Painting, Alexander Spotswood Payne and His Brother, John Robert Dandridge Payne, with their Nurse, 1790-1800, anonymous

Life at Mount Vernon

This anonymous painting depicts two children of the Payne family, of New Market plantation in Goochland County, Virginia, and their black nursemaid. This kind of arrangement was common among Virginia gentry families who could afford multiple house slaves (image courtesy of Virginia Museum of Fine Arts).

The Payne Limner (anonymous)

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

oil on canvas

eng

Portrait, The Custis Children, Matthew Pratt, c. 1773

Children of Martha Washington

This portrait is believed to depict John Parke and Martha Parke Custis, the surviving children of Martha Washington and her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis. Although George and Martha Washington were never able to have children of their own, George treated Jacky and Patsy as his own children. The artist of this portrait is unknown but believed to have been Matthew Pratt (image courtesy of Virginia Historical Society).

Unidentified, believed to be Matthew Pratt

Virginia Historical Society

1773

painting, oil on canvas

eng

Portrait of Martha Washington, by John Trumbull, 1795

Portraits of Martha Washington

This miniature cabinet portrait of Martha Washington (accompanied by a similar miniature of George Washington) was painted by John Trumbull in 1795.

John Trumbull

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History

1795-00-00

painting

eng

Mezzotint, Martha Washington and George Washington

Portraits of George and Martha Washington

This rare mezzotint is attributed to Major Joseph Hiller, Sr., a Massachusetts engraver and silversmith. It was produced around 1777 and is believed to be based on portraits of George and Martha by Charles Willson Peale that were painted in 1776 for John Hancock. Peale’s original portrait of Martha has been lost, but this engraving from it might provide an idea of what Martha looked like during the Revolution (image courtesy of the New York Public Library, C.W. McAlpin Collection).

Joseph Hiller, Sr., after Charles Willson Peale

New York Public Library, C.W. McAlpin Collection

1777

mezzotint

eng

Portraits of George and Martha Washington

"George and Martha Washington: Portraits from the Presidential Years" was an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, in 1999. This catalog was published concurrently.

Ellen G. Miles

Edmund S. Morgan

Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery, in association with the University Press of Virginia

1999

book

eng

Material Culture at Mount Vernon

Carol Borchert Cadou

Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

Hudson Hills Press

2006

book

eng

John Trumbull, The Resignation of General Washington of His Commission at Annapolis, oil on canvas, c. 1824-1828

Paintings

One of the iconic paintings of the Revolutionary era, this work by John Trumbull depicts George Washington’s resignation as commander of the Continental Army. This moment was of great symbolic significance to Americans, as Washington was demonstrating his strict adherence to ideals of public virtue by giving up his military power and returning to private life. Martha Washington and three of her grandchildren are pictured in the balcony, even though they were not present at the actual event (image courtesy of Yale University Art Gallery).

John Trumbull

oil on canvas

eng

CAP Ref. 1832.8

John Custis IV, attributed to John Hesselius

Martha Washington's early life

John Custis was the very wealthy father of Martha Washington’s first husband, Daniel Parke Custis. Custis became a widower after his wife Frances died in 1714. Although initially opposed to his son’s intended marriage, Custis met with Martha and came away convinced of her charm and character. In giving his blessing to the match, he secured the couple’s financial future.

John Hesselius

oil on canvas

eng

Martha Washington, Athenaum portrait

Portraits

Gilbert Stuart

1796-00-00

eng

Edward Savage, The Washington Family, engraving after the original, c. 1789-1790

Portraits

Edward Savage’s iconic portrait of the Washington Family was originally painted c. 1789-1790. George Washington purchased two engravings of the painting to display at Mount Vernon (one of which is pictured here). It portrays George and Martha Washington, two of Martha’s grandchildren, George Washington Parke Custis and Eleanor Parke Custis, and George’s body servant, a black slave named William “Billy” Lee (image courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies' Association).

Edward Savage

Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

eng