Sold – Washington Free Frank From a Letter to His Portraitist, Charles Wilson Peale

Charles Willson Peale’s enthusiasm for the patriot cause brought him to Philadelphia in 1776, and there he painted many American notables and visitors from overseas. While he did portraits of scores of historic figures (such as John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton), he is probably best known for his portraits of George Washington. The first time Washington sat for a portrait was with Peale in 1772, and there would be six other sittings; using these seven as models, Peale produced close to 60 portraits of Washington. In January 2005, a full length portrait of "Washington at Princeton" from 1779 sold for $21.3 million, setting a record for the highest price paid for an American portrait. Peale also supplemented his paintings with mezzotint prints (color engravings) of his works, and sold these copies widely. In 1787, just before Washington chaired the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Peale produced a print of him in uniform.   

In July 1787, Peale introduced his son Rembrandt to Washington, and the young aspirant artist watched his father paint the general. In 1795, at the age of 17, Rembrandt painted an aging Washington, a work that was highly praised. In 1822, he moved to New York City where he embarked on an attempt to paint what would become the "standard likeness" of Washington. His resulting work, “Patriae Pater”, completed in 1824, depicts Washington through an oval window, and is considered by many to be second only to Gilbert Stuart’s iconic Athenaeum painting of the first President. “Patriae Pater” was purchased by Congress in 1832 and hangs in the U.S. Capitol.

An address panel to the senior Peale franked "Free Go: Washington," and in addition addressed in Washington’s hand to "Mr. Chas. W. Peale, Philadelphia." Beneath this, Peale’s son Rembrandt has written his presentation inscription: "Presented to Mr. Thomas Herring by Rembrandt Peale, 1787." Herring, a contemporary and friend of Peale, went on to become an eminent New York merchant. Considering the age of the younger Peale, the year 1787 clearly refers to the date of the Washington letter with frank, rather than when it was gifted to Herring later.   

Washington wrote Peale three times in 1787, but only one of the letters has reached the market in the past three decades. That letter, dated March 13, 1787, was sold at Christies in 1989, and it is reasonable to presume that this is the free frank from that letter. In that letter, the content of which is preserved in the Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, Washington wrote Peale about the engraving Peale had just done of him, saying “I wish you great success in the mezzotint prints which you have undertaken, and have no doubt but your abilities in works of genius will ensure it to you.” A wonderful association piece.