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Fine full length contemporary mezzotint portrait of George Washington, taken from a portrait painted by John Trumbull, the son of Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull and George Washington's aide-de-camp prior to May 1780.
The portait shows Washington in full uniform, standing on a hill above a river (likely the Hudson River), with a hat in his right hand and a scross in his left hand, pointing to a fortification across the river. Behind Washington to the right is a naval battle. A servant is shown to the right.
After resigning his commission, he travelled to London to devote his life to the study of art. Benjamin Franklin provided Trumbull with a letter of introduction to Benjamin West, with whom Trumbull began his studies. Within a few months, Trumbull was arrested and briefly imprisoned, before obtaining his freedom with the help of West and thereafter travelled to Amsterdam. Upon his arrival, he was charged by his father to negotiate a loan for the state of Connecticut. In connection with these negotiations, he met wih the De Nuefville & Son banking house, meeting with Mr. De Neufville. It is likely during this time that Trumbull either gave the original painting of Washington to Neufville or sold the painting, as Trumbull notes that Neufville gave him £100. Trumbull's memoirs show that he first met Neufville in London, following his incarceration, so it is probable that the painting was given to Neufville while still in London, which would explain the engraving of the painting by Valentine Green in 1781.
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