Transcriber’s Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
“Folwell’s Washington.”
Negative from Original. By Julius F. Sachse.
AMERICAN
Journal of Photography.
| Published by THOS. H. McCOLLIN & CO. | |||||
| Vol. XI. | Philadelphia, July, 1890. | No. 7 | |||
| THOS. H. McCOLLIN, Managing Editor. | J. F. SACHSE, Associate Editor. | ||||
THE SILHOUETTE.
Our illustration, “Folwell’s Washington,” is a profile of the one person characterizedin our nation’s history as the “First in war, the first in peace, and the first inthe hearts of his countrymen.” Our object in presenting this frontispiece to ourreaders for the current month is a two-fold one;--first, in view of the EleventhAnnual Convention of the Photographic Association of America, which is to be heldin Washington, August 12–15. The subject is a particularly appropriate one.
The original portrait was painted by Folwell, in 1795, while General Washingtonwas in the presidential chair, for Col. William Washington, a kinsman of theGeneral, and who in the year 1800, but a short time after the General’s death, presentedthe portrait to James Henry Stevens.
The following endorsement is written on the back of the picture: “Done 1795,--Presentedto--James Henry Stevens, Esqr.,--by his friend Col.--Wm. Washington,Sept.-–9th, 1800–-Said to be a--Correct likeness from life of--His ExcellencyGen’l--George Washington-–1st President of--the United--States of America.”
The original is now in the possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania,and is classed among what are known as “rare Washington portraits.” In Mr.Wm. S. Baker’s list we find on page 109 the following notice regarding the portraitand the painter. “Samuel Folwell, 1795, miniature painter, of whom little isknown, was practicing his art in Philadelphia, the latter part of last, and the beginningof the present century. The profile of Washington in possession of the HistoricalSociety of Pennsylvania, inscribed ‘S. Folwell, Pinxt, 1795,’ is said to have beentaken upon a public occasion, the President being unaware of the fact. It is drawnon paper and solidly painted in India ink, with certain lights touched in, and asdeclared at the time is ‘certainly a most spirited and correct likeness.’ There is noengraving of this profile.”
In addition to this portrait by Folwell, there are in existence two regular silhouettesof Washington. One was taken by Samuel Powell, an ex-mayor of Philadelphia,by tracing on the wall a shadow thrown by an Argand lamp, which had just thenbeen invented. This picture is now in the possession of the Massachusetts HistoricalSociety. T