Abraham Lincoln

Object Details

Exhibition Label

Abraham Lincoln 1809–1865

Born Hardin County, Kentucky

Soon after Abraham Lincoln won the Republican presidential nomination, in May of 1860, sculptor Leonard Wells Volk made casts of Lincoln’s hands. The right hand is shown grasping a sawed-off section of a broom handle, which Lincoln obligingly fetched from a shed when the artist suggested that he hold on to something. Lincoln smoothed the edges of the wood, reportedly saying, “I thought I would like to have it nice.” During their session, Volk was already thinking of using these casts, in combination with his recently completed Lincoln bust, to fashion a full-length statue.

Nacido en el condado de Hardin, Kentucky

Poco después de que Abraham Lincoln obtuviera la nominación a la presidencia por el Partido Republicano, en mayo de 1860, el escultor Leonard Wells Volk hizo moldes de sus manos. La mano derecha aparece agarrando un trozo del mango de una escoba que Lincoln tuvo la gentileza de buscar en un cobertizo cuando el artista sugirió que sujetara algo. Cuando Lincoln empezó a lijar los bordes del trozo de madera, Lincoln contestó: “Pensé que me gustaría más pulido”. Ya durante la sesión Volk estaba planeando utilizar estos moldes, en combinación con el busto de Lincoln recién terminado, para construer una estatua de cuerpo entero.

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National Portrait Gallery Collection

Exhibition

America's Presidents (Reinstallation September 2017)

On View

NPG, South Gallery 240

Date

c. 1917 cast after 1860 original

Object number

S/NPG.71.6

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the National Museum of American History

Cast after

Leonard Wells Volk, 1828 - 1895

Sitter

Abraham Lincoln, 12 Feb 1809 - 15 Apr 1865

Topic

Abraham Lincoln: Male

Abraham Lincoln: Law and Law Enforcement\Lawyer

Abraham Lincoln: Military\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

Medium

Plaster

Dimensions

Proper Left: 7.6 x 11.1 x 17.8cm (3 x 4 3/8 x 7")

Proper Right: 8.9 x 12.7 x 15.2cm (3 1/2 x 5 x 6")

Data Source

National Portrait Gallery

Type

Sculpture

Record ID

npg_S_NPG.71.6

Usage

CC0