Description:
Watercolor drawing of a stylized view of Mount Vernon, which is painted "A. M. Williams Aged 11" in gold on the glass mat in reverse writing. The daughter of Ebenezer Hinsdale Williams (1761-1838) and Joanna (Smith) Williams (1770-1852) of Deerfield, Anna McCarthy Williams (1799-1822) was a student at Deerfield Academy, where her father was a Trustee, in 1811 and 1812, and she was taught by Jerusha Mather Williams (1783-1844). The view is copied from an aquatint print "Mount Vernon in Virginia" engraved by Francis Jukes (1745-1812), after a painting by the American artist Alexander Robertson (1772-1841) done about 1799. Alexander Robertson and his brother, Archibald Robertson, established the Columbian Academy, purported to be the first art school in America. The aquatint was published by Jukes and Al. Robertson Columbian Academy first in London March 31, 1800 (the earliest engraving of Washington's home to be sold in Great Britain), and in New York in July, 1800, in response to Washington's death in December, 1799. The print proved very popular on both sides of the Atlantic, and was commonly copied at academies in the early 19th century. Anna used vibrant colors; the original print is much more subdued. The EH Williams 1838 Inventory listed: "3 Framed Paintings....1.00." It is evidently based on a print first published in London in 1800. This print (a hand-coloured aquatint, titled "Mount Vernon in Virginia /The Seat of the late Lieut. General George Washington") was engraved by Francis Jukes (1747-1812) after a drawing by Alexander Robertson (1772-1841). It was issued in March 1800 in London (and July of the same year in New York) in response to Washington's death in December of the previous year and proved very popular on both sides of the Atlantic: the image was used as a design source for numerous silk embroideries and watercolours as well as the present work.
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