Gilpin observer., 1913-02-20

Every one," answers the public.
Not one." say experts in Washingtonia.
The public, secure in its knowledge of the por-
traits accepted portraying the features OF
Washington. is confident that 1t knows Washing
ton too well to make any mistake. The historians,
knowing OF what the public is ignorant, calmly
aver that not one American patriot In a thousand
knows what the first president looked like in life
For the accepted picture of Washington, the IA
nous Stuart portrait which has been handed
down through the generations as being lifelike
representation Of Washington lneaments, which
has been reproduced hundreds OF times, and from
which Americans have learned to know. think
they know. what he looked like has been exposed
and held up to criticism and branded every
thing but a resemblance Of George Washington.
The public which for 10 years has looked upon
this face depicted In books magazines, on flags.
everywhere that the face of the father of the
country has been reproduced never has
faithful representation of what Washington
looked like in the flesh. Trusting little school
the schoolroom wall have been basely de-
ceived Washington did not look like that or
anything near 1t, It is said.
This picture. say the researchers. is far re-
moved from the true Washington. The public.
they say. doesn't know the father of the country
and wouldn't recognize him II they met him face
to face the street.
The how and the whyfore Of this startling
nouncement comes through the disclosure of
real Washington, portrait quite different from
great Washington painter. Stuart, in 1895, is
declared to be the one that shows the man he
really was. depicting his features and characters
tics with the sternest fidelity and truthfulness,
and making likeness true that 1t should
have been handed down through the ages
record of what Washington looked like. 1t was
accepted as such by Mrs: George Washington
and by the entire household at Mount Vernon.
Surely, say the historians his wife and
family ought to know what Washington looked
knf But 10 trott
is not the one that the public has been led to
believs is George Washington.
The commonly accepted portrait the one which
hangs In duplicate the walls of every school.
room In the land. and which Americans conn.
IDENTIFY point out as picture Of the father of
their country. is quite another picture. 1t also
was painted by Stuart. in 1876. but the magic
bond that had made the painter and subject at
ease with each other was gone. and Stuart turned
from his work in disgust, declaring that the pic.
ture lacked the animation that characterized
Washington, and was never completed.
Yet this 10 the picture which has been accept,
ed as absolutely correct. Mrs. Washington didn't
like It; but the public and Washngton's old sol
ders liked It. II their idea Of what they
wanted their hero to look like. Hence its rapid
growth into popularity and the practical eclipse
of the other portrait declared to be the true
Washington.
Stuart It is well known. made three great a.
tempts to transfer the being Of Washington to
canvas. The first was. so the painter declared. a
failure. because the confidence necessary be-
tween subject and artist was lacking. The sec
ond was a success. Stuart learned that he could
get his famous sitter interested in talking
horse" and SO he painted him as he really was.
The third attempt resulted In the conventional
household Washington" It lacked, said Mrs.
Washington. truth. 1t lacked, said Stuart the AMI
nation characteristic Of the general But It made
its way into popularity. Hence say historians.
the public knows not the country's own father.
Upwards Of thirty oil paintings from life By