National Portrait Gallery | Face to Face blog

Self-Portrait by Ryan McGinley

© Ryan McGinley

Every Thursday evening, the National Portrait Gallery presents “Face-to-Face,” a talk about selected portraits on view in the gallery. As part of this regular series, Frank Goodyear, who is associate curator of photographs at NPG, discussed this self-portrait by photographer Ryan McGinley. The portrait, Untitled (Morrissey 1), has the English musician Morrissey in the background. The photograph is on display in the recently opened exhibition "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography."

Ryan McGinley’s contribution to “Feature Photography” includes a select group of photographs taken at several concerts headlined by Morrissey between 2004 and 2006. Capturing the varied expressions and moods of the fans in attendance, these portraits suggest the enthusiasm shared by many for this charismatic English musician. McGinley also has acknowledged his own admiration for Morrissey, especially in the way in which his music addresses pertinent issues for him and for many other young people.

In his artist statement, Ryan McGinley writes, “The idea behind this series was to capture the feeling from the perspective of a fan attending a Morrissey concert. The great thing about shooting him is that he’s so active. He knows about the drama and opera of performance. . . . All of my work is people performing or being active in front of the camera, so taking pictures of Morrissey made perfect sense.”

As in other series about youth culture that he has completed, McGinley is both an observer and a participant at these concerts. In crafting the final prints, he experiments with size, exposure, and tonality to fashion images that convey the exhilaration and beauty of a captivated audience. In 2007 the International Center of Photography awarded McGinley the prestigious Infinity Award for a young photographer. For the past decade, he has been a regular contributor to a variety of magazines, including Vice, Index, and the New York Times Magazine.

Listen to Frank Goodyear’s Face-to-Face talk on Ryan McGinley (17:31)

To view more works by Ryan McGinley and the other artists featured in "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography," be sure to see the online exhibition. McGinley's portrait of Michael Phelps has also been on display at the NPG, and is part of the museum's collections. 

The next Face-to-Face talk is this Thursday, January 22, when Curator of Painting and Sculpture Brandon Fortune speaks about the portrait Adelyn, Ash Wednesday, New Orleans, Louisiana, by Alec Soth in the exhibition "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography."  The talk runs from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.  Visitors meet the presenter in the museum’s F Street lobby and then walk to the appropriate gallery.

Untitled (Morrissey 1) / Ryan McGinley 2004–6 / Chromogenic print / Ann and Mel Schaffer Family Collection / © Ryan McGinley

Closing Exhibition: Four Indian Kings

The exhibition “Four Indian Kings” is closing soon at the National Portrait Gallery, so see it while you can—the final day is Sunday, January 25. The paintings for this special installation were lent by the Portrait Gallery of Canada, a program of the Library and Archives of Canada.

In 1710, a delegation of four Native American leaders—three Mohawk from the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) alliance and one Mohican from the Algonquin nations—traveled to the Court of Queen Anne in London. The delegation traveled to London with British military leaders seeking to court support against competing French and their allied Native interests in North America.

To commemorate the delegates’ visit, Queen Anne commissioned John Verelst, a Dutch portrait artist residing in London, to paint their official portraits. They are the earliest known surviving oil portraits from life of Native people of North America. So popular were the “Four Indian Kings” that printmaker John Simon created mezzotints after these paintings.

While the “Four Kings,” as they became known, were not the first Native visitors to Britain, their presence at Court and their interactions with Londoners, who treated them as celebrities, ignited the British imagination. Poems, ballads, and music were written about them.

The portraits of the “Four Indian Kings” function as a record of early cultural and political diplomacy between the Haudenosaunee and the British, demonstrating discourse, negotiation, and alliance. For more than a hundred years, the portraits were displayed at Court, where many visitors saw them. Subsequently, they were acquired by the Petre family in Essex, and in 1977 they were purchased by Canada with a special grant from the Canadian Government.

Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow, King of the Maquas, lifedates unknown

Verelst’s depiction of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) symbolic skin markings, elaborately demonstrated by Mohawk Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow (baptized Brant), is one of the best records of eighteenth-century Native tattooing in existence. The tattoos, visible on all four delegates, were first stenciled on the skin and then pricked into the flesh with trade needles or little bones until the blood flowed. While the precise significance of the markings remains unclear, Haudenosaunee men were tattooed to commemorate their achievements in battle.

The highly individualized depiction of these markings is an important aspect of the representation characteristic of this commemorative portrait. Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow was the grandfather of venerated Mohawk leader Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant), a captain in the British military during the American Revolution.

Ho Nee Yeath Taw No Row, King of the Generethgarich Nations, lifedates unknown

Born in present-day upstate New York, Ho Nee Yeath Taw No Row (baptized John) was one of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) known as the "Four Indian Kings." The display of symbolic skin markings, distinctive clothing, and beautiful or unique items were all ways that Native diplomats demonstrated their values and status.

There is much discussion among ethnographers regarding the authenticity of the items represented in these paintings. For example, Ho Nee Yeath Taw No Row is depicted holding a bow that would be too small to have been used by an adult. The depiction of a wolf behind him represents his dodem, or clan affiliation. Dodem animals—wolf, bear, and turtle—included in each of the four portraits, mark the delegates’ connections to their community. Verelst likely spoke with each of the men, through their interpreter, to understand the importance of such symbols.

Etow Oh Koam, King of the River Nation (Mohican), lifedates unknown

Verelst depicted the four representatives of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) alliance in a style reserved for royalty. Each full-length figure is posed in a stance associated with those wielding power, their gaze directed at the viewer. Mahican Etow Oh Koam (baptized Nicholas) wears or holds items that refer to his status, such as the carved wooden ball-headed club which identifies him as a warrior.

The beautiful thunderbirds tattooed across the side of his face make reference to an important spiritual support for a warrior. In many Native cultures, thunderbirds are powerful sky spirits that can evoke the terrors and dangers of the natural world. The dramatically draped red cloaks, edged in gold, may have been offered by a London costumer at the Queen’s request. In this way, Verelst portrayed the ambassadors in a format familiar to European viewers that indicated their social position both in European and Haudenosaunee terms of reference.

Tee Yee Neen Ho Ga Row, Emperor of the Six Nations c. 1680-1755

Presented as "kings" to the Royal Court in London, the four Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) carried the authority of diplomats. Mohawk leader Theyanoguin (baptized Hendrick) was given the epithet "Emperor of the Six Nations." While the four "kings" were represented both in European and Haudenosaunee terms, he is the only one almost fully depicted in English dress. He wears black because the Court was in mourning for the recent death of the Queen’s consort. His dress consists of a sleeved waistcoat, linen shirt, breeches, stockings, and buckled shoes, helping viewers identify his status as "Emperor."

The wampum belt that he holds is a deeply significant item that serves to commemorate the meeting and to represent an alliance that cannot be broken unless the belt is returned. Theyanoguin subsequently became a significant military leader and ambassador after his return to North America.

Listen to Martin Sullivan, director of the National Portrait Gallery, discuss “Four Indian Kings” in a Face-to-Face portrait talk. (27:48)

The next Face-to-Face talk is this Thursday, January 15, when Associate Curator of Photographs Frank Goodyear speaks about photographer Ryan McGinley’s self-portrait in the exhibition "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography."  The talk runs from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.  Visitors meet the presenter in the museum’s F Street lobby and then walk to the appropriate gallery.

All portraits by John Verelst (c. 1675–1734)/Oil on canvas, 1710/Library and Archives Canada/Acquired with a special grant from the Canadian Government, 1977

Portrait of Cindy Sherman by Martin Schoeller

                      © Martin Schoeller

Every Thursday evening, the National Portrait Gallery presents “Face-to-Face,” a talk about selected portraits on view in the gallery. As part of this regular series, Anne Goodyear, who is assistant curator of prints and drawings at NPG, discussed this portrait of Cindy Sherman by photographer Martin Schoeller.  The portrait is on display in the recently opened exhibition "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography."

Cindy Sherman, who is well known for creating photographs of herself adopting a broad range of persona, has a face that is surprisingly unfamiliar to viewers. You can view a selection of Sherman’s work on the Metro Pictures gallery website, including photographs from the mid-1970s. Schoeller’s portrait of Sherman, originally published with a New Yorker profile by Calvin Tomkins, “Her Secret Identities,” unmasks the influential artist. 

A native of Germany, Martin Schoeller, who now lives and works in New York, honed his skills by working with Annie Leibovitz.  He has exhibited his portraits internationally and has received numerous awards. Schoeller’s photographs have appeared in many prominent magazines, including the New Yorker, Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ), Vanity Fair, and Rolling Stone.

Listen to Anne Goodyear’s Face-to-Face talk on Cindy Sherman (25:08)

To view more works by Martin Schoeller, and the other artists featured in "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography," be sure to see the online exhibition.  And listen to Martin Schoeller in this audio slideshow from the New Yorker.

The next Face-to-Face talk is this Thursday, January 15, when Associate Curator of Photographs Frank Goodyear speaks about photographer Ryan McGinley’s self-portrait in the exhibition "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography."  The talk runs from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.  Visitors meet the presenter in the museum’s F Street lobby and then walk to the appropriate gallery.

Cindy Sherman/Martin Schoeller, 2000/Digital C-print/Collection of the artist, courtesy Hasted Hunt, New York City/© Martin Schoeller

Elvis Presley, Born 74 Years Ago Today

Q. What National Park Service memorial is most closely associated with Elvis Presley?
A. The U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

On this day in 1935, Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. Many stories about the King of Rock and Roll have taken on monumental and mythical status. Most everyone who has heard of Elvis has also heard the story about the King shooting the television set, the late-night exploits of the Memphis Mafia at Graceland, or Elvis flying from Memphis to Denver to pick up a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. Most everyone also has seen the photos of Elvis and President Nixon, as well; that sequence of images has its own location on the “When Nixon Met Elvis” website by the National Archives.

Elvis was the prototype for ensuing generations of rock stars. His madnesses were many and his desire to apologize was minimal; after all, he was traveling in uncharted waters. Elvis established the pattern, and fast cars, beautiful women, and fistfuls of narcotics would quickly become part of the rock and roll milieu.

Wild behavior aside, one aspect of Elvis’s personality—though out of control at times—continues to endear him to millions worldwide: he was a charitable man. For every story about the King blowing apart a television set, there are dozens of stories of Elvis helping a friend in need or buying a car for a total stranger.

In Fortunate Son: The Life of Elvis Presley, biographer Charles Ponce de Leon writes, “Always one to share his wealth, Elvis . . . became impetuously generous toward his family, friends, and business acquaintances—sometimes even perfect strangers. He bought them custom-made rings, necklaces, bracelets, and pendants. His jewelry purchases became so frequent and extravagant that his favorite Memphis jewelers were happy to fly to Las Vegas or wherever he was to take an order or make a special delivery.”

One of Elvis’s acts of benevolence will continue to benefit millions forever.  In March 1961, Elvis gave a concert in Hawaii for the benefit of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial fund. The association had struggled for years to fund the completion of the memorial at Pearl Harbor, but the end was not in sight. United States Park Service records indicate that Elvis’s charity performance at Bloch Arena in Hawaii yielded almost $55,000 toward funding the monument; the entire memorial cost approximately $516,000, meaning that the concert produced more than 10 percent of the money needed for the project.

Interestingly, without Elvis, there is no way of knowing when the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial would have opened to the public. His 1961 benefit performance was the final fiscal push needed to open the doors to the memorial.

Listen to Warren Perry’s Face-to-Face talk on Elvis Presley (25:28)

The next Face-to-Face talk is tonight (Thursday, January 8), when Anne Goodyear, Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings, will discuss a portrait of Cindy Sherman by photographer Martin Schoeller. This portrait is on view in the exhibition "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography." The talk runs from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. Visitors meet the presenter in the museum’s F Street lobby and then walk to the appropriate gallery.

Elvis Aron Presley/Ralph Wolfe Cowan,1976-1988/National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of R.W. Cowan   

For more on Elvis, visit the previous blog post "Isaac And Elvis: The Memphis Music Legacy." For further reading see Fortunate Son: The Life of Elvis Presley by Charles Ponce de Leon, the “When Nixon Met Elvis” website by the National Archives, and the National Park Service Arizona Memorial, FAQ's page.

NPG Acquires Shepard Fairey’s Portrait of Barack Obama

The portrait is not yet on display; it will go on view before Inauguration Day.

               ©  Shepard Fairey/ObeyGiant.com

The portrait that came to symbolize the historic campaign of President-elect Barack Obama will make its permanent home only a few blocks from the White House at the National Portrait Gallery. The piece, created by Los Angeles artist Shepard Fairey, came to the museum through the generosity of Washington, D.C., art collectors Heather and Tony Podesta, in honor of Tony Podesta’s mother, the late Mary K. Podesta.

“This work is an emblem of a significant election, as well as a new presidency,” said Martin E.Sullivan, director of the National Portrait Gallery. “Shepard Fairey’s instantly recognizable image was integral to the Obama campaign. We are deeply grateful to the Podestas for their generosity.”

Fairey’s large-scale, mixed-media stenciled collage was the central portrait image for the Obama campaign and was previously distributed as a limited-edition print and as a free download. The collage will be on view at the Portrait Gallery by Inauguration Day. It will be installed on the first floor of the museum in the “New Arrivals” exhibition.

Fairey’s work is represented by the Irvine Contemporary gallery in Washington, D.C. Fairey’s works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. In 2006, Gingko Press published a monograph on the artist’s career, “Obey: Supply and Demand.” A retrospective of Fairey’s work will open Feb. 6 at the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art.

Barack Obama/Shepard Fairey, 2008 / Hand-finished collage, stencil and acrylic on paper / Gift of the Heather and Tony Podesta Collection in honor of Mary K. Podesta / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution /
© Shepard Fairey/ObeyGiant.com

January 6, 1759: George and Martha Washington Tie the Knot

Two hundred and fifty years ago today, George Washington, a land owner and an officer in the Virginia militia, and Martha Dandridge Custis (right), a widow with two children, were wed at White House, the Custis home in New Kent County, Virginia, that Martha inherited upon the death of her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis. It was not a coincidence that the date chosen for the wedding was Epiphany; Twelfth Night was traditionally a night for celebrations, and the Washington-Custis wedding was purposefully tied to this date.

In her biography Martha Washington: First Lady of Liberty, Helen Bryan writes:

The wedding was probably a very robust affair. Most social occasions in the tidewater were. Martha would have known what to expect and would have made meticulous preparations in advance to feed and accommodate a houseful of guests who would be cooped up together in the house for an indeterminate number of days. Plantation weddings went on for a long time, and once guests had made the trip over bad, frozen, or snow-covered roads or up the icy Pamunkey River to White House, they would have had no inclination to go home quickly. Advance preparations must have involved making up endless sleeping pallets; preparing bedding; stocking up with firewood, extra soap, and candles; and an orgy of roasting, smoking, and baking; not to mention provisioning with cordials, brewing of beer, and ordering plenty of wine, Madeira, port, rum, brandy, and whiskey. Colonials were a notoriously hard-drinking lot. And in keeping with the custom of the time, Martha probably decorated White House with pine boughs, holly, mistletoe, and ivy.

Although George Washington entered the relationship as a property owner and a man of excellent reputation, Martha’s inheritance of property and slaves from Daniel Parke Custis’s estate would have been an attractive corollary to the establishment of this marriage. Washington was ambitious with respect to property, and he had great plans for his holdings at Mount Vernon; marrying a wealthy widow roughly his own age—Martha was born in 1731, some eight months before George’s birthday in 1732—would greatly increase his social and financial positions. As colonial law forbade Martha to own property after marriage, George immediately became responsible for the property Martha shared with her two children, John Parke Custis and Martha Parke Custis. On May 1, 1759, George wrote to Robert Cary and Company, London merchants:

Gentlemen, the enclosed is the minister’s certificate of my marriage with Mrs. Martha Custis, properly as I am told, authenticated. You will therefore for the future please to address all your letters which relate to the affairs of the late Daniel Parke Custis, Esquire, to me, as by marriage I am entitled to a third part of that estate, and invested likewise with the care of the other two thirds by a decree of our general court which I obtained in order to strengthen the power I before had in consequence of my wife’s administration.

George and Martha would share forty years together; however, George spent a substantial portion of that time fighting to build and to administer a new nation. He died in December of 1799, and she passed away in May of 1802. Although plans were conceived within the young government to bury Washington beneath the United States Capitol, George and Martha Washington are fittingly interred together at Mount Vernon.

George Washington and Family/David Edwin, 1798, Copy after: Edward Savage/Stipple engraving on paper/National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Martha Dandridge Custis Washington/Rembrandt Peale, c. 1853/Oil on canvas/National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of an anonymous donor

George Washington (Lansdowne portrait)/Gilbert Stuart, 1796/Oil on canvas/National Portrait Gallery; acquired as a gift to the nation through the generosity of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation

Portrait of Barack Obama by Martin Schoeller

                      © Martin Schoeller

Every Thursday evening, the National Portrait Gallery presents “Face-to-Face,” a talk about selected portraits on view in the gallery. As part of this regular series, Anne Goodyear, who is assistant curator of prints and drawings at NPG, discussed this portrait of Barack Obama by photographer Martin Schoeller.  The portrait is on display in the recently opened exhibition "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography."

Martin Schoeller photographed Barack Obama for a December 2004 feature on “Men of the Year,” in Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ), where a variant of this photograph appeared.  Reflecting upon the success of his address at the 2004 Democratic convention, Obama, who would go on to win the presidential election in 2008, observed: “The reason you do this stuff is not to . . . get your face in a magazine . . . You do this stuff because you care about the epic struggle to make America what it can be.”

A native of Germany, Martin Schoeller, who now lives and works in New York, honed his skills by working with Annie Leibovitz.  He has exhibited his portraits internationally and has received numerous awards. Schoeller’s photographs have appeared in many prominent magazines, including the New Yorker, Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ), Vanity Fair, and Rolling Stone.

Listen to Anne Goodyear’s Face-to-Face talk on Barack Obama (33:26)

To view more works by Martin Schoeller, and the other artists featured in "Portraiture Now: Feature Photography," be sure to see the online exhibition.  You can learn more about Schoeller’s portrait of Obama in this article from Voice of America. And listen to Martin Schoeller in this audio slideshow from the New Yorker.

The next Face-to-Face talk is this Thursday, January 8, when Anne Goodyear will discuss a portrait of Cindy Sherman, also by Martin Schoeller.  The talk runs from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.  January 8 will also feature a special noon-time addition of Face-to-Face, when Warren Perry speaks about the portrait of Elvis Presley by Ralph Cowan.  Visitors meet the presenter in the museum’s F Street lobby and then walk to the appropriate gallery.

Photograph by Voice of America, taken by David Byrd.

Barack Obama/Martin Schoeller, 2004/Digital C-print/Collection of the artist, courtesy Hasted Hunt, New York City/© Martin Schoeller

Portraits of President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush Unveiled

Photo by Warren Perry

President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush unveiled portraits of themselves commissioned for the National Portrait Gallery in a private ceremony at the museum this morning.  The paintings will be on public view beginning today. This is the first time that the Portrait Gallery will present the official likenesses of a sitting president and first lady.

“It is always a great moment for the National Portrait Gallery to unveil the portraits of presidents and first ladies,” said Martin E. Sullivan, director of the museum. “I am thrilled that the museum is able to install these two works while President Bush is in the White House.”

Robert Anderson was selected by the White House to paint the president’s portrait. Anderson was a classmate of Bush’s at Yale University and received his training in fine arts at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. A professional portraitist based in Darien, Conn., Anderson has also painted a portrait of Bush for the Yale Club in New York. Bush’s portrait will be installed in the exhibition “America’s Presidents,” among those of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and George H.W. Bush. 

Aleksander Titovets was selected by the White House to paint Laura Bush’s portrait. Titovets is a native Russian painter who now lives in El Paso, Texas. Trained at the St. Petersburg State University College of Fine Arts, he specializes in figurative and landscape painting inspired by his native Russia as well as the landscape of the Southwest. Initially, the portrait of Laura Bush will be hung on the first floor in the north hall of the National Portrait Gallery.
 

Listen to an interview with Robert Anderson, the artist who painted President Bush's portrait (4:10)

Listen to an interview with Aleksander Titovets, the artist who painted first lady Laura Bush's portrait (6:43) 

Listen to a recording of the event. The speakers are Martin E. Sullivan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery; G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; Mrs. Laura Bush; and President George W. Bush. (19:15) 

Video from necn.com

Photos by Warren Perry, John McMahon, and Benjamin Bloom

George W. Bush / Robert Anderson , 2008/Oil on canvas/National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution/ Gift of American Fidelity Foundation, J. Thomas and Stefanie Atherton, William S. and Ann Atherton, Dr. Jon C. and Jane G. Axton, Dr. Lee and Sherry Beasley, Thomas A. Cellucci, A. James Clark, Richard H. Collins, Edward and Kaye Cook, Don and Alice Dahlgren, Mr. and Mrs. James L. Easton, Robert Edmund, Robert and Nancy Payne Ellis, Dr. Tom and Cheryl Hewett, Dr. Dodge and Lori Hill, Pete and Shelley Kourtis, Tom and Judy Love, David L. McCombs, Tom and Brenda McDaniel, Herman and LaDonna Meinders, The Norick Family, Kenneth and Gail Ochs, Robert and Sylvia Slater, Richard L. Thurston, Lew and Myra Ward, Dr. James and Susan Wendelken, Jim and Jill Williams

Laura Bush/ Aleksander Titovets, 2008/ Oil on canvas/National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution / Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Stewart

Birthday of Joseph Henry, First Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

Joseph Henry was born 211 years ago today, on December 17, 1797. 

Joseph Henry, the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, was a remarkable man. His interests spanned the scientific and academic world, from anthropology to meteorology, and he believed that the quest for and imparting of knowledge were central to the mission of the Smithsonian.

This photograph of Henry was taken around 1860, by the Mathew Brady Studio and produced as a carte de visite—a sort of trading card and celebrity collectable. It is on display at the National Portrait Gallery, in the American Origins exhibition, on the museum’s first floor.

In Joseph Henry's words:

The worth and importance of the Institution is not to be estimated by what it accumulates within the walls of its building, but by what it sends forth to the world. Its great mission is to facilitate the use of implements of research, and to diffuse the knowledge which this use may develop.

Henry’s work in electromagnetism was part of the collective effort that made the telegraph possible; in Henry’s honor, the scientific community calls the unit of measure of electrical inductance the henry.

In 1879, William B. Taylor wrote the following, which was read into the proceedings of the Philosophical Society of Washington after Henry’s death:

In his own pursuits Truth was the supreme object of his regard—the sole interest and incentive of his investigations; and in its prosecution he brought to bear in equable combination qualities of a high order; quickness and correctness of perception, inventive ingenuity in experimentation, logical precision in deduction, perseverance in exploration, sagacity in interpretation.

Henry was Secretary of the Smithsonian from 1846 until his death in 1878. He was also a professor at the College of New Jersey (Princeton) for sixteen years and served as president of the National Academy of Sciences from 1868 to 1878. Henry is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C., and a statue bearing his likeness stands in front of the Smithsonian Castle on the National Mall in Washington.

For more information on Henry, see the Joseph Henry Paper’s website, created by the Smithsonian Institution Archives. 

Photograph by David Bjorgen, from Wikipedia Commons. Used via Creative Commons. 

This statue of Joseph Henry stands in front of the Smithsonian Castle on the National Mall in Washington. 

Joseph Henry/Mathew Brady Studio, c. 1860/Modern albumen print from wet plate collodion negative/ National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

The Many Faces of Lincoln

Every Thursday evening, the National Portrait Gallery presents “Face-to-Face,” a talk about selected portraits on view in the gallery. As part of this regular series, NPG historian David Ward discussed a few photographs of Lincoln on display in the recently opened exhibition “One Life: Mask of Lincoln.” Ward, who curated the exhibition, spoke mainly about the following portraits:

“Tousled Hair” portrait by Alexander Hesler, c. 1857

This thumb-sized copy of Alexander Hesler’s 1857 “tousled hair” portrait of Lincoln was produced in 1860 so that it could be cut out, placed in a frame, and worn as a pin or locket during the campaign.

Such partisan political symbols had long been a staple of American elections, but the heated political climate of 1860—and the need for the Lincoln organization to mobilize all its supporters—led to a plethora of new and creative ways to energize a public immersed in the political culture of the time.

Portrait by Alexander Gardner, 1861

Lincoln was the first president after photography truly came of age. He embraced the new technology, sitting frequently, and he was interested in both technological issues and composition. Perhaps because of his early struggle to make himself into somebody of substance—to make himself visible—Lincoln was acutely aware of the power of image-making.

When he arrived in Washington, Lincoln quickly arranged to have himself photographed at Alexander Gardner’s studio. These photographs were the first widely disseminated pictures of the president with his newly grown beard.

Portrait by Alexander Gardner, November 8, 1863

On November 8, 1863, Lincoln had this portrait taken by Alexander Gardner. While waiting, he read a newspaper account of the speech that famed orator Edward Everett would make at the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg. Lincoln would also speak, but had yet to compose his remarks, promisingly only that they would be “short, short, short.”

“Cracked-plate” portrait by Alexander Gardner, 1865

One of the most haunting images in American history and art, this portrait was taken in February 1865. The picture of Lincoln—hollowed, careworn, and yet with a slight smile still after four years of war—is given added poignancy by the crack that appeared in the negative after it was developed.

Listen to David Ward’s Face-to-Face talk on Lincoln (26:18)

For more on Lincoln, be sure to see the online exhibition.  And read more about the exhibition, in this recent article from the New York Times. Also, hear more from David Ward, in this interview about "One Life: The Mask of Lincoln."

The next Face-to-Face portrait talk is this Thursday, December 18, when Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings Anne Goodyear speaks about the portrait of President-elect Barack Obama by Martin Schoeller. This portrait is on display in NPG’s new exhibition “Portraiture Now: Feature Photography.” The talk runs from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. Visitors meet the presenter in the museum’s F Street lobby and then walk to the appropriate gallery.

Abraham Lincoln/Unidentified artist, after Alexander Hesler,c. 1857 (printed c. 1860)/Albumen silver print/National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Abraham Lincoln/Alexander Gardner, 1861/Albumen silver print/National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Abraham Lincoln/Alexander Gardner, November 8, 1863/Albumen silver print/Collection of Keya Morgan, New York City

Abraham Lincoln/Alexander Gardner, 1865/Albumen silver print/National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution