Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-18
1AA1 BYRD PORTRAlT.
The Committee Accepts 1t and Orders the
Artists Bill Paid.

The special committee OF the Council
appointed 20 have portrait OF Colonel
William Byrd. founder of the CITY OF klca-
mond painted aud to have certain repairs
made to the other pictures IN the EOuncil
chamber. met Yesterday afternoon 10 re-
ceIye the Byrd portrait, which waS de-
liyered bv Mr. W. l.. Sheppard, the artist.
The members of the committee present
were Messrs. Dlckcrson chairman, Tan
ner, and TAYLOR. After look at the hand,
some painting the committee was called
10 order and on motion of Mr.. Tanner
the picture was accepted and the bill OF
the artist for $3.50 was ordered TO be pald.
The frame and the repairing 10 other pie
lures had been paid for some months ago.
The published statement that the appro-
priation of money for these purposes was
Cancelled when the budget for the hscal
year was made up by the Finance Com
mittee was incorrect, rs this Appropriation
was not made until after the close or the
fiscal year. which closed December 3lst.
The committee decided 10 hang the new
plcture upon the wall of the Old Council
chamber for the present.
DESCRIPTION or THE PICTURE.
The basis of the portrait is the we'll
known Brandon portrait, attributed 10 SIR
Godfrey kueller. No feature of this PIC
ture has been followed strictly except the
face, and that was copied. as matter of
course. as there is no other copy III eX-
istence, and 1t Is that of q slngularly- hand
some man and of type not much seen at
present. The thickness of the eyebrows
Is remarkable. and the strength of charac-
ter attributed by physiOgnomlsts 70 this
feature seems fully borne out III the case
of Colonel Byrd. The Colonel is repre-
sented as standing in an easy pose. The
weight IS on the left leg and the lett hand
is on that hip. He holds his cooked and
laced-h hat in his right hand. which rests on
the back of a mahogany-chair-once hs
property. now in the possession OF Dr. -.
A. Crenshaw. of this city. who kin dly
loaned It To Mr.. Sheppard. Ii Is Ole
tradition that Lord CORVALLIS sat III this
char while stopping at Westover on his
march TO York river.
COLONEL BYRD's COSTUME.
The colors of the costume and back
ground Of the original picture can barely
be distinguished, and Mr. Sheppard has
made no effort to reproduce them. The
pose of the new picture necessarily ac-
cords with the original TO a certain extent
in order that it may follow the position OF
the face. IL only resembles the original
to the waist. The color scheme IL entirely
different. The colonel is represented IN
the costume of the latter part OF the
reign OF Mllilhtn anu 24hEN hiA ALI
first of that of Queen Anne. The
subject wears the full Z" flowing >.
wIg-generaly OF horse-hair--with which
the gentlemen of those days encumbered
themselves His cravat is not of the
"jabot order. but Is of the style called
Stelnkirk" so named after the battle OF
Sieinkirk, fought in the low country IN
Williams reign. The coat is of blue vel,
vet. tight IN the arms, with large cuffs and
full tails reaching nearly to the knees. IL
is buttOued to the waist only, leaving ylsl-
bic portion Of the huge vest of the pc
riod in pale-yeilow satin trimmed IN gilt.
His small clothes are of dark-blue silk, his
stockings of lighter blue. and the shoes
are luw-quartered. with gold buckles. The
cuffs AT the hand are without lace and
show considerably above the wrist.
OTHER FEATURES.
The pattern of the carpet was taken
from that OF one Of HoGuith's pictures.
The blue of the costume is relieved by an
old-gold curtain which infrInges on the
figure. the painting is considered very
fine work of art and 1t will be an addl-
tional ornament TO the Council chamber.
The frame. which was furnished by
Messrs Franck Il Son, is OF heavy gilt and
j. new and beautiful IN design. The pic
ture as it stands is almost as large as those
of Washington and Lsfavette, which have
hung upon the walls Of the Council cham
ber for years.