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This portrait of Confederate Gen. A. P. Hill now hangs |
Bring back the portrait of Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill!
That's what the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors will demand in a letter to the Culpeper chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
And if this correspondence doesn't get the controversial painting of one of Culpeper's favorite sons back in the county, then Supervisor Bill Chase is ready to ask the board to take the matter to court.
"I was duped," Chase said yesterday. "I feel very, very deceived."
Chase was referring to a letter the county received in January from UDC President Anne Howard. The letter stated that if the UDC--which commissioned the portrait and presented it to the county in 1935--got the painting back, the portrait would have a permanent home at the Museum of Culpeper History, where it had been on loan since 2001.
Acting upon that assurance, Chase led a movement to have the Board of Supervisors relinquish ownership. The portrait has been a source of controversy since it was, for unexplained reasons, removed the county courthouse almost a decade ago.
The board gave the portrait back to the UDC in March. A little more than a month later, the UDC, also for unexplained reasons, removed the painting from the museum.
For two months, its whereabouts were a mystery. Then, on July 2, county officials discovered that it had been placed in the Warren Rifles Confederate Museum in Front Royal.
"They took the portrait and left town," Supervisor Steve Nixon said. "I think we owe it to the citizens of Culpeper to take some time and look into this matter."
Chase made it clear where he stood.
"I'd like to see [this matter] put in court," he said. "Let a judge decide."
Supervisor Sue Hansohn, who admitted that she was tired of dealing with the controversy, didn't agree with Chase. "The portrait belongs to the Daughters," she said. "I don't want to go to court."
But Chase was adamant.
"It was a verbal contract and it has been broken," he said. "That woman stood right there and said it would stay in the museum. We need to demand it back."
Although board Chairman Bradley Rosenberger was also reluctant to get involved in the portrait controversy again, he found it difficult to disagree with Supervisor Larry Aylor's assessment of the situation.
After hearing County Attorney Roy Thorpe read aloud the March 2 resolution, which states that ownership of the portrait is being returned to the UDC so that Hill's picture can be permanently placed in the Museum of Culpeper History, Aylor said, "If this was a zoning matter, we would demand action. We have to stand firm. They broke the deal."
The Board voted 6-1, with Hansohn dissenting, to send a letter demanding that the painting be brought back to Culpeper and displayed there.
But, according to Chase, the Museum of Culpeper History has tired of the fight and does not want the portrait back, at least not with its accompanying controversy.
And several supervisors made it clear that they do not want to reclaim ownership.
So, where does the portrait go if it comes back to Culpeper?
Chase said it could be put back in the courthouse, where it was placed in 1935. But he held out hope that the local museum would reconsider, although it was noted that the museum now has two other portraits of the general on display.
"But this one means a lot to the county," said Supervisor Tom Underwood.
Rosenberger's assessment of the situation was: "We dug a hole and now we're in it."
Donnie Johnston:
Email: djohnston@freelancestar.com
