Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-12-25
MISCELLANY.
portrai,nre of Washington.

3eiag an .4,pca,iir 10 tie Cug,is 2ecollccliOn5
and Pfielte Memoirs, Sc.
1t is assuredy both desirable ard proper that
there should belong to the American people aud
descend to their posterjiy faithful Portaiture Of
tber Washjnrtun They have III their own coun
,ry al the materials requisite and necessary for
such work. nor need they To 90 abroad to ensure
lis most happy execution, they having artistic ge-
Mus and skill ot the highest order at home.
The earliest original Of the Pater Patri@ is
1.-The portra, of Col Washington painted by
| Charles Wilson Peale in l712. and now IN tine
preservation at Arlington House. This splendid
and most Interesting picture formed the principal
ornampnt Of the paror al M,uut Vernon Tor twen
seven wears. aad fur the ruth OF lis resemblance
u the WashnI,uu of cOl0ulal times Dr. James
Cruk was tfeJueuty applied 20. who pronounced
il 10 he a faithful likeness the Provincial Colo
nei in The prime Of life. The venerable James
CYaik, 1t Is we'll known, was the associate aat
bosom riead Of the Chief from lf34 to The last
vs. AT Mount FernJn.
Next m the order of succession we have full
ienuih of the Commander Chief. painted by
Peale in l1l9. during me Revolution. lhlS
Pealp may be very properly styled the sodier ar
Us Sor ,n Sprug ,lIue he would lay aside ms pa
Ietl. and. commanding company. fight cam
UHluIl,
his palette araln and paint the portraits OF the
1r-tt men Of the army OF independence. The sol
der artist gave almost graphic and amusing ac
c5uut OF his painting The portrait OF Gen Ureen
|,tNauey EIr1p. lie said: The wretched hui
.h,t formed IN; studio had but Two articles OF ur-
iurp. am u!d beds,ead and three legged char
The General beiag heavy man placed aitn
up,n the tedslesd. while | Steadied myself as
we'll rs could upm the rlcke'ly chairs; 1t was
lawfully cold. and had every few moments to
tbrusi nv hqnGS utp the fire to euahle me To hold
ny Deucil" In such studio and with such ap
pfances was painted The only reliable likeness
| ibnr we have OF the luStfiouS soldier who was
the hero of the South, and second only to hIm
who was first OF all.
Peala delighted to relate incidents that occurred
during his intercourse al various tunes with
WASHINGTON. particularly the display Oi The vast
physical pfuwess OF the Chief IN l1E2 lie said !:
One afternoon several young gentlemen, visitors
1T NDunt Vernon, aud myself were engaged IN
puchug the bar. one of the athletic sports common
IN thase DAYS. when suddenly the Colonel appear
ed among us. He requested to be shown the pegs
tina, marked the bounds OF our efforts then, sn
nr, and without putting off his coat, held out hls
hand for the missile \ sOone:," observed the
narrator. with emphasis, "did the heavy iron bar
feel the praSp OK his mighty hand than IL lost the
nnyer of rrayitatiOn. and whiZzed through the air
s,nkinu the rruund far, very tar, beyond our ut
,onst limits. We were amazed. as we stood
round all stripped to the buff. with shirt sleeves
rolled up. and haying thought ourselves very ceV
ar fellows. white the Colonel, On reIlrIng, pleas
anly observed. when sou beat my pitch, young
gontlameu, IN try again"
| In 1899 appeared the equestrian portrait OF the
Z Il T.. 81. .,n f,f
iioe work of art the painter had standings us well
as sit;ings--the white charger, fully caparlsoned,
having been led out aud held by groom, while
the Chief was placed by the artist by the side OF
the horse. the ri.ht arm resting on the saddle.-
IN this novel mode the relative positions of the
man aad hurse were ske,ched out and afterwards
transferred 10 the canvass There is a copy. size
-. life. of the equestrian portrait by Trumbull in
the CIV Hall of New York. The igure Of
Washington. as deneated by Col Trunbull, is
the most perfect extant
In 1889 the first President lost his teeth, and, ,
the artificial unes with wh ch he was furnished
osv,rag very ingerectly the purpose fnr
1.h;cb tba, were inteadpd. a marked change 0c
cn,ea m The appearance of his face, more es-
oecialJy in the projection Of the under lip, which
t,,os 50 DISTINGUISHING feature IN The works OF
Smart and others who painted portraits ot the
GREAT man subsequent 10 l7o9. c
We come To briiliaulera iD NE history OF me
fine arts in the United States IN 'he re'urn oi
Gilbert Stuart to his native land from ii''g So
jouIn in Europe, whe lis great fame as p'f-
,r4it PAINTER o5iainad for him the title OF The mca