Name/Title
PaintingEntry/Object ID
1982.40Description
Portrait of Sarah Mason McCarty (1760-1823), second daughter of George Mason. Three-quarter view, 1/2 length, facing right. Subject is roughly 40 years of age. She is wearing a black dress with white ruching around the neck and upper chest. She has reddish-brown hair under a shawl with white ruching. The shawl is tied on the lower right by a black ribbon, and has a bow of black ribbon on the upper right.
Frame is American carved wood scoop gilt with inside leaf ornaments. The frame was conserved in 1999 by William Lewin.
Family tradition believed portrait to be by Charles Wilson Peale. However, Charles C. Sellers, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA., stated on May 7, 1954, "It is certainly an interesting and historic portrait, though I am afraid I cannot see any Peale characteristics in it, nor have I come across any record that he painted this portrait."Acquisition
Accession
1982.40Source or Donor
Lucius Randolph MasonAcquisition Method
GiftCredit Line
Gunston Hall CollectionLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
PaintingNomenclature Class
ArtNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsDimensions
Height
23-3/4 inWidth
23-1/2 inProvenance
Notes
Gift of Mr. Lucius Randolph Mason, a descendant of Thomson Mason of Hollin Hall (1759-1820), 3rd son of George Mason.
Puchased by Gunston Hall using funds provided by Mr. Lucius Randolph Mason. The portrait was purchased from George K. and Alice Chichester Hundley. Mrs. Hundley is a descendant of Sarah Mason McCarty, and also Thompson Mason.
