George Washington and the Paparazzi: Preservation of George Washington's Letters

This Inside the Vaults video short highlights a letter written by President George Washington to his friend, Gov. Henry Lee of Virginia, on July 3, 1792. In the letter, Washington turns down the request of the artist William Williams, who wished to paint the President's portrait. Mount Vernon associate curator Laura Simo explains that Washington was weary of frequently posing for portraits during his presidency. National Archives curator Alice Kamps — who chose the letter and curated its exhibit at the National Archives — describes painters as the 18th-century equivalent of today's paparazzi. Alexandria-Washington Masonic Lodge 22 Archivist Hans Pawlisch tells the story of how Williams' eventual portrait of Washington came to hang in the Lodge. National Archives paper conservator Yoonjoo Strumfels explains the conservation treatment of the original George Washington document.

Inside the Vaults includes highlights from the National Archives in the Washington, DC, area and from the Presidential libraries and regional archives nationwide. These shorts present behind-the-scenes exclusives and offer surprising stories about the National Archives treasures. See more from Inside the Vaults at http://bit.ly/LzQNae.