The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-11-07
BY MRS C. O. ROBINSON

1.-TWO HUNDRED years that have
Il elapsed since Washington was
born have been times of great ac-
complishment. Development of the
postal system is an example of this
great progress. If Washington were
to return today he would consider
it a great miracle that little paper
cblongs, bearing his likeness, could
carry mail, by plane, motor car,
steam car and steamship, to every
corner of the world.
The bicentennial year is almost
over and the commemorative series
of stamps that the government has
issued will be discontinued. In this
series of twelve stamps, each one
bears a different and celebrated
Washington portrait that is histor-
ically interesting.
The figure on the one-half- cent
dark brown stamp is taken from a
miniature painted by Charles Will
liam Peale in 1777. The original,
given by Washington to his niece
Harriet, is in the Metropolitan mu-
scum in New York. Peale, born in
Maryland, was contemporary of
Washington and a famous painter
He founded the Pennsylvania acad-
envy Of fine arts, the first of its kind
in the United States.
THE engraving used on the cent
n green stamp was chosen as the
official portrait of the bicentennial.
1t is a reproduction. in profile, of a
bust by Jean Antoine Houdon and
was made from life in 1785. This bust
is supposed to be the most faithful
likeness of Washington and now is
at Mount Vernon.
Houdon came to the United States
at the invitation of Benjamin
Franklin, who had been in France
as ambassador for the new republic.
This famous French sculptor was
commissioned to make this bust and
the statue of Washington which is
in the Capitol at Richmond Virginia.
The reproduction on the one and
one-half cent light brown stamp is
from a painting known as The Vir-
ginia Colonel" which shows Wash
ington in the uniform of colonel of
Virginia militia. 1t was made by
Peale at Mount Vernon in 1772 and
is the earliest portrait of Washing
ton. The original hangs in the Lee
Memorial chapel at Washington and
Lee University.
The "Atheneum" portrait by Gill
bert Stuart graces the 2-cent red
stamp. The original was painted at
Germantown, Pa. in 1876. 1t hangs
In the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
This is the best known and hand
soonest portrait of Washington. Gill
bert Stuart was born in Rhode
Island in 1855 and won his greatest
acclaim as portrait painter Many
distinguished men and women of
that period sat for him, but his most
celebrated portraits are of Washing
ton.
THE Scent purple shows Wash
Il ington in a generals uniform.
with cooked hat. Peale painted this
portrait in 1777 at Valley Forge.
The original now is in the normal
school at West Chester, Pa. The
portrait reproduced on the Accent
warm brown stamp is also by Peale.
1t was made in 1777 and now hangs
in the home of William Patten
Rhinebeck of New York.
Peale seems to have the monopoly
on the bicentennial portraits. In
l795 he painted the likeness used
on the scent blue stamp. The
original is owned by the New York
Historical Society.
The Scent orange stamp repre-
sents Washington in the uniform
of a general. The original was
painted by John Trumbull in 1893
and hangs in the Trumbull gallery
at Yale university. Trumbull was
born in Connecticut and was aide
de-camp to Washington during the
revolution.
He is the best known Of the early
historical painters. In 1917 congress
commissioned him to paint four pic
lures for the rotunda of the Capitol.
His Signing of the Declaration, :"
Surrender of Burgoyne." "Surren-
der of Cornwall" and Resignation
of Washington" are known to all
Americans.
The bust portion of a full length
portrait by Trumbull is shown on
the 7-cent black stamp. 1t was
painted in 1880 and shows Wash
ington in colonial uniform. The
original hangs in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art. A crayon drawing
furnishes the figure for the Scent
olive green stamp. 1t was made
from life by Charles B. F. st. Me-
min at PHILADELPHIA in 1893.