The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-21
The PAINT N / |!
OWNED 81 By B CITY
Several Handsome Ones in .the coun-'
Gil Chamber.
PORTRAIT OF WILLIAM NJ I. \ BYRD D
Es.cused About Five Years Ago: By.
M. ". L. sheppard, Now OF This
City--lt Is q Copy frou. One at
Lower Brandon.
PORTRAIT OF WILLIAM a BYRD .

Though Richmond cannot lay claim TO
any note Tor artistic productions CT be-
1ruEi, Is, she has yet q few portraits
worthy OF mention. The extent OF her
wealth In this line does not proceed far
cher than the City Hall, and there the:
pc-traits adorn the walls Of only two
yooms.
The Mayor in his Office is favored with
one with q good local reputation, while
che remaining four or five look down on
the members of the City Council when
they meet In their chamber.
Inc portrait OF Lafayette dates BACK
about scventy-five years and has Its share
OF history. Inathe year 1924. Wien sLafay-
cite, with his son George Washington
Iafayette, made a visit to America, ana
on his way south passed through Rich-
xr.ond, monster reception, the ikc ao1
which has not been eQuailed, was ten-
dered him. No department IN me ely
was sufti GENTLY capacions for the ball
which was to be given, where the LADIES'
might have the privilege hand TO hand.
IL not lip TO lip.
The entire area embraced In the quad
rangle formed by the surrounding build
1ngs and galleries of The Eagle dotel..
then situated in the neighborhood of
GIdlu 6EQ r OUll CSulA Oh SSLos VASAAS -
over and covered with awnings and hass
to form ballroom, ard large as 1t was
. the space was filed.
IN Els HONOR.
In honor OF their guest they decided
to have fine portrait Of himself painted,
and employed DR.. James Worrell TO do
the work Dr. Worrell was an English
man. who had come to America to Sc
cure fame, and was well-known as a
portrait painter. He was a comprehen-
stye genius inasmuch as position of por-
.rait painter was concerned, and was OF
dilettante tastes. He accepted the task
offered him and completed the portrait OF
Lafayette that now Glowers at the coun-
cil1nen 1t was at the time of its compile
ton used us flank ornament In The great
ballroom. DR.. worrel afterwards estab-
lished the Richmond Museum. which
building was formerly situated near the
site of where then stood the Court. OF
Appeals building and near where Is now
located the State Library. The Court Of
Appeals building was destroyed by
disastrous fire on April 3. 1865.
The portrait was evidently painted from
memory. for it does not resemble any
previous effort and is distinct in its rep
resentaton.
The annalist OF our city. Samuel Morde-
cal, states that there was a companion
portrait, Of like heroic dimensions, of
placed In the museum.
the two portraits of Columbus and
Americas VeSpucius were brought from
Italy and presented to the city by dis
tinguished son of Virginia, Commodore
Lewis Warrington, of the United States
Navy. About the year 1886. Commodore
Warrington was cruising in the Mediter
rnnean Sea near the south coast OF tia y.
Seeing the portraits and thinking them
cheap at the price offered. he purchased
them aqd brought them home. They are,
probably. copies. as no name is found on
them and there is nothing to warrant
supposition Of originality.
NOT WITH OUT ROMANCE.
The paternity Of Warrington was not
without Romance. lie was the natural
son OF Rachel Warrington. the beautiful
daughter of Ia distinguished Episcopal
clergyman, who lived near Williamsburg,
and his father was no less a personnge
than the Compile de Rochaulbeau, the
companion Of Lafayette in our struggle
for independence. Warrington entered
the navy early in life and was rapidly
promoted. He distinguished himself in
many engagements in the war of 1872 and
in protecting the dignity Of the country
in foreign lands he earned the gratitude
Of nation.
The Compile, wishing to make repara-
ton for his villainy, now wished to recog-
:,ixe Warrington as his son, but the Com
modore declined. The Compile. in the
carly part of his career, had done all in
his power to secure his downfall, and had
treated him and his mother in the most
shameful fashion.
His mother. as a partial atonen,ent for
her youthful folly, became hospital
nurse and did much good work during
the Revolutionary War.
In the Mayors Office there Is an excel
lent portrait OF Colonel William Byrd
the founder of Richmond
Mr. William L. Sheppard, now Of this
city. executed the work about five years
ago. and report goes that he was given
something like 1000 for his labor.
The portrait Is a copy of magnificent
picture Of William Byrd, which with sew
eral others of a like excellence are at
Lower Brandon ard is an exact reproduc-
ton.
TIL. original was painted in England.
and is claimed by some to have been the
work OF Van Dyke. This, however, is ex-
ceedlngly doubtful.
Marriages Present and Future.
6ALEAf, VA. Jan. 1s.-Special.-Invi-