The war was fought by the United States, along with its indigenous allies against Great Britain. The fires reached much of Washington and the White House. All that remained were the exterior walls, which had to be torn down and mostly rebuilt. The British ransacked the residence; only three items stolen were recovered. Among the stolen items was a copy of the iconic Lansdowne portrait of George Washington, painted in 1796 by Gilbert Stuart. It is a life-sized portrait of the 64-year-old President during his last year in office. It was gifted to former British Prime Minister William Petty, the first Marquis of Landsdowne. Stuart painted three copies and five portraits. His most famous has been hanging in the East Room of the White House since 1800.
To prevent the original portrait from being sold at auction, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington bought it for $20 million.
