Portrait of Abraham Lincoln

A crayon drawing of Abraham Lincoln, considered by many Lincoln scholars to be the first portrait of him, is owned by Memorial Hall Library. The portrait was made by Boston artist Charles Alfred Barry in June, 1860 when Lincoln had just been nominated as the Republican candidate for President. The portrait was comissioned by Massachusetts Governor Banks and other prominent Republicans from the state. A letter from Barry to Mary Todd Lincoln regarding his photographic proofs of the portrait is in the Library of Congress Abraham Lincoln Papers Collection. The portrait was bequested to the library by George Henry Torr of Andover in 1915. Barry eventually sold lithographic prints of the artwork.

Lincoln scholars and art historians thought that this portrait was no longer in existance, until Library Director Miriam Putnam recognized and identified it in 1947.

...Article on Lincoln Portrait in The Christian Science Monitor, February 12, 1947 Describing the "LOST" Original Lincoln Portrait.... click to enlarge

Page 1 of a Letter from Library Director Miriam Putnam to the Christian Science Monitor explainign that the Barry Portrait of President Lincoln was in the MHL Collection

Excerpt from pamphlet entitled: The Artist's Own Story of the Portrait and his Association with Lincoln

See Also

• Andover File--Memorial Hall Library--Artworks--Lincoln Portrait

• Andover Townsman, March 6, 1947
• "Lincoln's First Portrait," Christian Science Monitor, February 12, 1947. See image.
• "Beardless Portraits of Abraham Lincoln Taken From Life"
• "Funds for Southern Schools George H. Torr of Andover Leaves Funds to Tuskegee, Utica and Berea", Boston Evening Transcript, January 14, 1915.
• "The Artists Own Story of the Portrait And His Association With Lincoln Which Came To Light in 1911 Fifty-One Years After The Portriat Was The First One Taken From Life And Executed at Springfield, In June, 1860." (pamphlet in Andover Room files)

--Stephanie (talk) 10:24, 12 December 2023 (EST)
--Stephanie (talk) 21:53, 19 February 2023 (EST)
--Kim 09:57, June 2, 2014 (EDT)
--Glenda 14:19, November 22, 2006 (EST)