The Sotheby’s auction house sold one of the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington for $8.1 million. The portrait was among 16 paintings and four sculptures that were displayed by the New York Public Library to raise money for its endowment. The portrait depicted a seated Washington with a sword across his lap.
The portrait was sold to a merchant William Constable for a lesser price of $8.1 million then the expected price of $10mn to $15mn. The other portrait of Washington that have been in the New York Library for over a century failed to sell. I found it really strange! One of the portrait sold at a record price for an American portrait at auction, though it too sold below the estimated price and the other depicting Washington standing did not had any takers…!!
