(ca. 1789) Miniature Portrait of George Washington, President of the United States, wearing Society of Cincinnati Eagle Badge. After Edward Savage. About Uncirculated.9 cm x 7.2 cm miniature, in turned oval wood frame, 14.5 cm x 13 cm. The original oil portrait from which this splendid likeness was made was painted by the 28 year-old Savage (1761-1817) during President Washingtons visit to Harvard College in October 1789. It shows him with powdered hair, facing 3/5 right, wearing a deep blue uniform with cream facings and gold epaulettes. On his left breast is a very large Eagle Badge of the Society of the Cincinnati with its white-edged blue ribbon, out of proportion to the surviving insignia known today. It was undoubtedly modeled after one of the eight badges he ordered from Major Pierre lEnfant, who displayed watercolor renderings to potential buyers before any insignia were actually made. Washington especially treasured a special jeweled example presented to him by French naval officers and it is possible that the artist chose to dramatize the insignia by making it somewhat larger than life in this portrait.<p>The portrait itself was conceived during the October 1789 visit to the college. Harvard President Joseph Willard wrote to Washington requesting a sitting for Savage, stating his hope that the portrait would then adorn the Philosophy Room of the college. "Since then, Mr. Savage, the Bearer of this...has called on me, and of his own accord, has politely and generously offered to take your Portrait for the University, if you would be so kind as to sit. As it would be exceedingly grateful to all the Governors of this Literary Society that the Portrait of the Man we so highly love, esteem and reverse, should be the property of, and be placed within Harvard College, permit me, Sir to request the favor of your sitting for the purpose." A later Harvard President, Josiah Quincy, "always declared that the portrait by Savage...was the best likeness he had ever seen of Washington."<p>Three miniatures of the Savage portrait are known today, one in the Taft Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio; another in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and the present example. This example bears an incongruous date in ink on its paper backing, Gen. Washington 1782. In fact the Society of the Cincinnati was not instituted until the next year and Washington did not sit for the artist until 1789-1790. Here is a matchless piece of Washingtoniana dating from the presidents first term of office, as beautiful and as accurate a rendition as it is rare as a work of art. It would be difficult to exaggerate the importance of this historic miniature.From Bonhams Fine Portrait Miniatures Sale, November 2007, lot 300; our Philadelphia Americana Sale of September 2009, lot 6230, where it realized $26,450.
