The authenticity of the painting, which was seized by the British Navy during the Revolutionary War, had been questioned because of overpainting and gaps in its provenance.
The United States began celebrating its first president when he was still a general. Nearly 300 years since George Washington’s birth, the holiday has morphed into a celebration of the presidency.
It’s a smaller version of the giant painting at the Met in New York, and it hung in the White House for years. Christie’s thinks it could sell for at least $15 million next month.