No American has had more written or said about him than Abraham Lincoln. To both his contemporaries and posterity, Lincoln has been an endless subject of mystery and fascination. One Life: The Mask of Lincoln will examine how Lincoln used the new art of photography to convey his image to Americans, letting them see in him what they most desired. The National Portrait Gallery will commemorate the bicentennial of Lincolns birth with this One Life exhibition that draws on its extensive collection of Lincoln portraits. The exhibition will provide many faces of Lincoln for the public to ponder. As one of the highlights, the Portrait Gallerys original cracked-plate portrait of Lincoln by Alexander Gardner will make a rare appearance (typically, a facsimile of the photograph is on view). This exhibition has been funded by the Guenther and Siewchin Yong Sommer Endowment Fund and the Marc Pachter Exhibition Fund. Visit the
companion website for the exhibition.