GILBERT STUART (Saunderstown, 1755-Boston, 1828) PORTRAIT OF WILLIAM BINGHAM (1752-1804) Canvas 19th century French giltwood frame Bears a 20th century label on the reverse of the frame with an inscription in ink "Gilbert Stuart / (Portr)ait . de . William / (Bingh)am . in . habit / (of) hunting". Bears twice the number, probably inventory, in pencil on the reverse of the stretcher "6760"; bears a number in pencil on the reverse of the stretcher and frame "x3" Portrait of William Bingham (1752-1804), canvas, 19th century French giltwood frame 45 x 46,5 CM - 17,7 x 18,3 IN. Provenance Painted in 1784 for William Bingham and his wife Anne Willing ; Collection of Mary Willing Clymer and Henry Clymer (Anne Willing Bingham's sister and brother-in-law); By descent from Mis and Mise de Bryas, at the end of the 19th century. Through descendants to the present owner. Bibliography G. C. Mason, The Life and Works of Gilbert Stuart, New York, 1879, pp. 137-139; L. Park, Gilbert Stuart: An Illustrated Descriptive List of His Works, with an Account of His Life by John Hill Morgan and an Appreciation by Royal Cortissoz, New York, 1926, pp. 151, 152, 154, 155, nos. 80, 81, 84 (dates the painting to 1784 probably due to the age of the youngest daughter born a year earlier in London); M. L. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. William Bingham of Philadelphia, in The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, July 1937, quoted p. 289, reproduced (dated 1784); R. C. Alberts, The Golden Voyage. The Life and Times of William Bingham 1752-1804, Boston, 1969, quoted pp. 149, 150, reproduced ; Catalogue of the Gilbert Stuart Exhibition, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 21 October 2004-16 January 2005, Washington, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 27 March-31 July 2005, cited p. 198, p. 203 under n° 53 and note 5 ("Anne and William Bingham commissioned a family portait ; the picture was left unfinished..." ; "In London in 1784 or 1785 Stuart began a group portrait of Bingham and his wife, Anne, with theirs daughters Ann Louisa and Maria Matilda, leaving it unfinished, possibly because of a disagreement with Mrs. Bingham about the composition") Gilbert Stuart was one of the very first American painters of the late eighteenth century. He spent his youth travelling between the East Coast of the United States and the United Kingdom. He completed his training in Scotland in 1771 and in London between 1775 and 1787, where he assisted Benjamin West and became close to Joshua Reynolds. He achieved great success with his portrait of William Grant as a Skater, exhibited in 1782 at the Royal Academy in London. He continued his career in Dublin before returning to Philadelphia in 1794, where he painted George Washington, the first official portrait of an American president. He went on to establish himself as the leading portraitist of the major cities on the East Coast. He moved to Washington in 1803, which had become the official capital of the United States, and painted the effigies of the first founding fathers and members of the federal administration. Anne Willing and William Bingham embody two key figures in the early history of the United States. Bingham was first an emissary of the legislative assembly of the thirteen British colonies. He played a crucial role in the diplomatic relations that led to American Independence. At just 40, he became the richest man in the country thanks to his investments during the American Revolution, including the acquisition of land in New York State and negotiations with France for the purchase of Louisiana. His wife, Anne Willing, a correspondent of Thomas Jefferson, is known as the model for Lady Liberty on early American coins. At the age of 16, Anne Willing married William Bingham, twelve years her senior. They had three children: the eldest, Ann Louisa (1782-1848), the youngest, Maria Matilda, shown here with her mother tugging at her dress, jealous of the look she was giving her older sister, and the youngest, William (1800-1852), who was born sixteen years after our family portrait was painted. Our two paintings date from 1784, when Bingham and Willing were in London. Stuart had designed a large family portrait of the parents and their two daughters, in the manner of this type of composition by Van Dyck and Reynolds. Anne held her daughter seated in front of her, looking thoughtfully at her elder daughter (Portrait of Ann Louisa Bingham is in a private collection, ill.1). William stands behind them in his red hunting costume. Unfinished, the painting was then cut into three independent portraits by the painter Thomas Sully. Our paintings are a rare testimony to the beginnings of American painting in the late eighteenth century. The free technique, sketched in places, and removed shows the high level of quality achieved by the first painters of the New World. In 1797, a decade after the ambitious unfinished large format, the models commissioned Stuart to paint two full-length half-body portraits (ill.2, private collection and Philadelphia Museum of Art) and a full-length portrait of William Bingham (ING Bank, NV, London Branch). A year earlier, in 1896, they had commissioned their painter to paint a portrait of Washington and presented it to the English Prime Minister William Petty, Lord Shelburne, Marquis of Lansdowne (ill.3), probably the most famous portrait of the first President. Philadelphia was the federal capital between 1790 and 1800. The Binghams held European-style receptions in the Mansion House, ran a salon and organised dinners attended by members of the government, including Washington and Jefferson. Gilbert Stuart was one of the very first American painters at the end of the 18th century. During his youth, he travelled between the East Coast of the United States and the United Kingdom. He completed his training in Scotland in 1771 and in London between 1775 and 1787, where he assisted Benjamin West and became close to Joshua Reynolds. He achieved great success with his portrait of William Grant as an Ice scater, exhibited in 1782 at the Royal Academy in London. He continued his career in Dublin before returning to Philadelphia in 1794, where he painted George Washington, the first official portrait of an American president. He went on to establish himself as the leading portraitist of the major cities of the East Coast. He moved to Washington in 1803, which had become the official capital of the United States, and painted the effigies of the first founding fathers and members of the federal administration. Anne Willing and William Bingham, who married on October 26, 1780, are two noteworthy figures in the early history of the United States. William Bingham (1752-1804) was first an emissary of the Legislative Assembly of the thirteen British colonies. He played a crucial role in the diplomatic relations that led to American independence. At the age of 40, he became the richest man in the country thanks to his investments during the American Revolution, including the acquisition of land in New York State and negotiations with France for the purchase of Louisiana. Our portrait, painted in 1784, is the first portrait of William Bingham. Bingham was in England on business, probably commissioned to establish his position and mark the beginning of a great future. His wife, Anne Willing, a penfriend of Thomas Jefferson, is known as the model for Lady Liberty on the first American coins. Also known as "Nancy", Anne Bingham was one of the most admired American women of her time. She was the eldest daughter of Thomas Willing and Anne McCall. Back in Philadelphia, Anne Bingham held salons in their residence and invited politicians (such as George Washington), artists and scientists. Our two paintings date from 1784, when William Bingham and Anne Willing were staying in London. Stuart had designed a large family portrait of the parents and their two daughters, Ann Louisa and Maria Matilda, in the style of Reynolds. Anne held her daughter, Maria Matilda, seated in front of her, casting a thoughtful glance at her eldest, Ann Louisa, while William stood behind them in his red hunting costume. Unfinished, the painting was later given by Anne Willing to her sister, Mary Willing Clymer, and then cut into three independent portraits by the painter Thomas Sully: The Portrait of William Bingham; The Portrait of Anne Willing Bingham and her Daughter Maria Matilda; and The Portrait of Ann Louisa (now in a private collection). His free technique, which includes sketches, bears witness to the high level of quality achieved by the first painters of the New World. In 1797, a decade after the ambitious unfinished large-format portrait, the models commissioned Stuart to paint two half-body portraits of them in pendant (ill.2, private collection and Philadelphia Museum of Art) and a full-length portrait of William Bingham (ING Bank, NV, London Branch). A year earlier, in 1896, they had asked their painter to paint a portrait of Washington and had offered it to the English Prime Minister William Petty, Lord Shelburne, Marquis of Lansdowne (ill.3), probably the most famous portrait of the first president. Philadelphia was the federal capital between 1790 and 1800. The Binghams held European-style receptions in the Mansion House, ran a salon and organised dinners, which were attended by members of the government, including Washington and Jefferson.