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Abstract
George Washington was the first president of the U.S. There are many portraits of Washington. Some of them are well-known while others are less-known. “George Washington Miniature” is an investigative documentary on a historical point, i.e. tiny colored painting of a man, who is labeled as “G. Washington.” It was a less known painting. On the back of the painting, it was written, “Property of White Matlack. New York, 1790.” This painting was present in a Manhattan’s old building. Wes Cowan, who was a host of "History Detectives" investigated the painting in 2009. He was trying to find whether the painting was portrayed in the life of Washington or after his death. Cowan also worked on White Matlack, who was a less-known patriot and abolitionist. This paper deals with Cowan’s method of investigation. Moreover, it gives results after the investigation of Cowan, and discusses some aspects of the painting and Matlack.
Introduction
George Washington, 1732-1799, was the first president of the U.S. At the time of the birth of Washington, all the America was related to England. In 1749, Washington became a surveyor. In 1752, he was appointed to the militia. From 1759 to 1774, he was the member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. He was elected as the president of the U.S. on February 4, 1789. He was re-elected as president in 1792 (Herweck, 2005).
Different artists drew many portraits of George Washington in different times. In the years from 1780 to 1786, James Peale developed portraits of Washington. In 1792, John Trumbull portrayed George Washington that was oil on canvas painting. One of the most popular portraits of Washington was Lansdowne portrait that was painted in 1796 by Gilbert Stuart. In the years from 1823 to 1860, Rembrandt Peale developed some oil on canvas portraits of Washington (Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, n.d.). Many portraits can be found in the museums but still there was a miniature portrait that was perhaps hidden from people. The portrait was discussed in the “George Washington Miniature”.
“George Washington Miniature” is a little documentary of a tiny colored painting of a man in profile and the personality in the painting is labeled as “G. Washington.” There is an inscription on the back of the tiny painting, “Property of White Matlack. New York, 1790.” This painting was found in a Manhattan’s old building. Wes Cowan, host of "History Detectives" studied the painting to find whether the painting was portrayed in the life of Washington or after his death. Cowan also worked on the surprising connection between the painting, Washington, and White Matlack, who was a less-known patriot and abolitionist (PBS, 2009).
Method
Dave Cox of Greenville, Ohio, found a tiny painting and asked Cowan to meet him at Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan. Actually, Dave and his friends came to Manhattan from Ohio to search a classical map of Fort Greenville but they found a tiny portrait labeling “G. Washington” on the ribbon at the bottom. They took the portrait out of the frame, and found “Property of White Matlack, 1790, New York” on the back of the portrait. Dave and Cowan were unaware of Matlack. In order to know about the person, they went to Suzanne Prabucki, who was the curator of the Fraunces Tavern Museum. Suzanne was also surprised on looking at the portrait. Suzanne told about the place, where portrait was found that Washington invited his generals in 1783 to this place. They found the painting in the Henry Burbeck boxes that was not in the museum’s archives. Suzanne was also unaware of Matlack (PBS, 2009).
One thing was strange with the painting and it was the development of painting on a paper rather than a thin little sheet of ivory that was commonly used at that time, i.e. about 1790. On the back of the painting was faint writing. Director Margaret Holbin Ellis at the Thaw Conservation Center at the Morgan Library and Museum helped in further checking the painting. Margaret found specific embossed lines that were probably representing plate mark. Plate mark refers to indentation made by engraving metal plate against a sheet of paper. They noted that plate marks would represent that the painting is not original, but it was a black and white print that was painted again (PBS, 2009).
After that Margaret used infrared light to study what was present beneath the paint, and found printed lines below the layer of paint, i.e. dry point etching. In order to make the letters more readable, they adjusted the contrast a little. They also sent a photo of the image to Alvaro Gonzalez Lazo, who was a print specialist at The New York Public Library. They also looked at the quality of the painting and made their inferences about the painter’s ability and expertise. In order to find the details of White Matlack, Cowan searched the database of historical New York papers. Cowan also met Anna Mae Duane at the New York Historical Society, who was a professor in University of Connecticut having knowledge of early Manhattan abolitionists. After doing all the research, the portrait was placed in Fraunces Tavern Museum (PBS, 2009).
Result
Dry point etching showed that the painting was made by scratching a design onto a copper plate with the help of a needle that was then smeared with ink and the paper was placed with the plate. Ink transferred from the plate to the paper and the painting appeared. This was showing that the painting was not probably while Washington was in front of the artist. After adjusting the contrast and talking with Alvaro Gonzalez Lazo, they found that Jospeh Wright, who was the son of a New Jersey sculptor and learned printmaking in Europe, made the painting. It belonged to White Matlack and made in 1790. During that time Benjamin Franklin saw the work of Wright, and helped in making an appointment to paint George Washington. Wright made many paintings for Washington. After looking at the quality of the painting, they found that the painting was not of “really fine quality” showing that it was made by an amateur (PBS, 2009).
After looking at all the historical papers, Cowan found that Matlack was an industrialist and advertised as a watchmaker in 1770s. After that, he started running a brewery that was not far from the Fraunces Tavern. In the 1780s, he moved into steel manufacturing, and most probably, in 1786, he started working as a politician as shown by his signature on a letter to the Senate as well as assembly of the State of New York. He also became a member of an abolitionist group known as “society for promoting the manumission of slaves.” Anna told Cowan that Matlack was a Quaker but he supported American Revolution. He also supported education, especially free education. That education was similar to that given to white people (PBS, 2009).
Discussion
The small sized painting was perfect for mailing, thereby helping people in looking at their new American leader. Wright’s work was so much inspiring that various artists and people copied his work after 1790. Cowan’s research on Matlack showed that he was demanding the New York politicians to take action against the unhappy movement of people to the West Indies and the Southern States. He was against slavery and wanted to prevent further movement of Negro slaves from the state. He was also a well-known person as his company included some impressive people such as James Duane, John Jay, John Bleecker, and George Bond. There is a New York City street on the name of every person. Matlack was also in support of free education as shown by his relation to African Free School. However, he and certain other people, faced opposition from many other people, who thought that educated blacks could provoke slave revolts. Conclusively, it can be said that White Matlack was a revolutionary in many different aspects; he was a Quaker but then changed to fight the British, started building new industries in Manhattan, fight against slavery, and was among the important patriots of the country (PBS, 2009).
References
Herweck, D. (2005). George Washington: Teacher Created Materials, Incorporated.
PBS. (2009). George Washington Miniature. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/video/1914516845/
Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. (n.d.). The Portrait. Retrieved from http://www.georgewashington.si.edu/portrait/face.html
