Elena Rossi
On August 24, 1814, First Lady Dolley Madison saved Gilbert Stuart's iconic life-size portrait of George Washington from the White House before it was burned by British troops. Refusing to abandon the painting, she ordered that it be taken down and sent out of harm's way, ensuring its survival. This famous portrait, completed in 1797, depicts Washington, the first president of the United States, in his final year in office. It was the first piece of artwork purchased for display in the White House and currently hangs in the East Room.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Painting | Gilbert Stuart's Lansdowne Portrait |
| Artist | Gilbert Stuart |
| Year of Completion | 1796 or 1797 |
| President's Wife Who Saved the Painting | First Lady Dolley Madison |
| Year the Painting was Saved | 1814 |
| Other Important Figures Involved | Jean Pierre Sioussat, Paul Jennings, Thomas McGrath, Jacob Barker, Robert G.L. De Peyster, George Washington Parke Custis |
| Current Location of the Painting | East Room of the White House |
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What You'll Learn
Dolley Madison ordered the Gilbert Stuart portrait be saved
The Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington was the first piece of artwork purchased for display in the White House. Completed in 1797, it was installed in the White House in November 1800. It was the first portrait to depict Washington as the country's first president, rather than as a military leader.
On August 24, 1814, during the War of 1812, British troops invaded Washington, D.C. and First Lady Dolley Madison ordered that the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington be saved. She refused to abandon the painting as she fled from the British, writing to her sister on the day of the fire:
> "Our kind friend, Mr. Carroll, has come to hasten my departure, and is in a very bad humor with me because I insist on waiting until the large picture of Gen. Washington is secured, and it requires to be unscrewed from the wall. This process was found to be too tedious for these perilous moments; I have ordered the frame to be broken, and the canvas taken out; it is done--and the precious portrait placed in the hands of two gentlemen of New York, for safe keeping."
Mrs. Madison ordered the portrait to be saved from British hands, and it was taken down off the wall and sent out of harm's way by a group of individuals, including the White House steward Jean Pierre Sioussat, an enslaved worker named Paul Jennings, the White House gardener Thomas McGrath, and two men from New York, Jacob Barker and Robert G.L. De Peyster.
That night, British troops set fire to the White House and destroyed many of the first family's possessions. However, they were unable to capture or destroy the famous portrait of George Washington. The painting returned to the White House after it was rebuilt in 1817 and currently hangs in the East Room, paired with a portrait of Martha Washington.
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The painting was rescued by a group of individuals
On August 24, 1814, during the War of 1812, British troops invaded Washington, D.C. First Lady Dolley Madison refused to abandon the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington as she fled the White House. She ordered that the large painting, which was bolted to the wall in the dining room, be saved from British hands.
Mrs. Madison instructed Sioussat and Jennings (or McGaw, according to some sources) to hack away at the portrait's frame to free the painting. She then turned it over to the two New Yorkers, Barker and De Peyster, for safekeeping. That night, British troops set fire to the White House, destroying many of the first family's possessions. However, they were unable to capture or destroy the famous portrait of George Washington.
The painting was the first piece of artwork purchased for display in the White House and was installed in November 1800. It currently hangs in the East Room of the White House, paired with a portrait of Martha Washington.
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It was returned to the White House in 1817
The Gilbert Stuart painting of George Washington was the first piece of artwork purchased for display in the White House. It was completed and installed in 1797, the final year of his presidency. During the War of 1812, British troops invaded Washington, D.C., on August 24, 1814, and set fire to the White House. Before vacating the premises, First Lady Dolley Madison famously ordered that the Gilbert Stuart portrait, along with official papers, be saved from British hands. She wrote to her sister on the day of the fire: "Our kind friend, Mr. Carroll, has come to hasten my departure, and is in a very bad humor with me because I insist on waiting until the large picture of Gen. Washington is secured, and it requires to be unscrewed from the wall."
Rescuing the painting was no simple feat. The eight-foot-tall portrait was bolted to the wall of the dining room, making it difficult to move or transport. Mrs. Madison instructed the steward, John Sioussat, and the gardener, Thomas McGaw, to hack away at the portrait’s frame. Once the painting was freed, it was entrusted to two New Yorkers, Jacob Barker and Robert G.L. De Peyster, for safekeeping. Thanks to the efforts of Dolley Madison and her collaborators, the portrait was saved from near-certain destruction.
After the White House was rebuilt in 1817, the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington returned to its place of honour. It currently hangs in the East Room of the White House, paired with a full-length portrait of Martha Washington. This iconic portrait has become a lasting testament to the resilience and determination of those who worked to preserve it, ensuring that it would continue to grace the walls of the White House for generations to come.
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The portrait was the first artwork purchased for the White House
The portrait of George Washington, painted by Gilbert Stuart, was the first artwork purchased for the White House. Completed in 1797, it was a full-length portrait of the first president in his final year in office. It depicted Washington in civilian clothes, emphasising that he had resigned his military commission, although he holds a sword in his left hand, alluding to his past military service. A book entitled 'Constitution and Laws of the United States' leans against the table leg.
The portrait was installed in the White House in November 1800 and was the only artwork saved by First Lady Dolley Madison before the White House was burned by British troops in 1814. On August 24, 1814, Mrs Madison ordered that the portrait be saved from British hands. It was taken down off the wall by a group of individuals, including the White House steward, Jean Pierre Sioussat, an enslaved worker, Paul Jennings, the White House gardener, Thomas McGrath, and two men from New York, Jacob Barker and Robert G.L. De Peyster.
The portrait was returned to the White House when the rebuilding was completed in 1817. It currently hangs in the East Room of the White House, paired with a full-length portrait of Martha Washington.
Stuart painted the portrait based on the Lansdowne, which he had completed in 1796. The Lansdowne portrait was a gift to former British Prime Minister William Petty, the 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, and it spent over 170 years in England. Stuart painted three replicas of the Lansdowne and five portraits that were closely related to it. One of these replicas is the version that hung in the White House and was rescued by Dolley Madison.
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Dolley Madison was the wife of President James Madison
The portrait was an important symbol of the nation, and Dolley Madison was determined not to let it fall into enemy hands. She ordered that the large painting be saved, and it was taken down off the wall and sent out of harm's way by a group of individuals, including the White House steward, Jean Pierre Sioussat, an enslaved worker named Paul Jennings, the White House gardener Thomas McGrath, and two men from New York, Jacob Barker and Robert G.L. De Peyster.
The rescue of the painting was no simple feat. The eight-foot-tall portrait was bolted to the wall of the dining room, making it difficult to move. Mrs Madison instructed her staff to hack away at the frame to free the canvas. She wrote to her sister on the day of the fire: "Our kind friend, Mr. Carroll, has come to hasten my departure, and is in a very bad humor with me because I insist on waiting until the large picture of Gen. Washington is secured".
Thanks to Dolley Madison's quick thinking, the portrait was saved from near-certain destruction, and it currently hangs in the East Room of the White House, paired with a portrait of Martha Washington.
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Frequently asked questions
Dolley Madison, wife of President James Madison, saved Gilbert Stuart's 1797 full-length portrait of George Washington from the White House before it was burned by British troops in 1814.
Dolley Madison ordered that the portrait be saved and it was taken down off the wall and sent out of harm's way by a group of individuals, including the White House steward, gardener, and two men from New York. The frame was broken, and the canvas was carried out of the house.
The painting was kept safe by two gentlemen from New York, Jacob Barker and Robert G.L. De Peyster.
The painting currently hangs in the East Room of the White House, paired with a full-length portrait of Martha Washington.
No, in addition to the portrait, Dolley Madison also ensured that official papers were saved from British hands.
