Evening star., 1940-02-22
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

ny JAMES WALDO FAWCEII.
The A. w. Mellon Educational and
Charitable Trust, through Paul Mel
lon, David K. E. Bruce and Donald
D. Shepard as trustees, announced
today the gift of II celebrated
paintings by early American artists
to the National Gallery of Art.
AS supplements to other priceless
pictures, the present donation, it
is indicated, marks the first step
toward setting up special section
Of the new gallery devoted to the
advancement and the preservation
of domestic esthetic achievement.
The gift includes highly valued
portraits by Gilbert Stuart, John
Copley, Benjamin West, John Trum-
bull, Chester Harding, Edward
Savage and Mather Brown.
Five of the portraits" it is ex-
planned by the trustees, ARE by
Gilbert Stuart and throw light on
the most interesting phases of his
development in America. One is Of
his Philadelphia period, the por-
trait of George Washington, which
was brought to this country from
Ireland, where it had been sent by
Stuart and had remained until 1919.
The artists New York period Is
represented by two fine examples
the portrait Of Lawrence Yates and
that Of his sister-in-law, Mrs.
Richard Yates: and his style at the
end of his life, when he was working
in Boston, is to be seen in the
portrait of Joseph Coolidge. Stuart
also painted in Washington and
its vicinity. This phase of his ac-
tivity is well illustrated by the por-
trait of the young John Randolph
which, as Henry Adams once wrote,
interprets the mystery of the
affection and faith he inspired in
his friends. Randolph as an elderly
man is also portrayed in another
fine portrait, by Chester Harding,
likewise included In the donation.
washington Family" Picture.
"A portrait group of special in
terest to all Americans and par
ticularly on this day Of Washing
tons anniversary is the Washington
Family by Edward Savage, painted
in New York and Philadelphia be-
tween 1889 and 1896. 1t constitutes
a priceless historical as well as ar
tistic treasure. The painting shows
Washington with one hand rest
ing on a plan for the Capital City
which was afterwards to bear his
name and along whose main axis
the National Gallery is now being
erected.
I'm this, one of the most engag-
ing family-group pictures in this
country, George and Martha Wash
ington are shown in their home at
Mount Vernon with their adopted
children, son and daughter Of John
Gusts, who was Mrs. Washington s
son by her first husband. At the
right stands Washington's Negro
servant, Billy Lee. This picture,
painted against q traditional back
ground of red draperies and with a
view Of the Potomac River beyond,
accurately portrays the simple dig
nifty Of the Washington household,
and Is one, of the most interesting
examples of 18th century American
portraiture."
The statement of the trustees
continues: "A portrait by John
Trumbull Of Washington's confiden-
tial aide and the great Federalist,
Alexander Hamilton, Is to be seen
in another picture included in the
gift. The donation illustrates also
the activity of American painters in
England. Benjamin West, friend
and protector Of American painters
resident abroad and successor to Sir
Joshua Reynolds as president of
the Royal Academy at London, is
represented by one Of his finest
groups-a portrait of Guy johnson,
translator Of the Bible into the
Mohawk dialect, and directly behind
him, his Indian guide and secretary,
Vests pupil, Mather Brown, ap-
pears in q moment Of genius with
his striking portrait Of William
Vans Murray, American Minister to
Holland and to France at the end
OF the 18th century.
Fine Portrait by Copley.
Lastly, John Singleton Copley
who was equally famous in England
and in America, is represented by
q splendid portrait Of Earl Howe
painted shortly after the latter had
retired as commander In chief Of
the British forces in North Amer
lea. The portrait, one Of Copley's
finest, seems to symbolic in sub
ject and artist the renewal Of
friendship between the two ma
tions,~ and In style 1t combines the
ease of English portraiture with the
strength Of the more provincial
manner Of the artists Colonial
heritage. It completes this unusual.
y dns group Of portraits whos(