Object Details
Artist
John Cheney, born South Manchester, CT 1801-died South Manchester, CT 1885
Copy after
John Wollaston, born London, England-died Bath, England; active USA 1742-1775
Sitter
Martha Washington
Luce Center Label
In 1757, the year her first husband died, Martha Dandridge Custis (1731-1802) sat for a portrait by John Wollaston. Martha was then only twenty-six years old, and within two years would marry her second husband, George Washington. Wollaston’s portrait of Martha was engraved in 1859 by John Cheney, of the firm Cheney & Kellogg. Cheney then painted this miniature, based on his own engraving.
Credit Line
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer
Date
ca. 1859
Object number
1999.27.6
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Type
Painting-Miniature
Medium
watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
image (oval): 1 1/16 x 13/16 in. (2.7 x 2.1 cm)
See more items in
Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
Department
Painting and Sculpture
Data Source
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Topic
Portrait female\bust
Link to Original Record
Record ID
saam_1999.27.6