Abraham Lincoln

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Object Details

Exhibition Label: Born Hardin County, Kentucky; Abraham Lincoln was becoming a national celebrity during the summer of 1860, but some worried that his appearance might cost him votes. Philadelphia supporter John M. Read hired John Henry Brown to make a good, small portrait that would serve as the basis for a printed campaign image. Brown had five sittings with the candidate but also based the image on several ambrotypes taken in Illinois. Lincoln’s secretary thought the result was “so well executed that when magnified to life size one cannot discover any defects of brush marks on it at all.”; Nacido en el condado de Hardin, Kentucky; Abraham Lincoln estaba en vías de convertirse en celebridad en el verano de 1860, pero algunos temían que su apariencia podría costarle votos. John M. Read, un partidario suyo de Filadelfia, contrató a John Henry Brown para que le hiciera un buen retrato de pequeño formato que pudiera utilizarse como imagen de campaña. Brown tuvo cinco sesiones con el candidato, pero también basó la imagen en varios ambrotipos tomados en Illinois. El secretario de Lincoln encontró el resultado “tan bien ejecutado que al ampliarlo a tamaño natural no se nota ningún defecto de pinceladas”.
Provenance: Commissioned by Judge John M. Read; Mary Todd Lincoln [Mrs. Abraham Lincoln]; son Robert Todd Lincoln; his daughter Mary Lincoln Isham; her son Lincoln Isham [d. 1971]; his estate; (Maury A. Bromsen, Boston); purchased 1975 NPG

Credit Line: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution Conserved with funds from the Smithsonian Women's Committee

1860

Medium: Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions: Frame (Verified): 14.3 x 11.4 x 1.1cm (5 5/8 x 4 1/2 x 7/16"); Ivory: 14 × 11.4cm (5 1/2 × 4 1/2")

National Portrait Gallery

Topic: Miniature; Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Bowtie; Abraham Lincoln: Male; Abraham Lincoln: Law and Crime\Lawyer; Abraham Lincoln: Military and Intelligence\Soldier; Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\President of US; Abraham Lincoln: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Environmentalist; Abraham Lincoln: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Merchant; Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\US Congressman\Illinois; Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\Government official\Surveyor; Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\State Senator\Illinois; Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\Government official\Postmaster; Abraham Lincoln: Crafts and Trades\Boat builder; Portrait

GUID (Link to Original Record): http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm413ebd403-b58f-4444-9819-d6767f6eeade