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 Wollaston, portrait of Martha Dandridge Custis, oil on canvas

Portraits

Englishman John Wollaston painted many of the leading figures of the American upper class in his time in America between 1749 and 1767, including Martha Dandridge Custis, her husband Daniel Parke Custis, and their children. Wollaston had a tendency to paint similar faces on all his subjects, but this portrait is still significant as the first known image of the future Martha Washington. It provides an important contrast with the typical image of Martha in the public mind as a plump, elderly matron (image courtesy of Lee Chapel and Museum, Washington & Lee University).

John Wollaston

1757

Lee Chapel and Museum, Washington & Lee University

eng

John Wollaston, Jacky and Patsy Custis, 1757

Portraits

Well known portraitist John Wollaston painted the entire Custis family in 1757. This dual portrait is of Daniel and Martha Custis's two chidlren, John Parke (Jacky) and Martha Parke (Patsy) Custis.

John Wollaston

1757

eng

John Wollaston, Daniel Parke Custis, oil on canvas, 1757

Portraits

In 1757, the Custis family commissioned the well-known portrait painter, John Wollaston, to execute portraits of the entire family: Martha Dandridge Custis, her husband Daniel Parke Custis, and their two children, Martha Parke Custis and Daniel Parke Custis, who were pictured together. Daniel Parke Custis died later in 1757 from what is believed to have been a throat infection (image courtesy of Lee Chapel & Museum, Washington & Lee University).

John Wollaston

1757

eng

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