Lot 349: ATTRIBUTED TO WILLIAM WEAVER (1759-1817)

ATTRIBUTED TO WILLIAM WEAVER (1759-1817) PORTRAIT OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON On reverse, on attached sheet of paper, typed: Portrait of/ Alexander Hamilton/ aide of General Washington/ during the war of the / Revolution. / Painted by Trumbull/ or a fine copy by his pupil/ Wm. West of Baltimore. / Bought of Robert Gilmor/ by J.B. Morris. This portrait is unsigned. oil on wood panel 9 3/8 in. by 7 3/8 in.

With Robert Gilmor, Jr., Baltimore, by 1848;
possibly to his nephew Charles Smith Gilmor, Baltimore;
possibly with the above's brother Robert Gilmor,III, Baltimore;
probably acquired from the above by John B. Morris, Baltimore, by 1874;
with the above's granddaughter, Camilla Ridgely Morris (Mrs. Clayton Coleman) Hall, Ruxton, MD, by 1925;
to the above's son, Clayton M. Hall Princeton, NJ, by 1936;
given by the above to his daughter;
to present collection (by descent)

This profile portrait of Alexander Hamilton is one of a number of replicas attributed to the artist William J. Weaver, after either a bust or print of Hamilton, as Weaver did not have a life sitting with the statesman. It is not known to whom Gilmor attributed this picture since the only reference to it is found in the inventory of his estate, where it appears to be the "Profile Head Alex. Hamilton" which was exhibited in the northeast chamber on the third floor. On a list of paintings compiled by Robert Gilmor III in Gilmor's 1823 catalogue, designating those works selected by his brother Charles Smith Gilmore, the work may be the "Alexander listed, as Gilmor III made many shortcuts in naming the various listed pictures.

Both references appear to refer to the present portrait, which, according to a label on the reverse, was later owned by John B. Morris (1785-1874). This label notes that Morris (who also owned cat. 136), bough the painting "of Robert Gilmore," although he could not have directly purchased the painting from Gilmore, Jr. It is possible, depending on the subsequent distribution of Gilmor's painting, that Morris purchased it from Gilmor III.

While in Morris's collection, the picture was apparently attributed to John Trumbull, and was probably the work exhibited at the 1874 Charity Art Exhibition as Alexander Hamilton, Painted in Camp, especially since the label on the reverse suggests an attribution to Trumbull. It and a group of related images have been attributed by Paul D. Schweizer to William J. Weaver. Sotheby's thanks Lance Humphries, independent scholar, currently on a fellowship at the Frick Art Reference Library who is preparing a book-length study of the collection of Robert Gilmor, Jr. for his assistance in the preparation of this footnote.

Robert Gilmor, Jr., "Catalogue of Paintings in the possession of Robert Gilmor, Baltimore, 12 July 1823," MS. 2687, Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, Maryland

Charles's list: Alexander

Robert Gilmor's Inventory & List of Debts, January 29 and February 6, 1849, Inventories (originals) Baltimore City, Register of Wills, Maryland Hall of Records

1 Profile Head Alex. Hamilton $30 [North East Room 3rd Story]

Charity Art Exhibition, [January 19-31,] 1874. Catalogue of Paintings (Sun Printing Establishment, 1874), no. 277b

Jno. Trumbull – Alexander Hamilton, Painted in Camp – [owner] John B. Morris

Paul D. Scweizer communication to the author, October 5, 1995, Author's collection

[Summary extract – When compiling his checklist of Weaver's portraits of Hamilton, he believed the Gilmor-Morris-Hall version was the work that went through the Old Print Shop in 1960. If it was not the same picture, there would currently be nine known examples of the Hamilton portrait.]

Private collections, communication to the author, February 10, 1996, Author's collection

[Summary extract – Her father, Clayton C. Hall, gave this picture to her sister]

Paul D. Schweizer, "William J. Weaver and His 'Chymical and Mechanical' Portraits of Alexander Hamilton," American Art Journal 30.1/2 (1999), 98.

[Summary extract – version owned by Gilmor is mentioned, noting it is documented at the FARL]

Artist file, Frick Art Reference Library, New York

Alexander Hamilton, attr. to William J Weaver, 121-14 c

[Summary extract – the painting is on canvas [sic], 8 ½" (h) x 6 ½" (w). According to the mount for the picture, the work has a "sticker" on the back indicating it was purchased from "Robt. Gilmor" by J.B. Morris and that it was "Painted by Trumbull or a fine copy by his pupil, Wm. West of Baltimore." In 1925 when first recorded, the picture was in the collection of Morris' granddaughter Mrs. Clayton Coleman Hall of Ruxton, MD. Subsequently the picture was owned by her son.

Sotheby's gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Lance Humphries, Ph.D., independent scholar on a fellowship to the Frick Art Reference Library