USA: A two inch high portrait of US first president George Washington expected to sell one million dollars at auction

Record ID: 191207

  • Title: USA: A two inch high portrait of US first president George Washington expected to sell one million dollars at auction
  • Date: 12th January 2001
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 12, 2001) (REUTERS) GV/CU EXTERIOR OF CHRISTIE'S (2 SHOTS) SCU/CU WASHINGTON MINIATURE ON DISPLAY (2 SHOTS) SCU SOUNDBITE (English) JOHN HAYS, DIRECTOR, AMERICAN DECORATIVE ARTS, CHRISTIE'S, "The portrait miniature includes a lock of his hair. It's a very personal portrait. It's the first portrait painted of Washington after he became president. So he didn't like having his portrait taken. It was for Martha. In fact, he records in his diary on October 3, 1789, 'Sat for Mr. Ramage near two hours today who was drawing a miniature picture of me for Mrs. Washington.'" CU WASHINGTON'S DIARY ENTRY ABOUT SITTING FOR THE PORTRAIT (2 SHOTS) SCU/CU WASHINGTON MINIATURE NEXT TO A QUARTER (2 SHOTS) CU PORTRAIT OF MARTHA WASHINGTON CU FLIP SIDE OF THE PORTRAIT SHOWING A LOCK OF HAIR (2 SHOTS) SCU SOUNDBITE (English) HAYS, "It's the best picture of Washington that was ever painted. It has that .. This is a portrait of the man, rather than an official portrait. And it really comes through." WASHINGTON PORTRAIT - CLOSE VIEW VARIOUS OF THE MINIATURE (2 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 27th January 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: History,People
  • Reuters ID: LVAD2U75XORZUV83PQSHHRVM02Z1
  • Story Text: A two-inch high portrait of George Washington, the United States' first president, painted in 1789 is expected to sell for 1 million U.S. dollars at auction later this month.
    A two-inch high portrait of the United States' first president, George Washington, painted by an Irish artist in 1789 is expected to sell for one million dollars at auction later this month. The miniature is painted on a locket containing a lock of Washington's hair.
    John Hays, Director of American Decorative Arts at Christie's, described the personal nature of the work. "The portrait miniature includes a lock of his hair. It's a very personal portrait. It's the first portrait painted of Washington after he became president. So he didn't like having his portrait taken. It was for Martha. In fact, he records in his diary on October 3, 1789, 'Sat for Mr. Ramage near two hours today who was drawing a miniature picture of me for Mrs.
    Washington.'"
    The miniature portrait, painted by Dublin-born artist John Ramage in watercolour on ivory and enclosed in a gold locket, was commissioned by Washington as a gift for his wife Martha, and remained in the Washington family for over a century.
    While more than 50 portraits of the hero of the American Revolution were painted from life between 1755 and his death in 1799, fewer than a dozen were miniatures and the Ramage piece is the only one specifically referred to in Washington's diaries.
    The portrait shows Washington in the uniform of a general, with gold epaulettes and a lace cravat.
    John Ramage, one of the most important miniaturists of his time, emigrated to America from Dublin as a young man and cut an often controversial dash across New York society, marrying three times, once bigamously, and dying in debt.
    Experts believe the artwork, due to go under the hammer in New York on January 19, could well exceed its guide price.
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