Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-28
sTuARTS FAMOUS PORTRAIT


iluuthH companion
One day when Gilbert stuart. the art
ist who painted the best head aud the
bent fun lrngth portrait 81 Washing
ton. was living IN Germantown. q sub.
urb OF Philadelphia. he received q call
from little. pert man. who addressed
him thus.
You are Mt stuart. SIR the great
painter
"Afy name il stuart. sir"
"My name " wiftaniey, sir; you
have heard OF me-"
'No, that recoiicct. SIR"
Mo- remarked she young man. not
nt all nhsshcd by his cool reception.
Wen Air. Stauart. l have been copy
INK your fun length OF Washington.
have made a number ~ cuplca. / have
now six that I brought on to Phlladel-
phla, have a room In the statc house
and have put them up: but before |
show them 10 the public and oifcr them
for sale have proposal to make to
YOU"
90 on, SIR"
at would cnchancc their value. you
know, " could say that you had
given them the last touch Now. cir.
all you have To do IL TO ride 10 town
aud give each Of them tap. you know.
with your riding swltch-Just thus, you
know"
stuart shut his snunbox. whence he
had been feeding his sapacious nostrlis.
and placed II on the tnblc--an omlnous
sign. winstanlcy. unhecding II. pro
cocded.
I'VE viii share the amount OF the
sale"
"Did YOU ever hear that l. was a
awindicrf" said the painter, rising 10
his fun height
"siri You mistake. You know"
You shall walk down stairs. sir
quickly. or ! shall throw you through
the window"
The swlndlcr preferred the stairs.
Stuart told this story 10 William
Dunlap-who repeats Il In his History
OF the Arts 81 Design In the United
statcH"-and added. one Of these pi-
rated copies was the cause Of his being
employed 90 paint the full length pnr.
trait ot Washington which hangs In
Fancui hail. Said the painter:
one 81 these fuli.lcngth Washing
tons, which only wanted the touch ~
NY riding whip. was brought 10 Boston
by the manufacturer who left Il with
a merchant Of that city as security for
a ionn ~ $500. and then departed TO
parts unknown.
After a time the picture was offered
fuf sale M Stuhrt'a Washington. aud
then the merchant discovered that he
had been Hwindlcd. A. he could not
sell II In Boston. he sent II by one Of
his ships TO foreign parts. but II re-
turned unrOld. Then he presented n
10 the town ana II was hung In fancuil
hall.
AT n town meeting. held In the hall
FcdorniistH aud Democrats were ar
rRyed IN bitter hostility. The merchant
who had presented the portrait was a
strong FcdcrallSt, ana one ~ the Demo
cratic speakers told the story Of the
picture, exposed Its worthlsHHnera and
ri1iculed the mock generosity of the
merchant, who was anxious To show his
patriotism ana 60 get an unstable pie.
turc on his hnndr.
The merchant was pointed at In the
streets. even the boys showed by thcit
bud manners, when they met him. that
they knew tho history OF the picture.
Ills friends suggested a line 81 de-
Tense. lie had been deceived. h.
thought II a real Slmon-pure. There
was no crime IN not bcing a Judge ~
paintings, but To show that he really
INFANT To he generous whom he donated
the picture 60 the city. he must apply
10 Stuart THE artist had removed Ia
liostonl To paint "a Washington Tor
fan.uii hail, This was bitter pill
for the merchant.
"iiow much viii II coat9"
"'six hundred dollars. perhaps
Five ana xix are clevcn-elcvcn
hundred doliarsT
hut something must be- done and
quickly"
The merchant consented. His fslend.
| called ON stuart, ana 10 their proposal
he said Certainly. gentlemen"
WIN you do u immediately"
immediately"
And the price,"
''Slx hundred dollars"
In a Few weeks the picture was huns
! IN Fnncnli hall. '''fhe merchant. =
/ added stuart. paid me In uncurreni
/ bills, which I had 10 send 20 broker
60 be- exchanged. paying the dis
/ count"
This we give as Stuart story. d
says the historian. IAN we vouch foi
~ that he told n without reserve"