Hon. Abraham Lincoln, born in Kentucky, February 12, 1809
Original title: Hon. Abraham Lincoln, born in Kentucky, February 12, 1809 (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. IV)
kurzbeschreibung
Mathew B. Brady supplied the photographic source for this wood engraving, which presents Abraham Lincoln in formal dress with waistcoat and collar. The print ran in Harper's Weekly on November 10, 1860. Lincoln's portrait is joined to a landscape setting, a hint at how the public saw him in the months before the presidency.
Description
Lincoln occupies the middle of the sheet, wearing a dark suit, waistcoat and white collar. Curtains part to reveal a landscape with trees and a river. At the left stands a table with a jug and a vessel. Across the top runs the Harper's Weekly masthead with its subtitle, A Journal of Civilization, and beneath it a header line giving the date and price.
Context
The image appeared in the issue of November 10, 1860, only days after Lincoln's election as U.S. president on November 6. Harper's Weekly ranked among the most influential illustrated magazines in the country, and it used wood engravings after photographs to bring contemporary figures before a wide readership. The source was a picture by Mathew B. Brady, one of the most esteemed photographers of the day.
Impact
Lincoln's official portrait merges with an idealized landscape, reinforcing his role as a national leader. From the pairing of documentary photograph and artistic elaboration comes a dignified, almost ceremonial presence. The viewer is left with the impression of a serious yet approachable statesman.
Technique
To make the engraving, the image was cut into a woodblock and then printed. Brady's photograph served as the model, translated into lines and hatching. The process allowed quick, inexpensive reproduction for magazine production.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)