To George Washington from Peter Henri, 26 November 1794
From Peter Henri
Philadelphia nov. 26th 1794.
Sir!
I beg leave to remind you of the promise you have honored me with while in charleston So. Carolina,1 that you would be So indulgent as to Suffer me to draw your likeness in miniature, when you Should happen to be in Philadelphia.
As I am Soon to go to france, I came here in purpose to enjoy the benefit of your promise in waiting for your Command. I am With Respect, sir, Your very humble and most obedient Servant
Peter Henri
ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters. Peter (Pierre) Henri (c.1760–1822) advertised himself at New York in May 1788 as “A Miniature Painter, Lately arrived from France.” He was located at Philadelphia in 1789 and remained there into 1790, but by July of 1790 he had moved to Charleston, where he remained late into 1793. By late 1794, however, he was once again advertising his services in New York (Independent Journal: Or, the General Advertiser [New York], 14 May 1788; Pennsylvania Packet, and Daily Advertiser [Philadelphia], 27 Jan. 1789, 18 Feb. 1790; City Gazette, or the Daily Advertiser [Charleston], 28 July 1790; State Gazette of South-Carolina [Charleston], 7 Dec. 1793; Daily Advertiser [New York], 12 Sept. 1794). His miniature portrait “The Artist’s Family” is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. No painting of GW by Henri has been identified.
1. GW visited Charleston in May 1791 while on his southern tour.