American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts

Provenance:

Alexander Randall (1803-1881), Annapolis, Maryland, thence by descent,

Acquired by Joseph Cates (1924-1998), TV and Broadway producer, New York,

A New York collector.

Note:

William Wirt, lawyer and author, was the longest serving attorney general in U.S. history, nominated by President James Monroe in 1817 and retaining his position until 1829 under John Quincy Adams' administration. Born in Maryland, he spent much of his life in Virginia, socializing with Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe's circle.

An eloquent orator and wordsmith, Wirt captivated court rooms with his speeches. He acted as prosecutor in Aaron Burr's trial in 1807, and he famously defended the Cherokee in two Supreme Court cases in 1830-1832, Cherokee Nation v. Georgia and Worcester v. Georgia, arguing that the Cherokee Nation was a foreign nation and not subject to Georgia's jurisdiction, and that they inhabited their own territory which should be protected from outside influence.

At one time a Freemason, Wirt was nominated as the Anti-Masonic Party presidential candidate in 1832. He also was a prolific writer, authoring books including Letters of the British Spy and Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry.

Alexander Randall, who purchased this portrait in 1842, was married to Wirt's daughter, Catharine Grattan Wirt. Randall, born and educated in Annapolis, Maryland, served on the U.S. House of Representatives and was Attorney General from 1864-1868.