The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-02
A NOTABLE PICTURE.
Shaken From the Dust OF Ages
BY an Earthquake
WASHINGTON AND HIS HORSE
n s~.ssi. wsm.a Asserts Her Claim
After Many ssars-h@v IL Jams
80 aer Posssssisz-

ressdsut OF this city, - TIE figatss @e"
10 The nov famous picture Of y asnin s'oh
and hss horse, which for the DAst thifty-
foa. vegrs has been hanging Ia TIE easfn-
bers OF the san Francisco Dosrd o.
suxsrvisors. where her husband left II Tor
ssfe keeping ia io8z She has recently
written several letters 20 the san Fran
esxco Cal show ing her identity and claim
Ing the r1gnt Of disposing Of the picture.
which has an interesting history
Mrs. Stevens was seen a. her home. i-io
Eenton avenue. by representative Of the
Posr.IsrEtLrsEsoKs. and told she follow
ing In regard 70 the piesuFsi
- think ID was somes here Ia the titles,
IN Newport, X. l.. that fag husband came
into possession Of the picture but gast
how cannot say. Jane stuart, lie ar
tai who produced the picture from the
original. which wss painted By her father,
Gilbert stuart. vas q retident Of newport
and a personal friend Of Mr.. Stevens. AZ
that time she was rather poor. ana my
husband. being great sdtnirer OF Wofks
OF art. either bought tie picture outright
or advanced her some money on ~ Any
how he became the possessor OF the paint
ing. and when sc went 10 san francisco
We took ID along. II was too massive 70
place in cur home, 80 my husband had u
taken down 10 the Office OF tue BOARD
oil supervisora IN the old city hall. and
alter that time / rarely heard anything
about IL. In 1861 my father. Col. J.. ID
Baker. vas killed ia the war. and shortly
sft~r ws left for the East, where my hus-
band Joined the Union army. and we never
again made our restdencs in San Fran
cisco During the turmoil caused by the
war and various other incidents. | sup
pose We forgot 81 about the picture.
kGe. very little about u, 50 u naturally
passed ott Of my mind, anc / probably
would never have thought OF II bad not
my attention been called To IL by an item
regarding IL ia the New York World of Oc-
fober y. part OF shich sas taken from the
ean Francisco Call. III secure possessi0n
oil IT, presume I viii dispose OF IL, as the
ACCOUNT ia ghe New YORK World SAYS that
several Of the most important historical
societies of tbe country have been search
tag for il for some time. !"
The san Francisco Call says the city
came into possession OF the picture In
March, 1860. IL sas rendered 10 the board
OF supervisors by X. j. Stevens IN letter.
In which he said:
al have a copy OF the full length portrait
Of Washington by the celebrated Stuart,
executed by his daughter. herself n dis
tingnlshed artist. which | am DESTROYS OF
placing in safe and conspicuous position
until can dispose OF IL for her benefit.
s'Thinzing it would prove an appro-
pirate adurnment Of the bali in whieh the
honorabIy board OF supervisors holds its
sessions, 1 herewith beg, through Won, 10
iender them the loan of ii for such pur-
pose"
Gilbert Stuart. the ARTIST of the original
picture, painted several portraits OF Wash
ington that gave the geagest satisfaction TO
his family, all the members of which spoke
- Al
good likenesses. Critics of today, however,
are not satisfied with them and say they
do not show the strength of character
George Washington Is known TO have
possessed. Washington posed three times
for Stuart and on each occasion head
Was painted. One of these Was the famous
"Atheneum" portrait. from which Stuart
made most OF the copies Of his many por-
traits Of " Washington.
For the original Of the picture in ques-
ton IL is raeFs shan likely that this portrait
was used for The face. while the rest of the
figure was made from memory and small
sketches. At any rate. there Is no record
OF Washington posing 10 Stuart for a full
length portrait Just when the original
OF this picture was painted Is a matter Of
doubt. bat il was very likely about 1877.
In which year Stuart painted a full length
that has been located at different times IN
many cities Of the East.
'washington and Ills Horse" has been
hung in Philadelphia, Boston. New York,
Baltimore aud Washington City. Some
years ago It was hanging ia the Coreoran
gallery, and is very likely still there. liz
Is unsigned, rs are nine-tenths of Stuart's
work. and only the records are authority
"A. z.
very hiEhly as a work of ART, being faulty
in both ORA wing and color. and poor COM
position. in fact. we're IL not Tor the nor
trait OF Washington II would not be worth
preserving.
Jane stuart was the only daughter OF
Gilbert stuart and was born about fsl0
She never married. but devoted herself 90
srt, most u her work being the repvoduc-
tian 81 her fathers pictures. which abe
copied With marvellous exaotness She
Was compelled 90 do this. for when her
father died ia ISIS he left his family quite
destitute.
Most Of the copies Of her fathers work
made by Miss Stuart we're Of the portrait
heads 81 Washington. Of which she is said
- have painted several hundred She
made bCt two copies Of his fali length
pictures, one 81 which Is the picture in
question, Thn picture remained Ia her
possession nomesr OF years, and was
often taken Tor tbe original
It seems slmoss impossible shat a plct.
urs could 20 exposed 70 paalIc view In
San Francisco tor tAirtx-laor wears aud
vet bo practically burgcd from the world
Bat such has hecn she case until Mrs
Stevens saS tae !te@ ln relation to it In
she New York World There is no doubt
about the picture eelns the genuine work
II Miss stuart The fast IT SIS being an.
slgnet Is a strong indication 81 Is being
genuine. because Miss Stuart never signed
any but her own original WORK Being az
exact cory of 6ubsrt Ssuagts werk. &
viii Show the student What American a.
has grown oat Of va less thaa a century,
aud also give an ides Of What eur fore
father. considered roo3 art
TIE san Francisco CaN Of November z.
ssys she picture a. klysa into the care a
sac supervisors by MF. Sleveas wss wtsA
oat a .fsms. aud IN that shape Was huns
In g6e caameers 81 The supervisors SO ths
old eltv hail In ISs4 aud Sc hung therc
aceumajating she eust 81 yeas. until the
earthquake shock is down. Clerk John :
Russest tells she story:
Il hsa bas shortly arrived ~ the otslce
g taat morning. Aad had iasf gotten eat rnY
books. weieh wers spread over mv dask
1 y" o*s 4 eK .enfed a.osw the all and 81
enc eHa, saa 81 glKht saries 80 is. s;ooi
the big safe fresa Nhsea had taken the
books 0vsr the Safe hung the hSe usetnrr.
- WAS a.eoe leaa4ae svr- ne ,tess a.
worE. - aen tea ghe snoek q the earth.
enake. The plssseFlnr fsll in s,r-.t .,sun :.