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Home › Politics

Politics | 02/03/2009 1:00 pm

First Lady Martha Washington Stunning at 25 (Image)

By The Staff at wowOwow.com
Michael Deas portrait

Contrary to popular belief, Martha Washington was once quite the looker. Mrs. Washington’s image is most remembered as the plump-faced woman depicted in James Peale’s post-mortem 1796 portrait — but she was actually a gorgeous woman in her younger years, according to this computer image courtesy of a forensic anthropologist. 

The image of the angel-faced brunette, painted by Michael Deas, is based on a computerized age progression of what Mrs. Washington looked like when she was 25 years old. Oh, our stunning 20s! The flattering new portrait now hangs at George Washington’s Historic Mount Vernon.

"We always see Martha with a withered face in her old age. But she was quite a beautiful woman in her younger years, and Washington loved her deeply," Edward Lengel, senior editor at the Papers of George Washington project at the University of Virginia, told The Washington Post. 

2009_0203_ONEUSEONLY_Martha_Washington_crop.jpg
1796 James Peale Courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association

 

Read more about: George Washington, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Lifestyle, Martha Washington, Michelle Obama, Nancy Reagan, News, Politics

17 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Belinda Joy
That really is a beautiful portrait.
By Belinda Joy on 02/03/2009 1:24 pm
Patty E
I have thought about this—-really—-I too have aged. I used to be gorgeous, myself….so I thought that it would be neat to paste a picture of myself on my mirror—you know, one from the old days when I was young and fresh. Then, when I get up in the morning, with my hair all over the place, and the wrinkles still in their relaxed stage—-BIG—-and noticeable, I can instead, look at myself in the mirror, and see me as I was when younger! what do y’all think? Will it work? haaha
By Patty E on 02/03/2009 1:52 pm
Michele S
Patty, I’m still surprised when I look in the mirror. I don’t feel older on the inside! I’ve thought about removing my mirrors. LOL
By Michele S on 02/03/2009 3:12 pm
DeBúrca obj
I wish they would do this with George Washington as well because I always read that he was so attractive and charming, but his ‘old’ pictures sure don’t look that way.
By DeBúrca obj on 02/03/2009 2:06 pm
Grande Camper
That’s a great idea!
By Grande Camper on 02/03/2009 2:18 pm
Susan B
OK, am I the only one who thinks she looks exactly like Sara Gilbert? (She played the youngest daughter on the “Roseanne” TV series.)
By Susan B on 02/03/2009 3:55 pm
DeBúrca obj
You’re right, she looks a lot like her. Someone else too, could it be a cross between Sara Gilbert and a dark haired Laura Linney?
By DeBúrca obj on 02/03/2009 4:10 pm
Kathryn Parke
I see Helen Hunt.
By Kathryn Parke on 02/03/2009 11:00 pm
DeBúrca obj
Yes! I think that is it. I kept thinking she looked like someone familiar and I think Helen Hunt is probably the closest so far.
By DeBúrca obj on 02/04/2009 9:48 am
Bonnie Oliver
There are several life size statues of George Washington throughout the country —from Philadelphia to New York to Virginia. A marble statue that was erected in 1796 stands in the capitol rotunda in Richmond. It is probably the best. http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/autumn03/houdon.cfm I’ve always liked to think that George & Martha Washington enjoyed a happy marriage. But there have been those nagging rumors of a Mrs. Fairfax (I believe that is the name). Perhaps a Washington scholar will know the true story. I did like the character study of Martha as she would have been at age 25.
By Bonnie Oliver on 02/03/2009 7:41 pm
DeBúrca obj
He probably had an affair. I think in aristocratic, high powered positions back in those days especially, it was almost expected and overlooked by most wives. Perhaps less so here than in Europe at the time, but I bet it was quite common in America too. When I look at those statues of George, he looks too much like my Aunt Dolly for me to EVER imagine him as a young, charismatic man!
By DeBúrca obj on 02/03/2009 9:39 pm
Sandbee (FB) 54
It seem that almost every President had a mistress, it is just the need of the press nowadays to tell everyone about it. As Kissing - her said - Power is the greatest aphrodisiac.
By Sandbee (FB) 54 on 02/04/2009 8:17 am
starry Nite
It seem that almost every President had a mistress, it is just the need of the press nowadays to tell everyone about it. As Kissing - her said - Power is the greatest aphrodisiac. By Sandbee (FB) 54 on 02/04/2009 9:17 am You are right. Only after Kennedy was out of office did we hear about the affairs carried on right in the oval office. I think every president with few exceptions had liasons. But a long time ago it was just not reported on. I wish we could get back to that. I really want an effective leader - Sometimes I think womanizing is embedded in the DNA of politicians or powerful men. P.S. Martha was a looker and boy that age is a SOB !
By starry Nite on 02/04/2009 1:46 pm
Ro H
She actually looks quite the strong, opinionated, woman. I wonder…
By Ro H on 02/03/2009 9:23 pm
Rose Red
So often we think of people of the Revolutionary era as distant or removed from us, stiff characters in history books rather than people. Portraits like remind us that people of that era were real and human, with the same loves and fears we all have. Martha might be just a young woman in this portrait, but that steely look in her eyes tells you how she was eventually able to handle Washington, who was brilliant, difficult, and possessed of a ferocious temper - a man who was a force of nature. A man like George needed a woman like Martha! deburqa is right - now we need to see a similar portrait of George, or maybe a portrait of both of them together.
By Rose Red on 02/04/2009 2:46 am
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