The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-01
PORTRAIT or WASHINGTON.
Discovery the Isle OF Mas OF One or ths
Famous stuart Replicus.


| WASHINGTON. Feb 20. Consul. G. neral Sher.
| man Of Liverpool informed the State Depart
ment Of the discovery on the Isle Of Man OF n
portrait OF Washington believed to be one Of
the three replcas by Gilbert Stuart. from his
original painting for tho Maiuuis Of Lans
downe. and also believed to DO tho identical
' portrait that was intended for the Executive
| Mansion. The portrait is owned by MIR. Will
| lium Burrows. and is for sale ut the price OF
! $1,000. The size Of the canvas Is 20 by 13
! inches. 1t appears to have been we'll pre-
| served A photograph of the portrait accom-
panyinE the despatch shows II to be n Stuart
| beyond any reasonable doubt. and extracts
from Blnck AMI White and from the Whitehall
Rer,t@r giv. an in'crcstin. account OF the his
tory Of the port rait. Bdch and White says:
"Onc of the most singular stories in the
| annals OF art is the theft and disappearance OF
an authentic full-length portrait of George
Washington. painted by Gilbert Stuart the
friend and pupil Of West. This long missing
portrait was one Of three rcplicas made by
stuart from the wc-known original painted
Of Lar ian eGs That orgnai and tw" Of the
cop.e> are wei! and clearly accounted for. but
the third disappeared in the following manner.
trait was painted for Mr. Gardiner Baker Of
New York. an active member Of the Society Of
shed "scn M' This museum ' Was. in IS.
made over to Baker, who added. among Other
gone Snsr to os ," to s' e anTSn'S s 'sEe
@ hut dying r, therG Of yS ii ssysr tns
claim. BY and 10y the committee charged
With, furnishing the Presidents, house at
ss lie nowever e"ncd ef si "n
ern nhe Stuart "nS the t 10 die
cover and denounce the fraud; but thou GIL he
rsnndiqtsd tn" canvas that stu hangs in The
it is Overwhelming. patriotic citizens Of the
states still believe i to be the genuine por-
Iansdowne full length. What became Of the
genuine work stolen by Winstan!cy. painter
Well there is considerable reason 3helieve
that it is now in the possession OF Mr William
burrows. a picture dealer. Douglas. Isle Of
Mount Vernon. in that island the name. it will
he remembered, OF Mashinst9n,s hon, h9mel, in
ri-on. who was Mrs. lIarcock having been
twice marriedl and the daughter Of one Breed.
WIG formerly owned fre'n lsahd 10 fos t%
Iatie Of T Breeis f HILL and Who settled in the
sG Nan ssy il ths CT t6e A9s
sale was a fine full length in oil Of George
nS eap,a tb Of an
copyright. and leading to, probably the first
c con- American and, English artistic
rights. Mr. Burrows bought ali the pictures
nj the sale. and the print. the mastery style Of
the painting and its all hut mplete Identity
Wit il the engraving. led him I" conclude that
he has acquired n Eenuin" stuart Washington.
Vow the EXPERTS all agree that it is not only
n genuine Stuilrt. but Il very me specimen. in
POINT alike Of handling. color. design. and
mot of less import Of preservation.
Finally there is the question Of identity.
Space forlids such Il lengthy statement AS
could be made of the facts; but, briefly. the
replica originally intended for the White
House are these:
"Winstanley came to England. presumably
with the portrait about the same tim" as
Breed. It is pretty certnin that Winstaney
stole the picture to sell. i is not unlikely that
he sold il to Breed. Heath's engraving lpur-
chased probably at the time Of publication
being in the bedroom at Mount Vernon. This
Isle Of Man picture Is a genuine Stuart aud
obviouslya careful replica on Il smaller scale
Of the Lnnsdowne portrait i supplies in all
length. IT, therefore this. is not the White
House portrait. then stuart painted another
fun length. hitherto unrecorded. or there was
II painter in exactly Stuerts manner. and
who forged his signature. about whose history
We know nothing.