The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-18
GILBERT STUART'S WASHINGTON,
4 WORLD-FAMOUS PORTRAIT
The Painter and the Porhai, as Described BY Walter Gilman
Page an Artist Of To-Day

timely reproduction in color of the Athe-
naeum portrait of Washington by the justly
renowned American portrait painter, Gill
bert Stuart, and which will be presented
to the subscribers of the Journal in next
Sundays issue, lends interest 10 the fol-
lowing account OF the author of the por-
trait and the circumstances under which
it came TO be painted.
Gilbert Stuart is the only American art
ist deemed worthy of the high honor of
being included in the list of great Ameri-
cans whose names have been inscribed in
the Hall of Fame"
Gilbert Stuart was born Dec. p, 1855. In
the records of ST. Pauls Church, Nara
gansett. r. L.. there is the following entry:
April IL, 1856, being Palm Sunday, DIR.
McSparran read prayers, preached and
baptized a child named Gilbert Stuart, son
Of Gilbert Stuart, snufgrinder."
Gilbert Stuart. the elder. according to
family tradition, was a political refugee
of Scotch descent. son of a Presbyterian
clergyman and a native Of Perth. On ac-
count of his politics ne fed TO the colonies.
where, after various wanderings, he set
tied in Rhode Island and established a
snuffmill. He married a beautiful girl by
the name of Elizabeth Anthony. The snuff
MIL not proving a success, and Mrs. Stuart
coming into possession OF a small amount
or property, the family removed to New
port, Wnere the son could have proper
schooling, for up to this time Mrs. Stuart
mad been the lads only instructor.
At Newport young Stuart, under proper
instruction, made rapid progress in Latin,
a language his mother had created a great
desire in his mind to learn. But it was
hard work for him TO study. His spirits
were buoyant and he was too fond of
pranks, In fact, all sorts of mischief that
boys are prone to-. Moreover, he had an
other love which claimed more than its
share of his attention. His fondness for
drawing he could not suppress, nor did he
attempt it. No portfolio of Stuart's early
drawings has been preserved, for he had
no PORTFOLIO. and no record has been made
OF his early efforts. A fence, a slab, or
the tailboard of a cart received his first
Impressions and in these early drawings
there was no attempt at anything more
than the merest outline; but from these
crude beginnings did he at least
TO feel he must be a painter.
The difficulty of learning anything of art
in those early colonial days can hardly
be appreciated at the present time. The
few pasSable pictures in the colonies were
beyond his reach; the means to secure the
influence that could cOmmand the services
OF proper teachers were not in MS possess
sion. But when his parents removed to
Newport his prospects in this direction be-
gan to brighten. On many walls he could
see fairly good prints, curious old Dutch
tiles and richly-cOlOreG wares OF China,
but portraits and portrait painters We're
few and far between. Still Stuart perse-
vered. At last he obtained %colOrs, a palette
and when he could find them. sitters. A
picture owned by Thomas r. Hunter, Esq,
of Newport, r. L., so far as is known,
is the earliest product of his brush and
represents a couple of Spanish dogs. At
the age of thirteen he received an order for
two portraits, Mr.. and Mrs. John Bannis-
ter, of Newport. These portraits are now
In the Redwood library. They are not
remarkable as pictures, but the facts con-
nected with them make them interesting.
A LOST PORTRAIT.
At the age of sixteen Stuart painted the
portrait of his father, but what became of
it is not known. 1t was exhibited in Bos-
ton soon after the artists death. but since
then all record of it has been lost. In 17O
Stuart met a foreign artist by the name of
Cosmo Alexander. though little is known
of him beyond the fact that he was a
gentleman and fond of art.
While spending a time in Newport Stuart
was brought to Alexander's notice and see
ing Evidence of talent in him. gave him all
the Instruction of which he was capable.
He found Stuart an apt pupil; in fact ne
made such rapid progress that Alexander
took him to England when he returned, but
unfortunately could not be of much as
sistance to him, for he died soon after
reaching Edinburgh. In his last moments
he commended Stuart to a friend. But this
ANON - 0N 0NNN R0o
thrown upon mis- own resources while his
skill was not as yet sufficient TO enable him
to win his own way. For two years he
struggled along, barely obtaining bread and
lodging by his brush, and thinking only of
returning to his native land, which he did
in a coal vessel as soon as his means would
permit of his undertaking the voyage even
in this uncomfortable fashion. But his So
journ had been of great benefit TO him in
that he acquired u great deal of valuable in
formation. He had seen better pictures
than he could see at home and had been
brought into contact with men of estab-
lished regulations. He felt better equipped
to appear before his countrymen as a pOr-
trait painter and he was soon called upon
to paint some wealthy Jews in Rhode
Island. From these came other commits
sions, so that for one so yOung and consid-
ering his time his success was rather re-
markable. But he felt how necessary the
study of the figure was and, with a friend,
hired a brawny blacksmith to pose at 80
cents an evening. All this, though pleasant
and profitable, was not destined to continue
long: the rupture between the mother coun-
try and the colonies was drawing to a head
and Stuart having tasted of the fountain
of knowledge was anxious TO return TO Eng
land and felt that If hostilities broke out
the opportunity might be lacking. Every
day his touch was growing stronger and he
had an intense desire 10 study under West,
his countryman, and so, with but one let
ter of introduction, he sailed on the last
vessel which escaped attention from Boston
harbor in the spring OF 1775. Where he land
ed is not known, but 1t was probably in
Having obtained cheap lodgings he cast
about to secure the object of his ambition.
to be the pupil of West, but for a long time
was unable to obtain the proper means of
meeting the great painter, until at last.
stern necessity in the shape of actual want
compelled him to summon up his courage
to call upon West without a letter of in
PRODUCTION.
West received him kindly. listened to his
wishes, requested him to bring some of his
work and as a result Stuart found him
self in liz domiciled with the family of
West. At that time he was twenty-five
years of age.
Stuart possessed a great love for music.
had learned to play upon various instru-
ments and had also composed a little. While
studying with West he was Obliged to add
to his resources. therefore his love for mu-
sic proved a fortunate thing for him, since
through his knowledge of the art he was
able to secure a position as OrganiSt at a
salary of $50 a year.
Stuart worked hard under West. and