| Portrait of George Washington Taking the Salute at Trenton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | John Faed |
| Year | 1856 |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 142.2 cm × 105.4 cm (56 in × 41 1/2 in) |
ThePortrait of George Washington Taking the Salute at Trenton is a large full-lengthoil on canvas painting by theScottish artistJohn Faed depicting GeneralGeorge Washington on the battlefield atTrenton, New Jersey, during theAmerican Revolutionary War. Theequestrian portrait was the basis for the engravingWashington Receiving a Salute on the Field of Trenton by the British artistWilliam Holl.[1][2]
John Faed (1819–1902) was a member of theRoyal Scottish Academy. In 1856, the portrait was sold to the publisher James Keith for £200 (equivalent to £23,610 in 2023). According to biographer Mary McKerrow, "Why he painted this important posthumous equestrian portrait ofGeorge Washington Taking the Salute at Trenton has still to be discovered." According to theprovenance provided byChristie's, the painting originated from a commission byAndrew Carnegie.[3] It sold in 1969 forUS$662,500 at Christie's auction house.[3] By 1982, it was in the collection of St. Mary's Art Guild inDetroit, Michigan.[1] In 1984 the painting was sold anonymously forUS$43,000 bySotheby's.[3] The painting was on display at the Westervelt–Warner Museum of American Art, renamed theTuscaloosa Museum of Art, created byJack Warner to display his art collection.[4] Washington was Warner's personal hero. The art museum closed in 2018.[5]
General George Washington (1732–1799) is depicted in full military uniform, a blue coat overbuff waistcoat and pants, riding on a white horse namedBlueskin. There is a leopard-skin blanket under his saddle. He is holding atricorner hat in his left hand and an outstretched sword in his right hand.[6] The background shows a small group of military tents.[2] The figure's head is based on the work of another painter, namely theAthenaeum Portrait of Washington by the American painterGilbert Stuart (1755–1828).[7][8] The painting is 142.2 centimeters (56.0 in) high and 105.4 centimeters (41.5 in) wide.[9]
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Washington Receiving a Salute on the Field of Trenton is an engraving byWilliam Holl (1807–1871) based on Faed's equestrian portrait. In 1865, the National Art Association of New York published it exclusively for subscribers. The print is 24 inches (61 cm) high and17+10⁄16 inches (44.8 cm) wide.[6] The print was recommended for school use and seen in classrooms.[10][11]
William Spohn Baker notes:[6]
An admirable engraving, of an admirable picture. The horse, which is exceedingly well drawn, is said to have been painted byR. Ansdell, the composition of the picture being by Faed. Head afterStuart.
In 1866, an advertisement in theHerald of Health for this engraving stated:[12]
This picture shows Washington on horseback, and when framed can not fail to prove a most interesting ornament to any parlor or sitting-room. Its influence upon the children of a house would be worth many times its cost in cultivating their tastes for fine works of art.
In 1880, hisportrait bust engraving was used to illustrate an article on Washington in theMagazine of American History.[1][13]
Shadows of Liberty (2016), by American contemporary painterTitus Kaphar, is a reimagined presentation of the painting.[14]
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One of Jack Warner's favorite acquisitions, the painting by John FaedWashington Taking the Salute at Trenton
Head of Washington is based on Gilbert Stuart's Athenaeum portrait of George Washington.
The head is from Stuart's Athenæum portrait
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Some may remember this scene, minus the color, from a schoolroom of their youth.
Portrait of Washington, steel engraving, by Holl
Media related toPortrait of George Washington by John Faed at Wikimedia Commons
