Lady Washington’s Reception by Daniel Huntington

The Republican Court: Lady Washington's Reception Day by Daniel Huntington (c. 1861). This fanciful painting depicts the Macomb House. The Alexander Macomb House at 39-41 Broadway in Manhattan served as the second Presidential Mansion. President George Washington occupied it from February 23 to August 30, 1790, during New York City's two-year term as the national capital.

The Republican Court (Lady Washington's Reception Day) containing sixty-four careful portraits.

 Daniel Huntington 1816-1906

Date 1861

Medium: oil on canvas

Dimensions 167.7 cm (66 x 109.1 in)

Current location Brooklyn Museum

Signed bottom left: D. Huntington / New York 1861

Sketch for the Republican Court

Between 1859 and 1863

Oil on canvas

Current location Brooklyn Museum

Signed bottom left DH

"He studied at Yale with Samuel F.B. Morse, and later with Henry Inman (painter). From 1833 to 1835 he transferred to Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, where he met Charles Loring Elliott, who encouraged him to become an artist. He first exhibited his work at the National Academy of Design in 1836. Subsequently he painted some landscapes in the tradition of the Hudson River School. Huntington made several trips to Europe, the first in 1839 traveling to England, Rome, Florence and Paris with his friend and pupil Henry Peters Gray. On his return to America in 1840, he painted his allegorical painting "Mercy's Dream", which brought him fame and confirmed his interest in inspirational subjects. He also painted portraits and began the illustration of The Pilgrim's Progress. In 1844, he went back toRome. Returning to New York around 1846, he devoted his time chiefly to portrait-painting, although he painted many genre, religious and historical subjects. From 1851 to 1859 he was in England. He was president of the National Academy of Design from 1862 to 1870, and again in 1877-1890. He was also vice president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art".

~Lizzy~