Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22
Permanently Placed in the Nations Capitol

ing His Commission as Commander In Chief
of the Army" shows the general in the center
of the picture making his resignation speech.
The Washington of this painting is a tall, hand
some man of slender and graceful build. In
the gallery watching the ceremony, Is Mrs.
Washington and her three granddaughterS
In "The Surrender of Lord CORVALLIS, also
by Trumbull Washington is riding BLACK
horse between Gen. Lincoln and the American
flag This historical painting represents the
moment when the highest officers OF the de-
feated British for -es were being led by Gen.
Lincoln between tie lines of the victorious
French and American soldiers. Thus, the lead
ing officers of the three nations are shown In
the foreground of the picture.
John TRUMBULL. the painter, was born In
Connecticut in 1855 and died in New York
in 1843 His father was Jonathan Trumbull,
Governor of Connecticut. Young Trumoull
graduated from Harvard at the age OF 1T. and
he served in the Revolutionary War as aide de
camp to Washington. When he was "a years
old he went to London to study painting
While there he was arrested by the British as
a spy This son Of Yankee governor was
thrown into a prison where for eight months
he shared a cell with a common highwayman
He was finally released upon condition that ne
leave England at once
TrumbuI Is the most celebrated painter OF
the Revolution. He was Is years younger
than Charles w llson Peale and only few
months older than Stuart. The lives OF Peale
and Trumbull show interesting similarity
Both began painting without instruction, both
went to COPY for assistance, both served I'M
der Washington in the War of the ReVolu-
ton and both went to London to study under
their fellow countryman and artist, Ben]a-
min West After having attained recognition
abroad both artists returned to America TO
paint men prominently connected with the
Revolution and the new Republic
Trumbuil was one of the most industrious
artists this country has ever produced. He
painted hundreds of pictures some OF which
were canvases of mammoth proportions.
Shortly after the death of his wife he gave
ali his paintings to Yale College for life
pension of 900 q year. Beneath the gal
lery where his pictures hung Is the tomb
of the American artist and his beloved wife.
The inscription on the tomb reads, in part:
"ro his country he gave his pencil and his
sword"
The State of Virgin has honored not only
her most illustriouS son. but herself rs well,
by placing the statue of Washington IN the
United States Capitol, where his right 70
place of honor is obvious and unquestioned.
The tall bronze statue of the Father of His
Country in Statuary Hall was copied by Will
liam James Hubbard from Houdon's marble
statue of Washington in the State Capitol at
Richmond Hubbard was permitted to copy
the statue by a special act of the Legislature
Of Virginia.
Jean Antoine Houdon was an eminent
French sculptor who came to America in 1765
TO model statue of Washington for Virginia.
The sculptor lived two weeks at Mount YER
non During this time ne made cast OF
Washington's face from which the bust was
modelled The artist made very minute and
painstaking measurements of the person OF
the great Virginian. The statue was COM
pleted in Paris in 1888 and erected at Rich
mond May IA. 1895, three years before WASH
ington's death.
THE Houdon statue is considered a master
piece and it is said to be as perfect q
resemblance of the subject as could be made