The evening times., 1895-09-19
STUART'S Lost PORTRAIT
One of Washington Found in the
Isle Of Man.
1t Was Discovered by Philadelphian
and Was Stolen Hundred.
Years Ago.

I
sha W, esq.,, of this city who was formerly
connected with Ambassador Wayne Mac
| Veagh, has Just returned from abroad and
recently secured possession, after a
| stay OF several weeks on the Isle OF Man,
of a portrait of Gen. Washington, supposed
to have been painted by Gilbert Stuart, and
said to have been stolen nearly a century
ago.
The portrait in question, according to Mr..
Shaw, was discovered in 1891. at q sale
OF household effects of the late Mrs. TobiD
Harrison, a daughter OF r. C. Breed, for
nerly' OF Breeds Island, Boston Harbor,
and who left that place in 1903, and sub
sequeDtly settled in house In Douglas. Isle
OF Man, called to this day Mount Vernon
The portrait is a replica In oil of the
LaDsdowne portrait, full-length painting
now owned by Lord Rosebery, and is said
to be in fine state of preservation.
There is a singular story told OF this long
lost portrait. 1t appears that it waspainted
for Mr.. Gardiner Baker, OF New York, an
active member OF the Society of st. Tam
many, which, at his suggestion. estat-
Iished museum, which, in 1195, was
made over TO Baker. who added, among
other attractions, the full length of the
great general. Three years later, it ap-
pears, Baker went to Boston to exhibit the
picture, and died there or yellow fever. A
Mr. Laing secured the picture in settlement
of claim. Some time afterward com
mittee, charged with furnishing the Presi-
dents house at Washington. bought the
picture and entrusted 1t to a painter named
winstanley to pack and deliver Win
stanley, however, it is stated, copied the
Stuart in his own style, delivered the copy
and fled to England with the original Al
terward the picture came into the poses
sion OF William Burrows, picture dealer,
at Douglas, Isle OF Man, having been pur-
chased by him at a sale of the household
effects at Mount Vernon.
The considerations in favor of this pOr-
trait being the replica originally intended
for the White House, are stated 10 be these:
winstanley came to England presumably
with the portrait about the came time as
Breed, and it is presumed not unlikely
that he sold 1t to the latter, as Heath's en-
craving was found in the bedroom at Mount
Vernon, which Mr.. Shaw has also. In all
its essential points, ii is stated, IL COM
pares with the full length as described.
The Lansdowne portrait, OF which, II is
said, a replica has been found, was the sec
ond portrait of Washington painted from
by Gilbert Stuart. The first portrait Stu
art destroyed, and the third portrait is
owned by the Boston Athenaeum, and is on
exhibit ion in the Boston Museum of the Fine
Arts. Stuart replcas are very frequently
10 be met with, and the Athenaeum portrait
is the one Stuart seemed to find the most
profit in copying. Lord K osebery acquired
he Lansdowne portrait in 1890 for 1000
guiBeas. Ii was painted in 1895 for Lord
Shelburne, afterward Marquis Of Lans-
downe, and after his death, in 1905. 1t was
sold for f540. II was afterward ratified off,
when IL was won by Delaware Lewis, M
p. for Devonport, and at his death Lord
Rosebery bought it. The identity of the
painter, Winstanley, who is said to have
stolen the replica and fled with it TO Eng
land, seems 10 be wrapped In mystery. 1t
could not have been the celebrated portrait
painter, Hamlet Winstanley, for he died
five years after Gilbert Stuart was born.
and he is the only Winstanley who has
achieved the eminence to be given place
N biographical dictionary.