Peter Le Heup (1699-1777)

This portrait was once thought to be Lewis Willis (1734-1813). However, there is an identical painting featuring Peter Le Heup in the French Protestant Hospital Collection at the Huguenot Museum, Kent, England. Le Heup was the Agent for Virginia from 1722-1754. This makes it likely that a copy of the original portrait by Johannes Eckhardt was commissioned for a Virginian and descendants later identified the subject as a Virginia ancestor, namely Lewis Willis.

Dimensions: approximately 36 x 39 in. (91.44 x 99.06 cm.)

The subject sits at a desk writing a letter with a quill pen in hand, inkstands, a bell, and writing materials appear on a silver tray on the desk. His left hand is outstretched to grasp the bell on the tray A column is on the right side of the painting and there is a view out of a window behind him. He wears an elaborately trimmed gray coat and red or pink waistcoat.