Henry Ford

Object Details

Artist

Unidentified Artist

Sitter

Henry Ford, 30 Jul 1863 - 7 Apr 1947

Exhibition Label

Born Springwells Township (now Dearborn), Michigan

Henry Ford had a long-lasting impact on the histories of industry, urban planning, and labor. Drawn to mechanics early on, he apprenticed at a dock company, worked with steam engines, and by 1893 had become the chief engineer at Detroit’s Edison Illuminating Company. In 1896 Ford made the “Quadricycle,” a “horseless carriage” that he sold to fund more experiments. But his most influential car by far was the Model T, which first appeared in 1908. The vehicle made motorized transportation more affordable and deeply affected the organization and spread of cities and suburbs throughout the country. Moreover, its assembly line became synonymous with efficiency.

By the 1930s, however, sales declined, and the company encountered financial setbacks. Ford lowered salaries and opposed the unionization of his employees (though they succeeded in 1941). He also continued his practice (begun a decade earlier) of propagating abhorrent anti-Semitic beliefs through his Dearborn Independent newspaper.

Nacido en Springwells Township (hoy Dearborn), Michigan

Henry Ford tuvo un perdurable impacto en los ámbitos de la industria, la planificación urbana y la fuerza laboral. Interesado en la mecánica desde temprano, fue aprendiz en una compañía de barcos, trabajó con máquinas de vapor y para 1893 era ingeniero jefe en la Edison Illuminating Company de Detroit. En 1896 construyó el “cuadriciclo”, un “carruaje sin caballos” que vendió para costear otros experimentos. Pero su vehículo más influyente fue el Modelo T, inaugurado en 1908. Este auto hizo más asequible la transportación motorizada y tuvo un gran efecto en la organización y expansión de las ciudades y los barrios periféricos en el país. Asimismo, su línea de ensamblaje se hizo sinónimo de eficiencia.

Sin embargo, para la década de 1930 las ventas bajaron y la compañía tuvo tropiezos económicos. Ford redujo los salarios y se opuso a la sindicalización (lograda por fin en 1941). También siguió propagando (como hacía ya una década) atroces ideas antisemitas en su periódico Dearborn Independent.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

c. 1910

Object number

NPG.98.85

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Photograph

Medium

Orotone

Dimensions

Image: 25.3 x 20.2cm (9 15/16 x 7 15/16")

Sheet (Sight): 28.3 x 23.3cm (11 1/8 x 9 3/16")

Frame: 32.9 x 27.9 x 1.9cm (12 15/16 x 11 x 3/4")

Place

United States\Michigan\Wayne\Dearborn

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Location

Currently not on view

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Exterior

Henry Ford: Male

Henry Ford: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist

Henry Ford: Science and Technology\Engineer\Mechanical engineer

Henry Ford: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Automobile

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.98.85

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm414f8b298-712f-4744-ac63-68f77116b4fd