Possibly by William Winstanley (active 1775-1806)
PROPERTY FROM THE SHEEDY FAMILY COLLECTION
Possibly by William Winstanley (active 1775-1806)

Portrait of George Washington

Details
Possibly by William Winstanley (active 1775-1806)
Portrait of George Washington
oil on canvas
49 x 39 in.
Circa 1800
Provenance
Mrs. E. Henry H. Simmons (d. 1942), New York
Mrs. Bryan de F. Sheedy (d. 1988), New York
Thence by descent in the family
Exhibited
New York, The Museum of the City of New York, 1934 to 2018.

Lot Essay

This portrait closely resembles the work of William Winstanley, an English artist, who traveled to America where he was known, perhaps infamously, for copying Gilbert Stuart’s likenesses of George Washington. Here, the head is based on Stuart’s Vaughan-type portrait, a copy of which Winstanley is known to have owned, and the background includes details seen in Stuart’s Lansdowne-type portraits. Winstanley also painted landscapes, several of which were purchased by George Washington and remain at Mount Vernon today. 

More from Important American Furniture, Folk Art, Silver and Prints

View All
View All