New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-03
STUARTS WASHINGTONS.
THE TRUE STORY OF THE LANSpo"Ni'
PAINTING, ITS HISTORY AND IT'S NhLA'
TIVE IMPORTANCE AS A PORTRAIT.

yl.~
wosh;ncton except one I own myself" lheSe
are the words in which Gilbert Stuart refers 10 ohe
portrait of Washington painted TOT inc MarauiS y.
Iansdowne The one he then owned himself
is the famous one now in the Boston A'nenaeun
II has ALWAYS seemed odd TO the patriotic American
,b.. rho other of the only two original Stuart
,,ortra,,s Of Washington should have been painted
for an Enplishman, albeit friend to America
But there is / believe. authority for saying thaU
Lord Lansdowne wished il as memento OF inc
treaty of peace between Great Britain and the
United States Of which he may be considered the
autbor The portrait has had an odd history,
mart of which Is known. and the end OF IL Is ua'
IL has now passed into the possession of living
Englishman not less friendly to America than It's
first owner, and has found what must be consiu-
cred a permanent resting place in England III
hangs in the dining-room of Lord Roseberys Mouse
in Berkeley SQUARE, a minutes walk from thao
o,ber house in the same square where lived the
Lord Sbelburne-less well known as MARQUIS
of IAnsdowne-for whom the picture was p"i''N
I leave il 10 other Americans 70 COMMENT vi e''"'
should they see fit TO morahze, on these iao's
The facts relating TO the picture ana Jus nis'oiS
are themselves interesting enough 10 DC WorV"
rcstatine in form which will try TO make clearer
than they were 10 me when l first looked 'hein
up. .,
With respeet TO the origin of the picture Mr
Mason's accounts is sufficiently clear. ana
abrdge from him. Lord Shelburne, whose gooo-
win TO America and admiration Tor WashlnS.on
are familiar to Americans sent Stuart commission
in 1898 or 1896. When it was Known says
Mr.. Mason, that Stuart was to palht sucn "
no,ur. Mr. and Mrs. William Bingham expressed
strong desire to he at the charge anu " "
,ornit,ed 70 present it to the Marquis" Stuart
LID A
mission. and the Intervention of the Bngnains
between the patron and the artist is the hrst OIL
the curious circumstances which mark the history
of the nicture from first to last. The reason
~ his Welding seems plain Mrs Bingham couiu
20, wasbnoton to sit to Stuart, ana STUART
himself could not.
Tho Ripobams were interesting figures. The
husband was then Senator from Pennsylvania ana
nor v,calthiest citizen The wife, Anne Wllhhg'
,.os d,stinouished in Philadelphia by her beauty
elegance of manners and magnificent hospitality
Stuart painted her portrait, and she figures % o,'
Of the beauties OF the Republican Court Oh ,nc
dsv. and her daughter married three years Ha'oi
that Alexander Barring who as LORD Ashour,on'
NEGOTIATED the Webster Ashburton treaty "hon
Smart first went to Philadelphia in hope OF paint
inc Wasbinrtop's portrait, he carried win nun
a letter of introduction from John Jay Washing
non sau % him in the winter oil 'o1, ouV ci'
pcture did not satisfy the artist, ana STUART, W
his own testimony destroyed 1t, OF ruopeu ~
ont II might well be in these circumstance
that Washington did not care to slt again
This is matter of conjecture. or rather OF infer
49, Mr. Mason tells us nothing, but the
document he quotes makes the inference as 10
Mrs. Bingham natural if not irresistible Inc
document in question is invaluable. III es'ao-
Ishes beyond question not merely the authenticity
of the Lansdowne portrait but its hencelorth
pnouestionable claim 10 originality, and with
one existing exception, to exclusive authentoly
and originality.
Tn other words there is in existence but one
other portrait of Washington by Stuart 1or winch
Washington sat. 1t is needless to say Vhao d
portrait with pedigree is worth Infinitely more
than one without, and that pedigree supported
nv documentary evidence is most valuable oil all
Suoh pedigree there is to the Lansdowne o'trait
but before | give it will explain how II came
into existence The picture. having been duly
paintrd by Stuart, reached London ana Loro
Sbclburne. and remained Lord Shelburnes prop
erty till his death in sos as Marquis OF Lahs-
downe After his death his pictures were sou
bv auction. and the Stuart Washington was
bought by Samuel Williams, an Englishman, Tor
a sum stated by Mr. Mason at 81, 900. The exact
seen by a reference to the Life of Nollekens, L.,
AO4 While Williams owned it, Stuart, looking
through his papers in search of Washington
autograph came upon the original letter IRON
Washington TO himself, making an appointment
10 sit for this very picture. The letter is gwen
by Mr. Mason, but he evidently had not seen
the original, and he gives IL inaccurately. Inc
original is before me in Washingtons best hand
writing, filling half one side OF hall sheet
of rather small quarto letter paper, and is as
follows
Sir,
am under promise to Mrs Bingham, to set fol
you tomorrow at nine o'clock; and wishing u
know If it be convenient TO you that should dc
so, and whether it shall be at your own house las
she talked of the State House sehd thls no"
10 YOU TO ask nformation-l am Sr
Your cbedient Servt
Mrday GO. WASHINGTON
Evening : 18th Apl 100.
Immediately below this letter upon the SANE
side of the same halfsheet is a memorandum, TIT
body of WHICH is | think, without doubt, IN tn
handwriting of Timothy Williams, brother Il
Samuel Williams; the signature Stuarts, verj
tall. tremulous, ragged decipherable with SOM
effort but unmistakable, even without the attesta
ton of three credible witnesses 1t is Timothy
Williams who adds the n b. signed T. w, anC
the whole IS as follows:
In looking over my papers 10 ilhu one tlaU nv
the signature of Geo. Washington, found Thu
asking me when he shOud SIT for his portrait
which is now owned by Samuel Williams of Lon
don. | have thought IL proper il should be hi
especially as he owns the only original painting
ever made of Washington except one | own my
self. | painted third but rubbed il out nov
present this 10 his brother limo Williams for sd
samuel
Boston 9th Day March 1928 CT. STUART.
Attest l. Z. DAVIS
W. DUTTON.
L. BALDWIN.
n B. Mr.. Stuart painted in We winter season hi
IT. Hrse n,rni, We we & puu G M !,
williams: the third Mr.. S. now has-two only re
main as above stated 7. W.
Now from Washingtons own letter and from tn
nda ON tic same nage by Stuart and h,