the most pleasing way and painted at the same
time, so as to catch the most interesting expression of his sitters.
One portrait of Sir Edward Thornton is in England. Another
portrait of him was painted for Lord Hammond, when he was the
British Minister. This portrait, when it came into the possession
of the son of Lord Hammond, was given by him to the present
Sir Edward, who has it at the Legation, in Washington. In the
estimation of all who have seen it, and who are familiar with the

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 269
artist's works, Stuart never painted a finer portrait. Sir Edward
also owns the portrait of his father, by Stuart, now in England.
The third portrait of Sir Edward Thornton was painted by
Stuart for Sir Robert Liston, who came to this country, as British
Minister, in 1796. This picture was probably taken to England.

Thornton, Dr. and Mrs. William.
Dr. Thornton came to America from Antigua, in 1788. He
was a strong advocate for colonizing Africa with blacks from
America, as the most humane way of treating those who were in
bondage. DeWarville spoke of him as wedded to the project of
Frothergil. He was not only willing to devote his fortune to the
cause he had espoused, but was ready, if need be, to lead the
colonists to Africa.
These portraits are now owned by Miss Talbot, daughter of
Hon. Hiram Talbot, of Kentucky. There is also a portrait of Dr.
Thornton in the Patent Office, painted by Stuart and presented by
Miss Talbot. * Tilden, Bryant T.
His portrait is owned by his daughter, Miss K. B. Tilden,
Boston. Tilghman, William, b. August 12th, 1756, d. 1827.
The portrait of Chief-Justice Tilghman, by Stuart, is owned by
the heirs of the late Mrs. Greenleaf, who was his sister-in-law.
There is a copy of it, by Neagle, in the Law Library, Philadelphia.

270 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Tillotson, Dr. Thomas.
He was a surgeon in the army of the Revolution, and subse
quently Secretary of State in New- York. His portrait is in the
possession of his granddaughters, at 23 East 28th street, New- York.
Todd, Mr.
Torry, Miss Frances.
She became the wife of a gentleman named Rollins. Her por
trait is owned by Mr. John T. Morse, her son by a second marriage.

Touro, Isaac.
His portrait was painted from memory, after his death. The
Touros were a wealthy family of Jews, in Newport, R. I. Judah,
the last of the name, moved to New Orleans prior to the war of
181 2, and died in that city. What became of the portrait of his
brother is not known. * Townsend, Alexander.
He was a graduate of the Harvard class of 1802, and died in
1835. He never married. His portrait was left by his sister, Miss
Mary P. Townsend, to her cousin, Mrs. Calvin W. Clark, who pre
sented it to her eldest son, and it is now in his possession, at 31
Moreland street, Boston Highlands. Miss Townsend bequeathed a
very considerable sum to Harvard College, and endowed the "Town-
send Ward" in "The Old Ladies' Home."

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 271
Tracy, Nathaniel.
He was a prominent merchant in Newburyport. His portrait, it
is understood, was painted in England, probably soon after Stuart
left West's studio. He is dressed in the fashionable green coat and
powdered hair of the period. The picture is now in the public
library in Newburyport, to which institution it was presented by his
daughter. Travis, Mr. and Mrs. John.
He is dressed in a blue coat with brass buttons, white vest and
neckerchief. Mr. Travis was an Englishman, who came to this
country after the war, and married Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Thomas
Bond, a native of Maryland, but resident in Philadelphia, where he
was the leading physician of his day. Mr. Travis was the father
of Lady Erskine, before mentioned. He died in Philadelphia in
1803. The portrait of Mrs. Travis faces left. She holds a half-opened
book in her hand, and is dressed in white, with hair powdered.
The head alone is well painted. Miss Bond was one of the ladies
of Andri Mischianza. She died in 18 18.
Their portraits are owned by their daughter, Mrs. William G.
Cochran, of Philadelphia.

Trumbull, Colonel John, b. 1756, d. 1843.
There are, or should be, two portraits of Colonel Trumbull
painted by Stuart ; one, painted in England, has already been
referred to, the other was painted in this country.

272 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Tuckerman, Rev. Joseph, D. D.
His portrait is a striking likeness, and is fresh and vivid in
color. Between the artist and sitter there was always a pleasant
intercourse, and the portrait shows that the painter was interested
in his work. It was painted in 1808, and is owned by Mr. Lucius
Tuckerman, New- York.

* Tuckerman, Mr. and Mrs. Edward.
These portraits were painted prior to 18 14, in which year Mrs.
Tuckerman died. The portrait of Mr. Tuckerman is owned by his
son, Mr. Edward Tuckerman, Amherst ; and that of Mrs. Tucker
man, who was a daughter of Samuel Parkman, is in the possession
of her grandson, Mr. Edward T. Mason, of New- York.
Stuart also painted the portrait of Mr. Tuckerman's second wife.
She was the daughter of John May. The first head was not
successful, and Stuart would not go on with it. He then painted
another picture, which he finished. This was about 1820. Many
years later, Harding put in the drapery of the unfinished portrait.
These portraits are owned by Mr. Edward Tuckerman.

Tudor, William, Senior.
He was Judge-Advocate under Washington. His daughter,
Emma, married Robert Hallowell Gardiner, and his portrait is
owned by Mr. Robert Hallowell Gardiner, of Gardiner, Maine.

Tudor, Mrs.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 273

Tudor, William.
He was the son of the above, and author of the " Life of James
Otis." His portrait is also owned by Mr. Gardiner.

* Tyng, Dudley A., b. 1 760.
His portrait, painted in 1820 or '21, is owned by Mrs. Edward
A. Newton, a daughter of Mr. Tyng, Pittsfield, Mass.

Van Ness, John P.
He was a remarkably handsome man, with finely cut features
and a fair complexion. In the portrait of him he is dressed in a
dark-blue coat, and the heavy folds of a white neck-cloth encircle
his throat. His hair, parted in the middle, is powdered. The
portrait, painted in 1803 or '4, when he was of the age of about 35
years, is Owned by his nephew, Colonel William H. Phillips, Lafay
ette Square, Washington.

Van Rensselaer, Stephen.
He was the Patroon. He is seated in a crimson chair, near
a crimson-colored table-cloth, and is dressed in a dark-brown coat,
showing a double row of gilt buttons. The vest is buff, and in his
left hand he holds a buff-colored glove. The white cravat is tied
in an elaborate bow ; there is scarcely a ruffle on his shirt, and the
powdered wig, which comes down on his forehead with a slight
curve near the eye, falls in curls over a double standing collar. At
35

274 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
the back his hair is gathered into a cue. His complexion is fair,
and the expression is pleasing. The portrait, owned by Hon. John
Jay, is at Bedford, Westchester County, New- York.

Vaughan, John, b. July 15th, 1756, d. December 13th, 1841.
He was an English gentleman, and a man of fortune, residing
in Philadelphia. Alarmed at the riots, at the time of the destruc
tion of the house of Dr. Priestley, 1793, he removed to Hallowell,
Maine. His portrait is owned by Dr. Charles E. Vaughan, Cam
bridge, Mass. Volney, Count Constantine Francois.
He came to this country in 1795. He is represented as seated
in the conventional red damask chair, wearing a brown coat, a ruf
fled shirt, and a white neck-cloth. The forehead is quite bald.
He has a shut book in his right, hand, and the other hand
crosses it.
Volney wished to be taken with open throat, after the manner
of the portraits of Voltaire, for whom he had great admiration ; but
the painter followed his own bent, and painted him as above
described. The sittings were at Germantown. Stuart was then
residing there, and the Binghams were at Lansdowne, their country
seat, in the immediate neighborhood. Volney was then giving
instruction in French to the children at Lansdowne, and it was an
easy matter to walk daily to Stuart's studio. The picture is at
Trenton, and is owned by Miss Mary Willing Clymer.

Walker.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 275
Warren, John Collins, M. D., b. 1788, d. 1856.
His portrait is owned by his son, Dr. John Collins Warren,
Boston. Waterhouse, Dr. Benjamin, b. 1754, d. 1846.
His portrait, painted at the age of 22 years, is now in the Red
wood Library, to which institution it was presented by Mrs.
Waterhouse. Waterston, Mr. and Mrs. Robert.
Mr. Waterston was born in Edinburg, in 1778, and died in
1869. His portrait was painted in 1828, the year that Stuart
died. Mrs. Waterston, who was ten years younger than her hus
band, was Miss Lord, of Kenne'bunc, Maine. Their portraits are
owned by their son, the Rev. R. C. Waterston, 71 Chester
Square, Boston, who says :
" I remember Stuart perfectly, and often went to his room when
he was at work on my father's portrait, as well as on that of my
mother. He was a marked man ; in all his conversation showing
his genius, his quickness, and sparkling wit."
* Webster, Daniel, b. January 18th, 1782, d. October 24th, 1852.
This is an unfinished picture, the head being the only part
painted in. In it the head is smaller than it is represented in
pictures that were painted later in life. Mr. Jonathan Mason,
of Boston, said of this picture : " Daniel Webster's head, taken

276 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
when he first removed from Portsmouth to Boston, I saw years
ago — the most intellectual head of Webster ever taken."
This portrait, which has been criticised, was painted for Mrs.
Edmund Dwight, and is owned by her daughter, Mrs. Mary Eliot
Parkman, Boston.

Welch, Mr. and Mrs. Francis.
Their portraits are owned by their son, Mr. Charles H. Welch,
Waltham, Mass.

Wells, Rev. William, D. D., b. 1774, d. December 9th, 1827.
His portrait was painted for William Wells, his eldest son, and
it remained in the family mansion, Cambridge, till about three years
ago, when it passed into the hands of Mr. Kirk Boott Wells, of
Philadelphia, the present owner, and only surviving son.
Rev. Dr. Wells was a dissenting minister, who came from Eng
land in 1793, and settled in Brattleborough, where he was revered
and beloved by his people. In 18 18 he went to England to visit
his daughter, the wife of a merchant in Liverpool, and it was just
before he sailed that this portrait was painted. He is represented
as a fine-looking old gentleman, of seventy or seventy-five years
of age. Silliman, in his " Tour between Hartford and Quebec," in
1 819, speaks of Dr. Wells, whom he saw at Brattleborough, with
much admiration.

Westmeath, Lady.
Her portrait was painted in Dublin.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 277
-f West, Benjamin, P. R A., b. 1738, d. 1820.
He is seated in an easy-chair, at a table; one hand is resting
upon a book, and in the other he holds a porte-crayon. The pict
ure is a small half-length, the same size as the portrait of Woollett,
and was presented in 1853 to the National Gallery, England, by
Mr. J. H. Anderson.
There are two pictures in Fitzroy Chapel, Fitzroy Square, Lon
don. One represents Moses kneeling and receiving the Command
ments ; the other is a whole length of our Saviour, designed by
West, and painted by Stuart.
West painted a large picture of the " Order of the Garter," in
which he introduced the head of Stuart among the spectators.
Stuart then painted the head of West in the same group. The
head of Stuart has frequently been recognized by those who knew
him. Wetmore, Judge.
His portrait belonged to his daughter, the late Mrs. Judge
Story, and at her death it became the property of her son, Mr.
William Wetmore Story, who is now residing at Rome.
f Wheeler, Mr. M. and Wife.
f White, Rt. Rev. Bishop William.
He is represented in his Episcopal robes. The portrait, one of
great force and character, was painted about 1798, when the Bishop
was about fifty years of age.- It is owned by Mrs. George H.
White, 245 South 16th street, Philadelphia.

278 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Whitefoord, Caleb.
Painted in London, in 1782. Whiting, Mr.
His portrait is owned by his daughter, Mrs. Noah Allen, Med-
field, Mass. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Cumberland.
Their portraits are owned by Mrs. Harry McCoy, Baltimore.
Williams, Samuel.
His portrait is in the possession of his great niece, Miss Lizzie
Burnap, Baltimore. It was painted after death.
Williams, Mrs. George.
Her maiden name was Lydia Pickering, sister of Colonel Timothy
Pickering, and her portrait was painted by Stuart when she had
reached the advanced age of eighty-eight years. It has been spoken
of as a very beautiful and striking representation of old age. It is
owned by her granddaughter, Miss Mary Pratt, 85 Mount Vernon
street, Boston.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 279
* Williams, Miss Susan May.
Her portrait was painted when she was a child three years old.
It is now owned by her cousin, Mr. George H. Williams, Baltimore.
Miss Williams became the wife of Jerome N. Bonaparte.

Williams, Joseph.
His portrait is owned by his grandson, Mr. George H. Wil
liams, Baltimore, but, with the one above, is at his country seat, in
Harford County, .Md. This picture has frequently been copied by
artists who have been anxious to study Stuart's coloring. It hangs
in the dining-room, surrounded by family portraits — two by Sir
Peter Lely, two by Sir Godfrey Kneller, two by Sully, and a num
ber of others. " They all look like what they are — paintings," says
Mr. Williams ; "but that by Stuart looks like living flesh and
blood." * Williams, Mr. and Mrs. S. K.
The portrait of Mr. Williams was painted in 1824. The hand
is unfinished. That of Mrs. Williams was painted in 1823. Stuart
received for these portraits one hundred dollars each. They are
owned by Mrs. S. K. Williams, 68 Boylston street, Boston.

Williams, Mrs. Mary Sumner.
Her portrait is now owned by Mrs. George Hollinsworth,
Mattapan, Mass., the great granddaughter of Mrs. Williams.

280 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
Williams, John.
He was the son of the above Mrs. Williams, and is represented
as a middle-aged man. His portrait belongs to his daughter, Miss
Anne Williams, Boston. Willing, Elizabeth.
See Jackson, Mrs. Major.

Willing, Mr.

Owned by Mr. Edward Willing, Philadelphia

f Willing, Thomas.

It is a full face, to the left, with a wig. The lips are com
pressed and the expression is severe. It is a very poor specimen
of Stuart's work, and has apparently been cleaned by some later-
day artist. Owned by his great-grandson, George Willing, of
Germantown, it is at present deposited in Independence Hall, and
has been engraved, — private plate, — for Mr. Charles Henry Hart,
to whom I am indebted for these lines.
" Mr. Willing, who was the father of Mrs. Bingham, Mrs. Jack
son, and Mrs. Peters, and the partner in business for thirty-nine
years of Robert Morris, has had his life delineated by the late
Horace Binney, in the following epitaph upon his tombstone, in
Christ churchyard :
' In memory of Thomas Willing, Esquire ; born nineteenth of
December, 1731, O. S., died nineteenth of January, 182 1, aged

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 281
eighty-nine years and thirty days. This excellent man, in all the
relations of private life, and in various stations of high public trust,
deserved and acquired the devoted affection of his family and
friends, and the universal respect of his fellow-citizens. From 1754
to 1807, he successively held the offices of Secretary to the Con
gress of Delegates at Albany, Mayor of the city of Philadelphia,
her representative in the General Assembly, President of the Pro
vincial Congress, Delegate to the Congress of Confederation, Pres
ident of the first chartered Bank in America, and President of the
first Bank of the United States. With these public duties he
united the business of an active, enterprising, and successful mer
chant, in which pursuit, for sixty years, his life was rich in
examples of probity, fidelity, and perseverance upon the stability of
commercial establishments, and upon that which was his dis
tinguished reward upon earth, public consideration and esteem. His
profound adoration of the Great Supreme, and his deep sense of
dependence on His mercy in life and in death, gave him at the
close of his protracted years, the humble hope of a superior one in
Heaven.' "
Hon. T. F. Bayard, of Delaware, writes that he has also a por
trait of Thomas Willing, painted by Stuart.

Winthrop, Joseph, b. 1757, d. 1828.
His portrait is owned by the heirs of the late Joseph A. Win
throp, of Charleston, S. C.

Winthrop, William, b. 1756, d. 1827.
He was of New London, and his portrait, a fine one, is some
where in Pennsylvania, where it is owned by Mrs. G. F. Chester.
36

282 Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart.
f Wolcott, Oliver.
Woollett, William, b. 1735, d. 1785.
His portrait is on a canvas, three feet high by two feet four
inches wide. It is a half-length. He is seated, has a red cap upon
his head, and behind him one sees part of a copperplate, on which
is represented part of his engraving of West's " Death of Wolfe."
It belonged to the Alderman Boydell collection, and in 1850 was
presented to the National Gallery, London, by Messrs. Henry
Graves & Co., successors to Boydell.
Yates, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Reid.
Mr. Yates was an English merchant, who resided in New- York,
and died in that city in 1797. Mrs. Yates' maiden name was
Caroline Matilda Cruger, daughter of Henry Cruger, who was also
an English merchant, residing in New- York, and had been a mem
ber of Parliament in 1774. The married life of Mr. and Mrs. Yates
was short, their daughter, who afterwards became Mrs. Taylor,
having been born after the death of her father. Mrs. Yates became
the wife of Judge Henry Walton. The above portraits, painted
about 1797, were left to Mrs. Ward Hunt, of Utica, New-York, by
her step-mother, Mrs. James Taylor, of Albany.

At the exhibition of pictures in 1828, there was a pencil draw
ing of a naked child, done by Stuart at Lambeth, in 1777.

Portraits Painted by Gilbert Stuart. 283
Mr. Henry Graves furnished Miss Stuart with the following list
of her father's pictures which had been exhibited at the Royal
Academy : .
"1777. His first work exhibited was 'a portrait of a gentleman.'
He then resided at 27 Villiers street, London.
"1779. A young gentleman; a little girl; a head. He then
resided at West's house, Newman street.
"1782. Caleb Whitefoord; a gentleman skating [W. Grant];
a gentleman. He was still residing with Mr. West.
"1785. Admiral Barrington; a gentleman, whole length; Lord
Dartrie, an Irish Lord. He then resided at New Burlington street,
London. "A full length of General Washington is at Carlton Terrace,
Pall Mall, London."

*

INDEX

TO THE BIOGRAPHICAL PORTION OF THIS VOLUME.

Alexander, Cosmo, 7.
Allston, Washington, 31, 35, et seq.
Anthony, Albro, grandfather of Stuart, 2.
Anthony, Joseph, of Philadelphia, Stuart's uncle,
8, 11.
Anthony, Elizabeth [see Stuart, Mrs.].
Bannister, Mr. and Mrs. John, 6.
Baretti, 15, 16.
Barre, Colonel, 17.
Best, Rev. Mr., 53.
Bingham, Mrs., 27.
Bissit, Mrs., 4.
Bissit, Rev. George, 3.
Brown, Rev. Marmaduke, 4.
Butson, Dean, 53.
Chambers, Sir George, 7.
Chew, Miss Harriet, 55.
Clare, Lord Chancellor, 50.
Cruikshank, Dr., 20.
Custis, Nelly, 55.
Dance, Mr., 14, 20, 21.
Dunn, Counsellor, 55.
Edwin, Mr. (the engraver), 58.
Elliot, Charles, 44, et seq.
Fisher Mr., cited, 20.
Fraser, Charles, 12, et seq.; 21; cited, 65.

Grant, Mr., 15.
Grant, Sir Alexander, 12.
Greene, a farmer, anecdote of, 66.
Halpine,  , an artist at Newport, 5.
Hayward, Mrs. Samuel, 29.
Herbert (author of "Irish Varieties"), cited, 18,
51, et seq.
Home, a Dublin artist, 51.
Hopner, Mrs., her letter cited, 17.
Hunter, Thomas R., 5.
Hunter, Dr. William, 6.
Jay, John, 27.
Jay, Mrs. John, 27.
Johnstone (called "Irish Johnstone"), 19.
Kay, Nathaniel, 4.
Kemble, John, 19, 53.
Kent, Duke of, 25.
King, Samuel, 5.
Knox, General, 55.
Law, Mrs., 55.
Lee, General, 54, 55.
Lewis, Mrs. Lawrence, 27.
Liston, Mr. and Mrs., 55.
Louis Philippe, 55.
McSparran, Dr., 3.
Madison, Mrs., 27,

286

Index.

Mason, Jonathan, 28.
Moffatt, Dr. Thomas, i.
Mumford, Mr. and Mrs., 3.
Neagle, John, 42, 65.
Newton, Henry, 3, 25.
Newton, Stuart, 3, 49.
Noailles, Viscount de, 55.
Northumberland, Duke of, ii, 17.
Pack, Mr., 51.
Quincy, Josiah, 42.
Reynolds, Sir Joshua, 13, et seq.
Robertson, Walter, 23.
Rutland, Duke of, 22.
Ruggles,  , a cabinet-maker in Boston, 58.
St. Vincent, Lord, 17.
Smibert, the artist, 5.
Springate, Rev. Mr., 20.
Stuart, Ann, sister of the painter, 3.
Stuart, Mrs. Gilbert (Miss Charlotte Coates), 20.
Stuart, James, brother of the painter, 3.
Stuart, Mrs. (Elizabeth Anthony), mother of the
painter, 2, et seq.
Stuart, Miss Jane, 30; her personal recollections
cited, 10, 11, 13, 22, 36, 48, 54.
Stuart, Gilbert (father of the painter), emi
grates to America and settles in Rhode Island, 2.

Stuart, Gilbert, parentage and birth of, 2, et seq.;
early attempts at drawing, 4, et seq.; first
order for portraits, 6; goes to England, 7; his
second visit, 9; makes the acquaintance of
West, 11; various experiences in London, 12,
et seq.; establishes himself independently, 17;
his marriage to Miss Coates, 20 ; goes to Ire
land, 22; his wish to paint the portrait of Wash
ington, 23; returns to America, 23; established
in New- York, 24; in Philadelphia, 26 ; meets
Washington, 26; chosen a member of the
American Academy, 28 ; goes to Washington,
28; to Boston, 28; death and burial, 29-31;
his character, 30, et seq.; obituary notice by
Allston, 31 ; his methods of painting, 35, et seq. ;
anecdotes of, 47, et seq. ; his relations with
Washington, 54, 55; humors of Stuart's sittings,
S7,etseq.
Sully, Thomas, cited, 14.
Trott,  (a miniature painter), 23.
Trumbull, John, 13, et seq. ; 63, et seq.
Tuckerman. H. T., cited, 25, 35, 43.
Valdre (an Italian artist), 52.
Washington, Stuart's first meeting with, 26; his
sittings, 54, et seq.
Washington, Mrs., 27, 54.
Waterhouse, Benjamin, 8, 12, 18, 57, 60.
West, Benjamin, 9, et seq.
Wharton, Mr., 10.
Wister, William Rotch, 27.
Yrujo, Marchioness d', 27.

Extracts from
The Life and works of aiLBERT STUART
By George C. Mason
This biography of Gilbert Stuart was written at the re
quest of Miss Jane Stuart, the only surviving member of Mr.
Stuart's family. Miss Stuart had intended to prepare it her
self, and had published three papers on the subject in "Scrib
ner's Magazine"; but finding the work too laborous, owing to
the demands of her profession on her time, and the difficulty
experienced in searching out the pictures painted by Stuart
(now widely scattered), it was assigned by her to other hands;
with the one request, that the volume should be a faithful
recoafd, so far as the materials within the reach of the biogra
pher would allow, of her distinguished father's life and works.
Preface
Mrs. Stuart came into the possession of a little
property; and as nothing was to be gained by still residing at
the mill, he deemed it prudent to remove to Newport, where,
while looking for an opening, his son could have the benefit of
proper schools. Page &

No portfolio of Stuart's early drawings has been pre
served, for he had no portfolio. Wo record has been made of his
early efforts, - no record could be made, - for the first brush
of a sleeve, the first passing shower, effaced what he has sketch
ed with calk or charcoal, on a fence, a slab, or a tail-board.
Page 4
Walking in one of the streets of London, known as Fos
ter's Lane, he heard the notes of an organ. Pausing a moment to
listen, hie followed up the sound, which led him to the open door
of a church, and as there was no one there to make objection, he
did not hesitate to enter. At once he became an interested spec
tator, for he had stumbled upon a number of canditates for the
office of organist, who were in turn playing before the vestry.
Stuart asked to be a competitor, which was granted; his playing
was infinitely superior to that of the others, and it resulted
in his election as organist, with a salary of thirty pounds a
year, he having given satisfactory references as to his fitness
and standing. Page 12
While Stuart was studying with Mr. West, Mr. Dance said
to him: "You are strong enough to stand alone; take rooms;
those who would be unwilling to set to Mr. West's pupil will be
glad to sit to Mr. Stuart." Page 15

"Stuart," said West, "it is a pity to make His Majesty
sit again for his picture; there is the portrait of him that
you painted, let me have it for Lord  . "" Page 62
Stuart was the warm friend of Trumbull when he was im
prisoned in London, on the charge of being a spy, he having been
arrested at the time of the execution of Major Andre. While so
imprisoned, Stuart painted his portrait, and as a striking illus
tration of the power of the latter's pencil this anecdote is
given. It is related by Miss Stuart:
"A short time previous to Trumbull's death, my sister
Anne called to see him in Hew York. She knocked at his door,
and heard him say, 'Walk in. ' He was sitting before his easel,
with the picture before him, which my father had painted of him
in London, but looking depressed and very much broken. The mo
ment he recognized her he started from his seat, exclaiming:
'Good God.' the spirit of your father has been hovering over me J
I cannot tell what has possessed me, but I have been thinking of
him all the morning, and of the many happy days of our early
friendship. This it was that induced me to place this picture
on the easel. r He then spoke with great bitterness of the lies,
as he called them, that had been written about my father by Dun
lap. Seeing him so excited, Ishe tried to soothe him by telling
him that no one cared about it, and although she at length suc
ceeded in turningtthe conversation, it was not until he had freed
his mind by giving vent to the strongest language." Pages 64-65
11

"For my own part" said he (Stuart) I will not follow any
master. I wish to find out what Nature is for myself, and see
her with my own eyes. This appears to me to be the true road to
excellence." Page 66
"The cry of the English school was, 'Sink your draper
ies, Stuart, and bring out the flesh J' But no J let nature tell
in every part of your paint ingt If you cannot do this lay by
the brush. "Fever be saving of color. Load your brush, but keep
your tints as separate as you can. No blending; it is destruc
tive to clear and beautiful effect. It takes off transparency
and brightness of color, and renders flesh of the consistency
of buckskin. "Flesh is like no other substance under heaven. It
has all the gayety of a silk-mercer's shop without its gaudiness
of gloss, and all the soberness of old mahogany without its sad
ness. Sentiment, grace and character are to be worked at in
vyour subject; in short, you cannot be too particular in what
you do to see what sort of animal you are putting down. Most
persons, in striving after effect, lose the likeness, when they
must go together to produce a good effect." Page 68
"Drawing the features distinctly and carefully with
chalk is loss of time; all studies should be made with the
12

brush in hand. "Never glaze until you have a sufficient body of color
as will stand against all the accidents liable to picture-clean
ing." Page 70
For the last five months I have painted very little.
I have been travelling about the United Kingdom, France, etc.
While at Dublin I fell in with Mr. Comerford, miniature paint
er, who told me that he owed more to you for what he now is (and
he has an income of two thousand pounds sterling, and enjoying
at the same time a considerable degree of reputation as an ar
tist) than to all the rests of the artists in the world besides.
He was most enthusiastic in your praise.
I had a full and particular letter from Mr. Jowett
not long since. He is plodding on in the old way, it seems, -
contented with his farm and circle of friends in Lexington. He
spoke, as he always does, in grateful commendation of his master.
Letter from Chester Harding
Pages 73 and 74
"Mr. Stuart was taken to Miss Goodridge's painting room,
and introduced to her by a mutual friend. He seemed pleased
with her work, and gave her an invitation to his studio, she
went frequently, and carried, by his request, her unfinished
pictures, in their various stages, for him to criticise. At
such times he gave her many hints, for which she was very grate
ful, for it was the most useful instruction she ever had.
13 Page 80

It is very easy to establish the fact that the earlier
portraits show only the right side of the face, but it is not
possible now to say which of the early portraits was the earliest.
Mr. Norris, a son-in-law of Mr. Harrison, states that
"it was painted in September, 1795, for Samuel Vaughan, a friend
of Washington., and was purchased by Joseph Harrison of William
Vaughan. On the back of the picture is written, 'George Wash
ington, by Mr. Stuart. Hallowell engraved this portrait in 1796'"
Pages 89-90
Stuart was overrun with orders for portraits from the
moment that his picture of Washington was painted, and although,
as shown by the list he made out, he had many calls for copies
of his likeness of the President, but few of them were at that
time filled. When, at length, he began to meet this demand, -
and this was not until 1796, - his copies were all made from the
picture known as the Athenaeum head, which shows the left side
of the face. Page 9"i
v- fl
The figure in this picture has been criticised. G. W.
P. Custis thus speaks of it: "The defect in the full-lwngth is I
in the limbs. For the figure, a man named Smith, with whom
Stuart boarded, stood - a smaller man than Washington; and the
hands were painted from a wax cast of Stuart's own hand, whieh
was much smaller than Washington's."
"Alderman Keppele stood for the figure. I had this
14

from his daughter, who died a few years ago." This is the more
probable statement, for Stuart, at that time, "lived in his own
hired house." Miss Stuart says that while her father was painting a
full-length of Washington (she cannot say which picture, but it
was probably the above), he wanted to introduce a dress-sword,
and the Comte de Noailles kindly furnished a superb silver-mount
ed rapier, whicn he brought himself, and presented it to Stuart,
saying that it might be useful in painting other portraits of
Washington. Stuart valued it very highly, but years after,
when the family treasury was low. Mrs. Stuart, who never liked
to see the sword in -the house, had the silver mounting converted
into tea-spoons, which spoons were subsequently stolen by a negro
boy, the son of a faithful old servant who had long lived in the
family. Page 92
As a resource to rescue myself from pecuniary embar
rassment, and to provide for a numerous family at the close of
an anxious life, I had counted upon the emoluments that might
arise from a portrait of George Washington, engraved by an artist
of talent. It was, therefore, with peculiar pleasure, that I
found myself invited by Mr. Bingham to take the portrait of
president Washington, to be presented to your lordship:
Draft of letter to Lord Lansdowne
Page 95

15

"My name is WinstanHey, sir; you must have heard of
me." "Not that I recollect, sir."
"No J Well, Mr. Stuart, I have been copying your full-
length of Washington; I have made a number of copies; I have
now six that I have brought on to Philadelphia:" Page 102
Mr. Edmund L. Rogers, of Baltimore, has one that be
longed to Robert Barry, of that city; Page 108
"My father at this time had so many commissions to
copy the head of the President, and the anxiety to possess them
was so great, that gentlemen would tell him if he would only
make a sketch they would be satisfied; and as he was painting
other distinguished men of the day, and hurrying to complete
their portraits, these Washingtons were, with some exceptions,
literally nothing but sketches. He probably painted two at a
time, that is, an hour on each in two mornings. So many people
wrote to Stuart's family, after Washington's death, to know if
certain heads of the President were from life, that my father
was wont to say: *If the General had sat for all these portraits
he could have done nothing else; our Independence would have
been a secondary matter, or out of the question.'" Page 116

16

Stuart, when asked for his candid opinion of the va
rious busts and portraits of Washington, replied: "Houdon's
bust comes first, and my head of him next. When I painted him,
he had just had a set of false teeth inserted, which accounts
for the constrained expression so noticeable about the mouth
and lower part of 1fhe face. Houdon's bust does not suffer I
from this defect. I wanted him as he looked at the time."
Tuckerman, commenting on this defect in the mouth in
the Washington portraits, says: "The feature, usually so exag
gerated in poor copies, and the least agreeable in the original
(Lansdowne), is the mouth, resulting from the want of support
of the muscles, consequent on the loss of teeth, a defect which
Stuart vainly attempted to remedy by inserting cotton between
the jaws and the lips, and Wilson Peale, more permanently,, but
less effectually, sought to relieve by a set of artificial
teeth." In this connection. G. 1. P. Custis, in his "Recollect
tions," says: "In 1789, the first President lost his teeth,
and the artificial ones with which he was furnished answering
very Imperfectly the purpose for which they were intended, a
marked change occurred in the appearance of his face, more es
pecially in the projection of the under lip, which forms so dis
tinguishing a feature in the works of Stuart, and others who
painted portraits of the great man subsequent to 1789." Pages 118-119

17

"Many years after the death of Stuart, Mr. Peale gave a
lecture on the Washington portraits, in which he made an attack
on the style of dress in which Stuart had represented Washington,
and denied his ever having worn lace on his bosom or wrists. The
next day my sister Anne wrote him a note, to say that we had in
our possession some lace which my father cut from Washington's
linen. The circumstances were these: my father asked Mrs.
Washington if she could let him have a piece of lace, such as
the General wore, to paint from. She said 'Certainly, ' and
then inquired if it would make any difference if it were old.
He replied, 'Certainly not, I only wish to give the general ef»-
feet.' She then brought the linen with the lace on it, and said
'Keep it, it may be of use for other pictures.'" Page 121
In his diary, under date of September 19th, 1818, Mr.
Adams (John Quiney) made this entry:
"I sat to Stuart before and after breakfast, and found
his conversation,, as it had been at every sitting, very enter
taining. His own figure is highly picturesque, with his dress
always disordered, and taking snuff from a large, round tin
wafer box, holding, perhaps half a pound, which he must use up
in a day. " Page 126

18

From the diary of the late Horace Binney Wallace, a
nephew of Mr. Binney (Horace)
"Wednesday, June 31st, 1852. I called to-day upon Mr.
Binney, before leaving town for the summer. The conversation
turned upon Stuart's portrait of him, which hangs in our back
parlor." "Mr. Binney agreed with me in thinking that the Wash
ington was one of Stuart's least inspired heads." Pages 139 & 141
"I also remember repeatedly visiting the studio of Mr.
Stuart when he lived in Essex Street. Late in life his hand
shook so it seemed impossible that he could paint. The last
time I saw him, I think, he was painting the portrait of Josiah
Quincy. Stuart stood with his wrist upon the rest, his hand
vibrating, and, when it became tolerably steady, with a sudden
dash of the brush he put the color on the canvas."
Mr. George William Bond of Boston
Page 146
The head of General Clarkson, in Trumbull's histori
cal picture, was copied from the portrait by Stuart. Page 159
"It is the finest portrait ever painted by the hand
of man. " Inman of portrait of Wm. Constable
Page 161
19

Stuart always spoke highly of Copley, when an oppor
tunity offered. There was a fine portrait of Josiah Quincy, of
Braintree, at Quincy. Stuart, while dining there, in 1825,
greatly admired it and said: "There is as much work in one of
those hands as I put in a whole portrait. Why, I could take
off that wig. Copley put the whole man upon the canvas. Mr.
Quiney had a white hair in his eyebrow, and there it is. The
industry of Copley was marvelous." Page 164
In the drapery of her portrait (Mrs. Richard Cutts)
Stuart drew his own profile, blending it in so quietly that no
one would ever notice it, if his attention were not called to
it. Page 166
Mrs. Devereux would have asked the artist to make
some change in the drapery, but while casting in her mind how
to introduce the subject in a manner that would be least annoy
ing, a lady called to make a similar request. Stuart immed
iately replied that he was "not a milliner." Page 174
In the month of January, 1878, there was an exhibi
tion of "Pictures by the Old Masters", at the Royal Academy,
London. No. 128 in Gallery 111, was entered as "A Portrait of
W. Grant, Esq., Congalton, Skating in St. James' Park, Thomas
Gainsborough, R.R. (?)": the interrogation point showing very
20

Robertson was a remarkable colorist, a quality that in
itself would attract Stuart; Page 23
From Philadelphia, Stuart removed to Washington, where
his pencil was at once in demand. This was as early as 1803.
His studio was on F near Seventh street. * * * * He removed
from Washington to Boston in 1805. Page 28
Stuart's health began to fail in 1825 and 1826. This
was followed by symptoms of paralysis in his left arm, which de
pressed him greatly; and although his mind was clear and ac
tive to the last, he never recovered from the shock to his feel
ings when he found that his arm was becoming useless. * * *
The last picture that he began and finished was a portrait of
Mrs. Samuel Hayward, of Boston. Page 29
Miss Jane, who early adopted the profession of her
father, is the only one of the number now living. Page 30
The defects of Stuart's character were marked, and of
ten stood in his way. If in the mood, he had the faculty of
delighting all who were around him; but if not so inclined, if
anything transpired to irritate him, or if anyone was present
who had given him offense, the rougher side of his nature was

clearly there was some doubt in the mind of those who made the
catalogue, as to the propriety of attributing the picture to
Gainsborough. The exhibition had hardly opened before atten
tion was called to this superb picture, and in the papers of the
day there was much discussion as to who was really the painter,
for few believed that it was by Gainsborough. The Saturday Re
view said, January 12th: "The query is certainly pertinent, for,
while it is difficult to believe that we do not recognize Gains
borough's hand in the graceful and silvery look of the land
scape in the background, it is not easy to reconcile the flesh
tones of the portrait itself with any preconceived notions of
Gainsborough's workmanship. The face has a peculiar firmness
and decision In drawing and painting which remind one rather
of Raeburn than of Gainsborough., though we do not mean by this
to suggest in any way that Gainsborough wanted decision in
either painting or drawing, when he chose to exercise it. "
The following is from the London Illustrated News of
January 19th: "Another portrait, about whose authorship there is
mush doubt, is that of W. Grant, of Congalton, skating in St.
James' Park. In the catalogue it is attributed to Gainsborough,
but with a very suitable mark of interrogation after the name.
That it is a magnificient picture, magnif iciently painted, is
patent to all eyes; but there is too much masterly solidity
about it - the modeling of the face, - and of the whole figure
for that matter - for Gainsborough's hand; moreover, the cos
tume is of a later period than his time, and the name of the
portrait does not occur in his words. One of our weekly con-
21_ 

temporaries assign it to Romney, but the same objection holds
good. Besides, Lady Hamilton's adorer could never have painted
so complete and finished a work as this, only to commemorate the
face and form of a private person. He would have wearied of
the task long before it was half done. The only man, in our
opinion, who was capable of painting this grand pieture, and
whose period of art activity would coincide with the costume
worn, was Sir Henry Raeburn. It possesses, from hand to foot,
all his solid modeling and fine handling, and, although there
is a look of Gainsborough in the background, the landscape is too
vigorous; in its Reading lines and general suggestions to have
come from his dainty hand." Pages 187-189
Mrs. Jay writes to her husband, from New York, under
date of August 2d, 1794:
--"Would you believe that Stuart has not yet sent me
your picture? I call upon him often. I have not hesitated tell
ing him that it is in his power to contribute infinitely to my
gratification, by indulging me with your portrait; he has at
length resumed the pencil, and your nephew (probably Peter J.
Munroe) has been sitting with your robe for him; it is now near
ly done, and is your very self. It is an. inimitable picture,
and I am all impatient to have it to myself. He begged me to
remind you of the promise you made him the day he breakfasted
with you. "New- York, November 15th, 1794. Just as I had laid
aside my pen to take tea, Mr. Stuart arrived with your picture.
22

There are two pictures in Fitzroy Chapel, Fitzroy Square,
London. One represents Moses kneeling and receiving the Command
ments; the other is a whole length of our Saviour, designed by
West, and painted by Stuart.
West painted a large picture of the "Order of the Gar
ter", in which he introduced the head of Stuart among the specta
tors. Stuart then painted the head of West in the same group.
The head of Stuart has frequently been recognized by those who
knew him. Page 277

24

sure to appear. There was nothing false about him, and he had
no power to hide his dislikes, or to keep back a sharp re joiner,
when he felt that he had occasion to express himself freely.
This freedom of the tongue drove from him many who might have
been friends, and alienated for a time those who knew he had a
warm heart, and that when the storm of indignation had passed
he would be himself again.
But constant dropping wears a stone, and those persons
who could bear with his temper in early life, were not so pa
tient in after years. Many a time, without apparent cause, he
refused to go on with a picture that he had begun, and no ex
postulation, no apology - not even a woman's tears - could in
duce him to resume his brush. Page 30
"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 awarded him their
highest 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.
Page 31

"On almost every subject, more especially on such as
were connected with his art, his conversation was marked by wis
dom and knowledge; while the uncommon precision and eloquence
of his language seemed ever to receive an additional grace from
his manner, which was that of a well-bred gentleman.
"For the faculty of distinguishing between the acci
dental and the permanent, in other words, between the conven
tional expression which arises from manners and the more subtle
indication of the individual mind, is indeed no common one;
"In a word, Gilbert Stuart was, in its widest sense,
a philosopher in his art; he thoroughly understood its princi
ples, as his works bear witness, - whether as to the harmony of
colors, or of lines, or of light and shadow, - showing that ex
quisite 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 toward 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 it, too, with a grace which showed that, loving
excellence for its own sake, he had a pleasure in praising."
Pages 32-33
Washington Allston in
Boston Daily Advertiser

Miss Stuart writes:
"As Stuart was quick to read the character of a sitter,
so had he a clear insight into the color of his complexion and
never was he known to fail in this particular. The arrangement
of his painting room was simple - more simple than that of any
other painting room with which I have been familiar. He com
menced a portrait by drawing the head and features, and then he
sketched in the general tone of the complexion; for this he
seldom required more than four or five sittings, and frequently
it was done in three sittings. The picture was never touched
except when the sitter was in the chair. At the second sitting
he introduced transparent flesh-tints, at the third he began to
awaken it into life and give it expression, and then the individ
uality of the sitter came out. This was always done quickly.
In the portraits of men advanced in life, where the roundness
of youth is gone, we^an almost fancy that he has given motion
to the features - a quality seen in a marked degree in some of
the portraits of old Revolutionary officers who sat to him -
that, for instance of Gen. Gates, now in the possession of the
Stevens family. "It has been said by some critics that his coloring
was too strong - that there was too great a preponderance of
carnation in his flesh tints; to this I cannot subscribe.
Stuart did not rely on or require strong colors to produce his
effects, for he had the faculty of bringing out his heads simply
by the use of middle tints and tones, giving all the required
retundity and relief without the assistance of black shadows
and heavy backgrounds; and yet the faces so painted are full
6

of character and expression. * * * * In his draperies he
was exceedingly careless, but he amused himself at times by
painting lace, showing with a few bold touches of his pencil
how easy it is to produce an effect when one understands what
he is about. But if any one of his intimate friends took him
to task for carelessness in rubbing in the accessories of a
portrait, he at once replied: 'I copy the works of God, and
leave elothes to tailors and mantua-makers. '
"The story that has been told again and again, of West's
remarks to his other pupils, - 'It is of no use to steal Stuart's
colors; if you want to paint as he does you must steal his eyes. '
will bear repeating in this connection. Pages 37-38
"I regret exceedingly that some of Stuart's pictures
have been very much injured, and I cannot account for it in any
other way than that he may have used magilp, made with copal
instead of mastic varnish, put up by some unscrupulous dealer
in artists* materials." Page 40
Dunlap goes on to say: "He pointed out on his own
palette the unmingled colors, and their tints, as mixed with
white or each other; first and nearest the thumb, pure white,
then yellow, vermillion, black and blue. Then followed yellow
and white in gradation; vermillion and white in gradation;
black and yellow; black and vermillion; black, vermillion and
white in several gradations; black and white and blue and white;
'and for finishing, add lake to your paletteand asphaltum. '

* * * The palette Stuart then worked with, as he pointed it
out to me, was Antwerp blue, Kremits white, vermillion, stone-
ochre, lake, Vandyke brown, mixed with one-third burnt umber, and
ivory black. The tints he mixed were white and yellow, vermil
lion and white, while, yellow and vermillion, vermillion and
lake (each deeper than the other), then blue and white, black and
yellow, black, vermillion and lake. Asphaltum in finishing.
Page 41
I have, said that Stuart kept no record of his works,
and paid no attention to details of this kind. He did not even
know, at times, whether a picture he had finished had been paid
for; so indifferent was he to all business matters. Before me
there is a single sheet,, torn from an old account book, on
which there are certain entries in his own hand, which may have
been quite enough to refresh his memory. The figures and let
ters in the left-hand column are evidently intended to designate
the days of the week, but there is nothing to show what those in
the right-hand column stand for. Page 45
Miss Stuart, in speaking of the portraits of Washington,
says: "About the time that the Washingtons were sitting for
their portraits, my father's painting room was the resort of
many of the most distinguished and interesting persons of the day.
"Nelly Custis, Mrs. Law, Miss Harriet Chew (afterward
Mrs. Carroll), generally accompanied Mrs. Washington; General
8

Knox, General Henry Lee, and others came with the President. The
British Minister and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Liston, Louis Philippe
d'Orleans, Counsellor Dunn (an Irish barrister) and the Viscount
de Noailles were fond of Stuart's society, and were frequent
visitors. "It has always been a source of great satisfaction to
me, that the Washington family were so much attached to my father,
on account of his portrait of the General. We have been contin
ually sought by different connections of the family, who invari
ably have spoken of Stuart with gratitude; I may, indeed, say
^ with affection. Miss Elizabeth Parke Custis (who married the
Hon. Mr. Law, and afterward took her maiden name) was a great en
thusiast upon the subject of this picture. She used to go about
*
with the General, and whenever she could find an opportunity,
would accompany him to my father's painting room. She has said
to me with great satisfaction: »I was present during many of the
sittings, and have seen the likeness of the dear General grow un
der your father's pencil.1" Page 55
Stuart could not tolerate anything done for effect -
any stage trick or display of tinsel. His comments on David's
picture of Napoleon are evidence enough of that. He had been
urged to go and see it, and at last complied with the request of
some of his friends. When fairly before the picture, and he had
had time to take it in, he said: "How delicately the lace is
drawn; did one ever see richer satin? the ermin is wonderful
t in its finish; and by Jove, the thing has a headj"
\ 9

On one occasion, having completed the portrait of a
mantua-maker in Boston, who had drawn a large prize in a lottery,
and had come to him loaded with all sorts of finery, he said to
a friend: "There is what I have all my painting-tlife tried to
avoid - vanity and bad taste." Page 56
"What a  business is this of a portrait painter -
you bring him a potato, and expect he will paint you a peach."
Page 58
The panels that Stuart used were made of mahogany, and
he was not only particular as to the quality and dryness of the
wood, but also as to the manner in which the surface was treated;
and, to get something like the effect of the twill in the import
ed canvas, he has the surface of the panel dressed with a rather
dull plane, having a finely serrated edge. By passing this
plane over the whole surface one way, and then crossing it, the
effect was produced. Page 58
Stuart was quick to take offense at any remark or com
ment on his unfinished pictures, and when so annoyed nothing
would induce him to resume his brush. Page 59

10

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