Peale’s practice was to sketch the painting out in one neutral color, show the sketch to the subject for his approval, and then paint the portrait, thus demanding a minimum of time and patience of the subject. On this day Peale had GW wear the “Drapery” (clothing) chosen for the painting, which was GW’s colonel’s uniform from his service in the Virginia Regiment (SELLERS description begins Charles Coleman Sellers. Charles Willson Peale. 2 vols. Philadelphia, 1947. description ends , 1:106; MORGAN [1] description begins John Hill Morgan and Mantle Fielding. The Life Portraits of Washington and Their Replicas. Philadelphia, 1931. description ends , 24; see frontis., vol. 1).