New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-19

Tho committee in charge Of ths coubnnfsS rpsn
Exhibition as the metropolitan Opera HDuse 49,
naturally laid great stress upon tho large corso17n
OF portraits of Washington which have been esnssou
lent ia most cases. by private individuals, n
lenders probably supposed that their pse<arn
would be catalogued described By themselves M
according To tho catalogue this was generally don>}
the committee disclaning responsibility Tor mo corrsc
ness of the entries Identification was almost impoos
sfhle In the confusion of Wednesday sftorEoon whsu
q few proof slips, with numbers unrelated 70 IT,
numbers on the portraits, served Is an xpology for
catalogue But II appears that certain rrr,srhs vsyv
permitted which tho owners Of tho portraits certaiul(
would nos indorse. We made NO comment YESTERDAY
upon the GibbsChauning portrait Of washfngton and
ts Characterization as replica Of the Vaughan Dor
tra!t and we understand that q descrsptto, 40 IN.
iudicious to say the least has beea expunred nom
the catalogue. Unfortunately, Others have screptsd
dis account of the picture and II q only ,us, 10 staAd
the intrinsic and the historical evidencs vhlck
makes against this theory. Tho Vaughan and ths
Charming portraits similar a. regards DE point
Of view but the faces different In thor prooronss
there ID a marked difference in the expressions q
the moths. and there arc variations Of stgfter oos
aeouence in hair and dress. Tho dihcrout drawing
OF the faces renders tho theory Of replica Of doubt
full value.
AZ 10 the historical evidence. 10 Is strange that
M n,ace has been found In tho catalogue for
=. account OF the picture when the Vaughan portrst
a. d.scy4bed AT length and set down Is a original
panted from life IN 17g5. and as mora correct man
the Lansdowne and Athenseum heads. Mr. Hsrq
whom, VIA quoted yesterday, Is said to have COM
petent knowledge of the Washington portraits, and
VIZ refer 10 THIS matter not for the sake of argunsn
hat smp,y TO point out that absolutely equal treat
ment and not the assertion of private opinions v
no be expected In catalogue Of this kind Mr. Hars 70
a champion Of the Vaughan portrait But anosbsE
writer In pamphlet regarding the Gibbs Charming
nortrat emphasizes sthe great fnferorty OF tho nw
other pictures of the type showing the rgns sos
Of the face), such as the Vaughan picture, aA
mason author Of "The illustrated Lafo and "or0
Of Gilbert Stuart declared the Seaazs
to DO the finest beyond comparison OF the sfuarS
portraits Of the first type. Other similar Quotations
of opinion might be given, bat we have no desire 70
espouse tho Of any special portrait This pctn
has always been in the possession Of the Cibbsnan.
ming family, since Colonel George Gibbs purchased
nom Stuart, who stated that it was upon his eases
when washington was sitting and wes worird upon
from life. It is claimed that the Vaughan PORTALS
rs really the original first type painting study from
life which Stuart afterward stated he had rubbed Gus
PRECISELY the same claim has been advanced for the
Gibbs portrait and the story has been pub
iished that Miss smart recognized the picture az The
original which she thought her ather nag 20.
Johnson's Original Portraits OF wahingten-s
We do not claim that the evidence In either go
Ig conclusive But me Few eit IN ssn az ~
Gbbs-Channing portrait is entitled to fair aiscassos
at least and that its peremptory dismissal a. replica
"a as. s .. E sapenss Se rsa o ss 40
more, in catalogue OF an exhibition OF pctufes sen
erously lent by their owners