Limited edition print #221 of 500

 

 

Portrait of General Robert E. Lee

by

Thomas B. Welsh

 

The Garland Rodes Camp #409 Sons of Confederate Veterans

Lynchburg, Virginia is holding its second annual raffle and is pleased to

present this magnificent limited edition print as its center piece.

 

This raffle will consist of three prizes.

First Prize will of course be the numbered print (#221 of 500) of General Robert E. Lee as described.

Second prize will be $100 Cash

Third prize will be $50.

 

Raffle tickets are $5.00 donation and can be purchased from any member of the Garland Rodes Camp.

 

  *The Drawing will be held at Fort Early on October 18th, 2007

 

For information regarding buying raffle tickets, please contact Adjutant Malcolm Perrow at scvcamp409@aol.com

 

 

The Museum of the Confederacy was allowed to produce 500 limited edition prints to be sold to raise much needed funds

 

About the Painter

 

Thomas B. Welch, an engraver and portrait painter, was born in Charleston, SC, in 1814, and studied under two of the most famous artists of the nineteenth century: J. B. Longacre (engraver) and Thomas Sully (portraitist).

 

His more noted works include an engraving of James Madison after a drawing by Longacre (1833); an “Engraving of Washington, After Stuart’s Painting” (1852); and an engraving of the 1852 Senate painting of Sully’s Andrew Jackson (which introduced the stylized exaggerations found on the twenty dollar bill).

 

From what is known, Welch spent most of his career in Philadelphia, PA, from the earliest reference in 1832 through 1860 when he lived at 237 North Street.  He exhibited work at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Art, the Artist’s Fund Society, and the American Academy and Apollo Association.

 

 In 1868, Welch appeared in Paris, citing his address as 30 rue Pauquet-de-Villejust, and was admitted to the Salon for that year, exhibiting two portraits and six gravures. One portrait was of General Robert E. Lee, the other was of General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson.  Also exhibiting in the 1868 Salon were such notables (now) as Mary Cassat, Pisarro, Degas, Monet, Manet, Morrison, Bazille, and Moreau.

 

This portrait is one of only six that are known to have been painted while Lee was alive, only one of which was painted from life during the War.

 

In 1870, Welch was again admitted to the Salon where he exhibited two portraits; John C. Calhoun and General Joseph E. Johnston.

 

Welch died in France in 1874

 

 

*All proceeds for this raffle will go into the Camp’s general fund to be used for various projects involving the promotion, presentation and preservation of our Confederate Heritage.

 

 

This print has been produced to the exact dimensions of the original portrait and is printed on 120# Lustre Dull Cover.  The portrait had its first public viewing in over 140 years at the Museum of the Confederacy in January 2007 to commemorate Robert E. Lee’s 200th birthday.  The portrait is no longer on public display.

 

Special thanks to the staff at the Museum of the Confederacy and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for providing the research on the portrait and the artist.  Thanks also go to Printegration, Richmond, VA, for the exceptional scanning and matching of the print to the original artwork.