Happy Anniversary to the First Couple . . .

On this two hundred and fifty-sixth anniversary of the event, we present this painting by Junius Brutus Stearns. The original, in the possession of the Library of Congress, portrays the January 6, 1759 wedding of George Washington and Martha Custis née Dandridge. The actual title is Life of George Washington- the Citizen from a  5 painting series on the life of Washington, the most famous of which is The Statesmanship of Washington (which I believe is on display at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts). The actual image above is of the lithograph by Claude Régnier.

The XVIII Corps Moves up the Pamunkey III

More on the illustration from the other day . . .

Maj Gen Smiths Expedition disembarking at the White House- LOC

• Title inscribed upper left.
• Inscribed vertically upper right with indicators: Ruins of the White House; the scene of Washington's courtship & marriage; the tent by Pilchard.
• Inscribed within image: men bathing; soldiers stripping, &c.
• Inscribed on verso: This is only a small portion of the force shown here as there were many large vessels employed such as the John Brooks, the George Leary, the Escort, the Metamone[sic]-all similar to the Hudson river & sound boats but which I have not the opportunity of sketching if Mr Parsons has drawings of these vessels if the view is thought interesting enough they might be introduced covered with troops hanging on like bees. For description see the letters of Mr. Winser in the Times. W.W.
• Published in: Harper's Weekly, June 18, 1864.
• Gift, J.P. Morgan, 1919

. . . and some more on the artist himself, William Waud, here and here.