The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1892-01-21
A THEFT In ART.
Tho story of q Missing Portrait
of Washington.
Relief That 1t Is Still in Existence in the
Isle of Mantle PORTRAIT: Originally
Intended for the White
House.

the annals of art is the theft and dis
appearance of an authentic full length
of George Washington, painted by ull-
bert Stuart, the friend ana pupil OF
West, says the London Black and
White. This long missing portrait was
one of three replicas made by Stuart
from the wcll-known original painted
10 thc commission of the celebrated
Marquis of Lansdowne. That original
ana two of the copies are well and
clearly accounted for; but the third
disappeared in the following man
ner, and has never since been heard Of
The portrait was painted for Gardner
Baker, of New York, an active member
of the society of St. Tammany, which
at his suggestion established a museum.
This museum was in 1895 made over to
Baker, who added among other attrac~
tions the full length of the great gen
eral. In 1898 he appears to have gone
to Boston to exhibit the picture; but,
dying there of yellow fever, the por-
trait went to Mr.. Laing in satisfac-
ton of claim. BY and. by the COM
mittee charged with furnishing the
presidents house at Washington bought
the picture, which was intrusted to one
Winstanlcy, tricky rie'er-do-weel OF
painter to pack and deliver. Winstan-
ley, however, copied the Stuart in his
own vile way, delivered the copy, and
fled to England with the original
Stuart himself was the first to discover
and denouncc the fraud. But though
he repudated the canvas that still
hangs in the white house, and though
the evidence against it is overwhelm-
ing, patriotic citizens of the states will
still believe it to be the genuine por-
trait repeated by Stuart himself from
the Lansdownc full length. What be-
came of the genuine work stolen by
Winstanley, painter and thief?
Well, there is considerable reason 10
believe that it is now in the possession
of William Burrows, a picture dealer at
Douglas, Isle of Man. Some time ago
there was sale at Mount Vernon in
that island, in consequence of the
death of Mrs. Harrison, who was Il Mrs.
Hancock (having been twice marrieD
and daughter of one Breed, who
formerly owned Breed island in Bos-
ton harbor, whose name is immortalized
in the battle of Breeds hill, and who
ScIultu III Vic ISlc VI ul CtlI ~ III lllC
century. Among a variety cf pictures
disposed of at the aforesaid sale WAS a
fine full length in oil of George Wash
ington, and capital impression of the
engraving which Heath made from the
Lansdowne portrait thus robbing
Stuart of his copyright and leading to
probably the first and certainly the
bittcrest dispute on record concerning
American and English artistic rights.
Mr.. Burrows bought all the pictures at
the sale, and the print, the mastery
style of the painting, and its all but com
plctc identity with the engraving led
him to conclude he had acquired a
genuine Stuart Washington. Hence
those recent paragraphs ancnt the
discovery" in the Isle of Man; hence a
journey to London, picture in hand, to
consult the experts.
Now the experts all agree that it is
not only q genuine Stuart, but a very
iinc specimen in point alike of color,
handling, design and mot less impor-
tant) of preservation. Mr.. Burrows
canvas is essentially the same (thc diff
ferences between it and the Lansdownc
being extremely slight, and not even SC
IluThttl tlS lliOSC WHICH,. us IL rue, lluluF-
ally appear in replicas); but the Lans.
downe docs not equal the dclicacy and
distinction of the work now in Mr.. Bur
rows possession, but which ought
properly to be in the national portrait
gallery. The only portrait of Washing
ton there is poor-so poor indeed that
apparently the authorities don't thinl,
it worth exhibiting. Washington, after
all, was as much British as American
and the national album certainly should
contain n likeness worthy of the mar
and of the two peoples But the author
tiles are so impecunious that they car
only offer q comparatively small price
Such an offer has been made, it is I'm
dcrstood; but the figure named is quit,
below the market value of the picture
which, unless some special means are
taken to acquire it for the nation, vii
t,i,surcdly be snapped up by some patri
otic American millionaire.
Finally, there is the question of identi
ty. Space forbds such q lengthy state
lAcnt rs could be made of the facts, but
! avily. the considerations in favor o
Is being the replica originally in
idcd for the white house are these
l,ilstlnley came to England, prcsuma
lily with the portrait, about the sam
tlle IS Breed. What more likely tina
that Breed purchased the picture 70
his Isle of Man home, which he name,
Mount Vernon" after Washington
h;s; hung in the principal room Their
for nearly ninety years; Heath engra,
ing purchased probably at the time c
publcation), being in the bedroom. |
Is pretty certain that Winstanley stol
the picture to SELL it is not unlil1el
that he sold it to Breed. This Isle o
llan picture is a genuine Stuart and oil
yiously careful replica on q smalle
sale of the Lansdowne portrait;
supplies in all essential points, appal
emily, the missing full length. If, there
fore. this is not the white house pc
ait then Stuart painted another fl
Myth hitherto unrecorded; or the
s.'a painter who painted in exact
Stuarts manner and forged his sign
tarc about whom history and we lino
nothing.
MprN nE