December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
Thomas Sully (1783-1877). "Brevet Major General Winfield Scott, c. 1817." Oil on canvas, 43 1/4 x 33 1/4 inches, within custom, carved and gilded frame by Julius Lowey, c. 1950. Winfield Scott (1786-1866) attended William and Mary College briefly and studied law until obtaining a commission as captain in the Regiment of Light Artillery in 1808. With the onset of the War of 1812, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, July 1812 and served on the Niagara frontier, where he was captured, paroled and later exchanged. He then participated in the taking of Fort George, where he was wounded, and at Uphold’s Creek; was promoted to brigadier general, March 1814 and as a brigade commander, was largely instrumental in American successes in the battles of Chippewa and Lundy’s Lane (where he was seriously wounded); for his valor, was brevetted major general on 25 July 1814. Due to the severity of his wounds, he remained on the East Coast on convalescence for the balance of the war. In 1815, he took a leave of absence to study French military systems, arriving after Waterloo. While there, he probably took the opportunity to have the full-dress uniform of a major general cut and embroidered for him (which he was entitled to wear with brevet rank), as Parisian embroiderers were considered the most skilled in Europe at the time; it is known that an embroidered swordbelt was also made for him in France at the same time. Returning to the United States in 1816, Scott was presented a sword from the state of New York, as originally approved by unanimous vote of its legislature in October 1814, recognizing his heroism and leadership during the Niagara campaign of that year. Its gilt-hilt was made by New York goldsmith John Targee and it was presented to him at New York's City Hall on Evacuation Day (25 NOV 1816). The sword, with its distinctive eagle pommel and downturned counterguard can be seen belted on his left hip in the Sully portrait. Thus, this portrait and also the William Rush bust of him showing him dressed in an identical uniform--both previously assigned a circa date of 1814 by art historians--were almost certainly done in 1817 or shortly thereafter. In March 1817, Scott married Maria DeHart Mayo, daughter of John Mayo, a wealthy engineer and businessman from Virginia and this portrait may have been a commission paid by his new father-in-law to welcome Scott into the family. In the background can be seen the Falls of the Niagara at night, with a flame-lit sky overhead--symbolizing the famous night battle at Lundy's Lane where Scott was gravely wounded yet earned his brevet commission and accolades from the American public. PROVENANCE: By descent in the Scott family; sold by his granddaughter in 1906; subsequently acquired by Jay Altmayer from Argosy Gallery some time prior to 1950. The work was restored and the impressive gilt composition frame made for it by Julius Lowey shortly thereafter. Sold as lot 87 in the Christie's Jay P. Altmayer Family Collection sale of 19 January 2017, whence acquired. CONDITION: Lined; the painting was recently conserved, during which inpainting from c. 1950 was removed, notably in the sitter's lower right waist area. The decision was made to not overpaint again and instead, to show what remains of the original artist's work "as found." The Lowey frame is in excellent condition, being recently cleaned, during which some small areas with losses to gesso or gilding were restored.
ADDENDUM: The frame is an early 19th century frame original to the portrait, but was restored by Julius Lowey in the 1950s and subsequently small portions of gilding and gesso damage or loss were restored by gilder Bernard Sellem, whose report accompanies the work.
This is not a standard shippable item and will require 3rd party shipping or pickup arrangements to be made.