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140 WASHINGTON, George. Early equestrian portrait. [No
itself sourced from the central vignette in a 1783 English printed handkerchief (Wick, figure 10). The only difference in the two illustrations lies in the colour of the tents in the background. In the slightly earlier image, the tents are black with white interiors; in the present image, the tents are white with black interiors. Regarding the date of creation of the etching, Wick claims it could have been “made any time after the late 1780s and may even have been produced as a memorial image in 1800”. Both Wick and Hart also describe a later 19th-century imitation of this print, in which there is no punctuation in the surrounding inscription. Contemporary images of Washington are growing increasingly rare in the market, and the present example is among the more difficult to procure, and has been so for more than a century now. In the 1904 catalogue of his own collection, Hampton L. Carson described the present engraving as “excessively rare. The only copy that has come under my observation”. Partially handcoloured copper engraving (357 × 277 mm), backed onto later paper. Edges worn, minor splitting at cross-folds, a few short closed tears, some old staining, a good copy. ¶ Carson Collection 118; Hart 725; Mitchell catalogue 99; Wick 100. Not in Baker. £8,500 [159183]
place, but almost certainly America: c.1785–1800] Handed down since revolutionary days
A rare and early equestrian portrait of George Washington. The identities of the publisher and the engraver are unknown. Based on the quality and manner of the engraving, we believe that it was produced in the young United States, and is therefore among the earliest large images of George Washington published in his native land. The portrait shows Washington in military dress, encircled by a foliated border wreath and surrounding text, riding a rearing horse advancing to the left; he brandishes a sword in his right hand while wearing a tricorner hat with cockade and jacket (handcoloured in blue); a military encampment, including four tents, is visible in the background at left. A 19th-century inscription at the bottom margin reads “Handed down in Scofield Family since Revolutionary Days”. Many Scofields are recorded as serving in Washington’s armies in the Revolutionary War. The present example has been associated with the well- known “Alexander Campbell” mezzotint published in London in 1775. According to Wick, however, this “crude engraving” was likely copied from another contemporary work, which was
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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