(American, 1817-1899)

George Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh, signed lower right "G. Hartwich. (sic) 1734", oil on canvas, 25 x 30-1/8 in.; fine modern carved and gilt wood frame, 34-3/4 x 398-3/4 x 2-1/4 in.

Provenance: Claude Harkins Collection of Washingtonia; Brunk Auctions, Asheville, North Carolina: Saturday, June 13, 2015, Lot 60, sold Private Collection, Florida

Note: As with many things relating to George Washington, the Jonathan Hasbrouck House that was his headquarters in Newburgh, New York, was a very popular subject. It would have been important even without being the location of the 1783 proclamation ending the Revolutionary War hostilities. It is difficult to determine who was the first artist to paint it. I believe this version is clearly after Hartwick's because of the variant signature. It was also painted by Robert Walter Weir in 1834, as well as by others both known and unknown, some of which can be seen on the photo archive of the Frick Art Reference Library. There is also a print of Hartwick's original, done by James David Smillie, in the collection of George Washington's Mount Vernon, object number WB-37B2. A postage stamp of the scene was issued in 1933 commemorating the 150th anniversary of that proclamation. All in all, it is one of the iconic locations in the history of our nation.