The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-12-24
A FAMOUS RELIC.
Incidents Recalled by the Unearthing OF
the First Portrait of General Grant.

Incidents Recalled by the UnearthIng OF
the First Portrait of General Grant.
Speaking of arts and artists at the
Capital, leads us naturally to a curious
tale of the defeated ambition and fruit
less endeavor of an artist once known
briefly to fame. yet very we'll known.
Underneath the crypt of the Capitol is
the vault which Congress devoted for
the reception of George Washington's
mortal remains, but which never was
used for that purpose, because Wash
ington's will fixed his resting-place at
Mount Vernon instead. Curiosity
tempted me to go down there and have
the gloomy cavern lighted up. 1t has
flavor of tomb about it, though no
body has ever been buried there. In
the farthest corner from the entrance
is the wooden framework of bier.
Covered with black cloth and other
.trappings, it has done duty at several
State funerals. 1t was last used for
Garfield in the rotunda above. This is
where it is slowed away until death
strikes another equally shining mark. !"
A grimelittle subterranean hole, truly,
that brings to mind all those shudder-
ing stories of prisoners in basement
dungeons, shut up by cruel Kings in
living tombs, like the Man in the Iron
Mask, which makes the reading of his
tory such heart-aching business.
Well. over on one side of this weird
little chamber is roll of faded, dusty
canvas, and close by is an empty frame
that once was brightly gilded, but it is
now tarnished and dull. At the foot of
this empty frame appears the inscrip-
ton: Fort Observation-Disclosures
burgh." It once inclosed a life sized por-
trait in oil of General Grant, and it is this
portrait which is rolled up on the neg.
lected and forgotten canvas. The story
of this work of art is interesting, It
was painted by a then young artist of
Illinois, named Antrobus. shortly after
Grant took command of the Union
armies. It presents him sitting outside
his tent, IN full uniform, and is very
ambitious effort. There is no doubt,
Architect Clarke says, that it was the
first portrait ever painted of Grant
after he became the central figure of
the war on the Union side. Young An
trobus went out to one of the battle
fields bearing letter to Grant from the
latter's friend, Elihu B. Washburne,
and the General sat for him right there
in front of his headquarters tent. An
trobus finished and framed the portrait
and brought 1t to the Capitol. 1t was
exhibited in the rotunda for a long
time, and, as Grant had just then
sprung to the topmost rung of fame's
ladder. it was the central object of in
terest to all visitors. Scores of thou
sands of people stood in front of it and
scanned the rugged face of the man so
lately revealed to the Nation as its de-
liverer.
Antrobus had an idea that the Govern
ment would buy it. or rather that Mr..
Washburne. who was chairman of the
Committee on Appropriations at the
time, and commissioned him to go on
the battlefield and paint it for the Gov.
ernment Mr.. Washburne diselaimed
any such intention. and the Government
did not buy it. So there it hung in the
rotunda. until. in order to stop the
exhibition of all kinds of absurdities in
the way of alleged art, Congress passed
law prohibiting the placing of any
thing for public view in the rotunda
that had not been bought and paid for
by the Government. Then it was that
the Antrobus portrait of Grant in front
of his cent, in 1863, the first ever painted
of him after he became the great com.
mander, was taken out of the frame.
rolled up. and consigned to the oh.
security and neglect of the vault below
the crypt Antrobus disappeared from
the Capital, badly disappointed man,
and has never since been heard of
Probably he is dead. but the picture
would be worth the while of the heir. il
he has any, to look after. 1t has ar
evident historical value apart from its
art merits, which are said to be quite
mediocre. - Washington Cor. Boston