Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-02-15
PEALE's WASHINGTON.


Philadelphia. opposite the Old liberty
bell. OF the large fgii-icnsth portrait ..
Washington. which Ia said to have
been painted BY the noted Philadelphia
artist. Charles Wilson Pcaic. In 1851.
has naturally attracted considerable
attention from art conEoiRscura anu
visitors to the hall. particularly rs the
paint!n. has been hung IN it, pTcEcn;
position with the announced object N
view OF Its purchase for ss.UO0 By the
city from the American Ar; EGsos!a.
'uon of New York. its present oEGcF
Since the picture Eas been piarca
In the old ata;n house Charles Henry
Hart of that city. tho noted expert on
historical painting. has discovered
some very curious aud Interesting ma.
icriai regarding IL. AmunE other
things Mr.. liar, hns pointed out tar
fact that the painting In noi an or 81.
nal from life. but replica. one OF GsY.
crai copies made by the artist and sofa
for thirty guincas each. or about $50
Mr. Hart has further stated that the
original painting is s,lii cx;ant. anu.
moreover. In Philadelphia. Banging In
the hallway OF the country place OF the
late Thomas Mexican. Germantown.
and is in excellent condition. This
picture was purchased at auction by
Henry Pratt Mexican In 1854 .9T s:isp
Concerning the history of tho copy o;
this picture now offered for safe to
Philadelphia. the following Is an cx-
tract from n communication received
by Director Ritter from Thomas T.
Kirby of tho American Art association:
Replying to your Inquiries in refer.
cncc to the portrait of Gen. Washing.
ton by Charles Wilson Pcaic. now In
our possession. We will state that the
painting was purchased in cadiz. Spain,
in February. 1896. by our Paris agent.
NJ. Montaignac. This painting for
many years was In the hands OF bank
crs in Cadiz, held as collateral. and
although they knew the work to DO tho
portrai, OF an American general. did
not know II to be n portrait of our i'm
mortal Washington. VI. Montaignac. In
sending the work to us. states that the
picture was ordered to be painted by
Don Juan Mhraiiles. Spanish minister
TO the United States in 1873. in con-
ncction with Gen. washington's pres-
ence in Philadelphia. While Pealc
painted seven or eight similar por-
traits. We consider the one in our pos
session the finest sample he produced,
and falling to find the slightest hint
OF rctouching or restoration. We also
believe that our portrait is the only
one having the signature of artist ana
date uIsD. Before sending the por-
trait to us our agent showed the pic
ture In Paris. and We quote from
letter written by well-known con-
noisseur. G. a. Lucas. an intimate
friend of the late William II. Stewart
of Philadelphia. the famous connois.
seur:
Dear NJ. Montaignac: So much In
terested was | in the Pcale portrait OF
washington now in your possession
That, after seeing II. | visited Versailles
IN order to examine one by the same
artist which has been in the gallery
Tor n great many years. and was glad
TO IND that your portrait. according to
my judgment is superior to 1t both In
execution of the figure and the acces-
sorles. the latter in the Versailles one
having all the appearance of having
been painted by another than that of
Peale. The Versailles portrait is un-
signed; yours bears the artists sigma
ture. hope. as you tell me its destina-
ton Is America. that 1t will a perma-
nent resting place in public gallery,
ana II now occurs to me that n most
lifting one would be Mount Vernon.
am always happy when 1 see "epaves"
of our early history rescued from loss
and destruction and finding a home in
our country. where they may bo al
wa-s seen and fully appreciated and
admired"