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 done 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 Massachusett 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. Shortly after the portrait was made, Barry sold many 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.... click to enlarge

Berry Letter page 1.

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

See back to Main Page

• 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.
• "Long-Sought "First Portrait of Lincoln Found in Memorial Hall Library, Andover Townsman, March 5 1947.
• "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.

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--Stephanie (talk) 15:09, 31 May 2022 (EDT)
--Glenda 14:19, November 22, 2006 (EST)
--Kim 09:57, June 2, 2014 (EDT)