Investigating a Peale in Paris

A portrait of George Washington, leaning on a cannon on the battlefield at Princeton, has hung in the Paris residence of the American ambassador to France since the 1980s. Some credited the painting to Charles Willson Peale, but its execution appeared to fall short of many of Peale’s portraits. In 2019, the Department of State’s Office of Cultural Heritage commissioned a study to research the picture’s provenance, evaluate its appearance and condition, and determine the artist’s materials and techniques. Art historian Carol Soltis was enlisted for her experience with the work of Charles Willson Peale and conservator Emily MacDonald-Korth for her expertise in authenticating paintings using scientific methods.

Join the American Philosophical Society and the Library Company of Philadelphia in welcoming Carol Soltis and Emily MacDonald-Korth as they recount the investigation that took them from Philadelphia to Washington, DC, and ultimately, to Paris as they chased the trail of clues to the painting’s identity. Armed with archival research (including some unlikely sources), material evidence, and sharp observational skills, Soltis and MacDonald-Korth were able to confirm the painting was by Peale.

At this event, we will screen a short film documenting the study and hear directly from Soltis and MacDonald-Korth about how they drew their conclusions.