Portrait of William King, Jr.

Date1841

Artist James Alexander Simpson (1805 - 1880)

OriginAmerica, District of Columbia, Washington

MediumPainting: oil on canvas; Frame: cherry and birdseye maple

DimensionsFrame opening dimensions: 35 1/2 x 29 3/8in.; Framed: 44 x 38in.

Credit LineMuseum Purchase, Elaine and Don Bogus, Jerry Dalton, Elizabeth T. Gessley, Mary and Clinton Gilliland, Robert F. Grossman, Philip LeDuc, Marcia and Lawrence Long, Margaret Mathews, Margaret Beck Pritchard, Mark and Loretta Roman, and Community Foundation for Northern Virginia/The MOTSTA Fund

Object number2015-245,A&B

DescriptionPortrait of an older gentleman seated at a table and turned slightly to his proper right. The sitter is wearing a black jacket and waistcoat with a white shirt and stock underneath. He is seated in an armchair upholstered in red damask. The table is covered in a green cloth and supports three books entitled "Holy Bible," "The Declaration of Independence U.S." and "The Constitution of the U.S.", as well as an inkwell and a piece of paper. The painting captures the sitter as he writes a letter to his son which reads "George Town D.C. Sept 29th/ 1841/ Dear Son,/ This day Completes the 70th year of/ my age/ Wm. King." The frame is likely the work of a cabinetmaker rather than a frame maker since it is constructed using pegged corners and three different styles of molding common in cabinetry. The inner molding is made from birdseye maple while the moldings on either side are of cherry.
Label TextPortraits of the elite are commonplace, but early images of craftsmen and women are rare in the extreme. King was one of the most prolific furniture makers in the nation's capital, counting the Monroe White House among his clients. Painted in 1841 by James Alexander Simpson, this portrait commemorated King's 70th birthday. Colonial Williamsburg's collection includes pieces of King's cabinetmaking work.

A native of Ireland, King immigrated to America with his parents on the eve of the Revolution. According to family records, he served an apprenticeship in the Annapolis, Maryland, shop of cabinetmaker John Shaw (1745-1829). King completed his training in 1792 and almost certainly worked as a journeyman in Shaw's shop for another year or more. By 1795, King had moved to Georgetown, where he established a cabinet business that remained in continuous operation until his death in 1854, an impressive run of some fifty-nine years.

William King, Jr. was a typical client of James Alexander Simpson (1805-1880). James Alexander Simpson worked sporadically as an instructor in drawing and painting at Georgetown College, depending on the number of interested students. His main occupation was portrait painting in oil on canvas and in miniature formats, although he is known to have completed several landscapes of Georgetown’s campus and scriptural paintings. His self portrait of 1847 depicts a sharply attired gentleman at work on what may be a scriptural or history painting. Simpson sitters tended to be middle income merchants or tradesmen like King or wheat inspector George Shoemaker, however he was occasionally commissioned to do copies of portraits of notable individuals including Stephen Decatur and George Washington. James Simpson’s best known work is a portrait of Yarrow Mamouth, a free black Muslim in Georgetown who was a prominent citizen and landowner.

InscribedWilliam King is depicted writing the follow :"George Town D.C. Sept 29th/ 1841/ Dear Son,/ This day Completes the 70th year of/ my age/ Wm. King." Conservation treatment report by Shelley Svoboda identified two small areas of disturbance on the inscription, specifically the numeral "70" and "1" of 1841. The slight difference in ground color may indicate a change was made in these locations.
ProvenancePurchased through vendor from descendants of William King, Jr.