#ezra ames

[thisflighttonight]

Mourning Locket

c.1794

Artist: unknown, possibly Ezra Ames (1768-1836)

[nordleuchten]

La Fayette's Doppelgänger

I found this most amusing little anecdote the other day in History of the City of New York: Its Origin, Rise, and Progress-Vol. 3 by Mrs. Martha Johanna Lamb and Mrs. Burton Harrison. This particular passage is about Revolutionary War veteran General Philip van Cortlandt.

His [Cortlandt’s] personal resemblance to Lafayette, with whom he was on terms of intimacy, and whom he accompanied through the United States on his memorable tour in 1824, was remarked by all who knew him, and on on occasion was turned to decided advantage. At a large reception Lafayette, wearied with handshaking, suddenly disappeared, leaving Van Cortlandt as his substitute to receive the greeting of the multitude, who, not discovering the change, went away satisfied with having, as supposed, grasped the hand of the French nobleman and patriot. Van Cortlandt’s portrait, copied from a rare little miniature painted about the close of the Revolution, revels to the curious reader traces of that extraordinary likeness to Lafayette which mislead the enthusiastic crowd.

I was a bit sceptic at first because Auguste Levasseur does not once mention van Cortlandt in his recordings. I also had a look at said miniature and honestly was not impressed by the likeness - but then I found a portrait from van Cortlandt from 1810!

Left, General Philip van Cortlandt, painted around 1810 by Ezra Ames. Right, La Fayette, painted 1830 by Louise-Adéone Drölling.

I do not know about you, but I am convinced now! :-)

[history-of-fashion]

ab. 1819 Ezra Ames - Portrait of George Humphrey and his wife Eleanor Humphrey

(Princeton University Art Museum)

[shewhoworshipscarlin]

Self portrait by Ezra Ames, late 1700s.

[medievalpoc]

Copy After Ezra Ames (1768 - 1836)

Portrait of Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant)

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

[history-of-fashion]

ab. 1809 Ezra Ames - Mrs. Daniel D. Tompkins

(New-York Historical Society)

[soundgrammar]

Ezra Ames, Mrs. Abraham Van Santvoort of New York, ca. 1805, watercolor on ivory, image: sight 3 1⁄8 x 2 1⁄2 in. (8.0 x 6.4 cm) oval, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Henry L. Milmore, 1950.4.18

[history-of-fashion]

1807 Ezra Ames - Harriet Romeyn (Mrs. Spencer) Stafford

(Albany Institute of History and Art)