The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1893-11-04
PsALs's WASHINGTON.
How the Portrait was Painted l. Told
In a Letter - the Artist.

In a Letter b. the Artist
One O. the leading lawyers Of New jersey
was some time ago engaged in the admin
istrnti0n Of an estate that Involved. among
other things. the ownership Of a copy W
Rembrandt Peale Of his original portrait
OF Washington and also "a copy Of Pealc's
fathers portrait Of Mrs. Washington. The
executor of the Peale estate was appealed
to. and be furnished a bundle Of old lettors
from the artist himself. which not only
settled the question n litigation. but
brought 70 light Interesting information
concerning those famous portraits.
These letters have never been published.
Pcale died 10 Philadelphia IN 1870, and the
letters 20 the executor were written in
1854. Pcnle. Il will be- recalled. was only
eighteen years old when he painted Wash
lngton's portrait.
The following letter tells its own story
Of the way In which the artist painted the
portrait 81 the Father Of his Country. IL
is dated Philadelphia. March. 1851:
by express ! send you a copy o. my
Washington. and shall with pleasure I'M.
mediateiy finish for you a portrait OF Mrs.
Washington which | had begun for an
other destination some weeks w
when Washington sat 10 me Ia lbs.
the latter part 81 September. he came 70
my room at : o'clock. each time a. be en-
tered In the act of putting bis watch In his
fob, d u giving me an example Of pune
tuality which l have since enforced on all
my sittcrs. Ny father. an old ~acquaint-
ancc. kept hia In conversation. which en-
ahiCi me 10 study his cOuntcnance. II was
"A period Of some anxiety with him. ~ he
was hesitating whether or not TO sign Jays
treaty with England. and further. he was
doubtless disturbed by the publication Of
forged letters. which Il WIS asserted were
taken ON the person OF n runaway scrvnnt.
No one venturcd TO speak with him on the
subject. and he would not condesccnd I'M
asked to deny them. Ny uncle. James
Peale. a jealous politician. nt the second
sitting he gave me. bluutly addressed him,
General. did yon write those l~ettersf' To
which he replied. 4 never lost any letters.
No servant Of mine ever ran away from
me- He talked nc ealse on other subjects.
but my uncle went out. telling his wash
i%ngton'sl answer to everybody he knew.
and In two hours all Philadelphia was re.
lieyed 81 the scandal.
Before the invention Of porcelain teeth
on gold plates IL was the practice Of the
dentists to fashion them from blocks Of
seihorse ivory. One OF these sets was made
by the elder Garictte for General Wash
ington, but II was fortunate for me that
he sat 70 lie without them. ~ hey were
just finished and were clumsy md uncom.
Portable and distended his mouth 80 that
he finally rejected them, and il was equally
unfortunate for Stuart that his portrait
represents him ms he appeared for "A short
time with them, looking, as Judge Wash
ington informed me, NJ though rinsing his
mouth with watcr. and. rs Stuart himself
informed me, preventing him from holding
any conversation Though ignorant Of the
cause) 80 essential 90 the production OF
an animated likeness. by sitting 10 early
AS Z In the morning | had his hair before il
was curled and powdered by the barber.
after which hour Mr.. Stuart's portrait was
painted.
81 painfcd this portrait with but little
reference to any pecuniary compensation,
but for my own hearts satisfaction, to take
with me to Europe, proudly To be valued
as the portrait Of the Father Of my COun-
try and the rcvered OF all nations. never
offered IL to congress. but the senate nat.
tered me into their acquisition Of il by n
unanimous vote. supported by Henry Clay.
who declared that IL he could have his will
mot only every room In the capitol, but
every house in the United States. should
have this portrait Of Washington
1T is now the reward Of my enthusiastic
excitement in producing IL, aud l., Is my
devotional duty In reproducing them 20
crafty the taste and patriotism Of those
who think with C~hateaubriand that there
IL a virtue In the looks Of a great man."
Il il right that a paragraph should be
added showing the turmoil that surround.
ell Washington mt the time he sat for the
picture to peale In 1875. lie had just been
summoned from Mount Vernon because of
the excitement over jays treaty. While
he was sitting to the young artist Jay was
being burned In e1igy in Boston. and the
intercepted dispatches Of the French min
lister had but just led TO a rupture between
President Washington and Secretary of
State Edmund Randolph that led to the
latter's retirement in everlasting disgrace.
This old letter OF peale's throws a strong
light on Washington's demeanor nc that
critical period.-New York Herald.