General Winfield Scott

Painted on a 7 ½” x 6 ” sheet metal panel is a three quarter likeness of the major general posed in the forefront of a military encampment. The portrait is an excellent academic execution employing a vivid palette, including Scott’s accouterments, supporting his nickname of Fuss & Feathers. Likely painted in 1847-1848 when marching from Veracruz to Mexico City. The metal panel generally a much more frequent support for a Mexican artist than American which, if so, would suggest a date of Scott’s campaign in the Mexican War. To confuse the identity, in what appears period script, placed on an old label attached to the reverse identifies the subject as “General Taylor”. A later institutional label, fixed to the reverse, again identifies the subject as Zachary Taylor. Scott had attained the rank of Commanding General of the U.S. Army in 1841. He recommended General Taylor to command U.S. forces for the Mexican War in 1846 and later in 1847 led his own command to reinforce Taylor’s stalled campaign South of Mexico City. The artist or cataloger may have confused the identities of two commanding generals near or in Mexico City, at the war’s conclusion, where this portrait seems likely painted. A Mexican could easily have confused the two commanding generals. Clearly not Taylor and comfortably Scott as confirmed from the many portrait images of Scott and Zachary Taylor.

Condition: The painting has been gently cleaned by an expert with an in-painted scratch filled across the subjects left breast. Two touches in the tree above the generals plumed hat which lay aside him on his right. These three areas may comprise approximately ½ a square inch of total surface in-paint. A few insignificant areas of in-paint in the sky away from the subject. A painted over star on the left cuff was likely done by the artist which does not fluoresce under black light inspection though visible when focusing in natural raking light on the area. The frame is in good order though a 20th century appropriate replacement.

Provenance: None known prior to selling at Sotheby’s Parke Bernet Gallery as lot # 320 in the 10-30/31-1964 sale belonging to Dr. Norman Treves. Again selling in a collection of historical
American portraits as lot #1014 at Brunks 3-26-2022. Among the numerous portrait offerings at the Brunks sale was a Charles Wilson Peale miniature of Washington and a sepia tone small portrait of Alexander Hamilton. Both Brunk and Parke Bernet sales cataloged the subject to be Zachary Taylor as incorrectly identified on the reverse.