| Show sw released by western newspaper union shared birthday THE HE fame of two american artists fists rests largely upon their association with george washington and their portraits of him they were charles willson peale and his hi son rembrandt peale and coincidence also plays a part in their relationship tion ship with the father of his country for rembrandt peale was born on birthday february 22 1778 and his father died on birthday february 22 1827 being the son of an artist it was only natural perhaps that rembrandt peale should become a painter so it is not surprising to learn that he began to draw at the age of eight and by the time he was 13 he had painted a port portrait rait of himself charles willson peale had made the first known portrait of washington painted in 1772 and depicting him as an officer in the virginia militia and had served as a calta captain in i of volunteers under him at the battle of trenton when washington became fame president he was constantly importuned importuner to sit for his portrait some of these requests he denied but he could not refuse his old friend when in 1795 charles willson peale asked him to pose for his talented young son rembrandt in fact he granted the boy three sittings in his fathers studio in phila delphia and the portrait reproduced below was the result this portrait of washington was the only one which rembrandt peale made from life but another of his pictures of the first american not drawn from life is even more famous known as the equestrian portrait it is entitled washington before yorktown and it was not made until 1823 but when chief justice john marshall who had served under washington in the revolution saw it he exclaimed it is more like washington himself than any portrait I 1 have ever seen in 1796 charles willson peale decided to give up portrait painting and recommended his talented son 1161 V 01 W OR 01 I 1 0 1 A P 10 W portrait of washington made by rembrandt peale when he was only 17 years old rembrandt to the public as his successor but the son was not immediately successful and went to charleston S C where he had his studio for several years in 1801 he went to england to continue his studies under his fathers instructor the famous benjamin west but after a short time there his health failed and he returned to his home in philadelphia he intended to abandon art for agriculture but after painting a few portraits he was surprised to find himself hailed as a worthy successor successor to his famous father in 1804 he advertised himself as rembrandt portrait painter in large and small head of mulberry ry court leading from sixth three doors above market street and explained that he desired to be known by his first name alone the adjunct peale serving only to show of whom descended three years later he visited paris to paint the most distinguished men of the day and was successful in this enter enterprise pris e after a second trip to paris in 1809 he came bick back to america the following fo allow year and from that time until his death in 1860 his fame as a portraitist trait a painter of historic scenes and a lithographer one of the first to practice the art in america was undiminished |
