General William T. Sherman Intervenes to Assist the Family of Noted Portrait Artist Chester Harding Place His Work With the U.S. Government
Harding’s final portrait was of Sherman, and some of Harding’s work is indeed at the National Gallery
Chester Harding was a noted portrait painter from Massachusetts known for his paintings of prominent figures in the United States and England. These included portraits of James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, and John Marshall, among many others. His last portrait was of General William T. Sherman, painted the year Harding...
Chester Harding was a noted portrait painter from Massachusetts known for his paintings of prominent figures in the United States and England. These included portraits of James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, and John Marshall, among many others. His last portrait was of General William T. Sherman, painted the year Harding died – 1866. Harding’s niece was Emma Woodruff, who a few years later visited Sherman on a mission.
Autograph note signed, on the verso of Woodruff’s calling card, Washington, to George Boutwell. Boutwell was in the House of Representatives from 1863-1869, at which point he was named to serve as President Grant’s Secretary of the Treasury, which he did from 1869-1873. We believe this note to date from his term at the Treasury.
“Mr Boutwell, The bearer is the niece to Chester Harding deceased, an eminent artist of your state. Can’t you see her on business.” We would conjecture that Miss Woodruff was seeking for the U.S. government to buy some of Harding’s painting, perhaps for a museum like the Smithsonian. Some of Harding’s portraits are indeed in the National Gallery.
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