20th Century Reprint of 1865 "Lincoln Family" Engraving

This 20th century reprint of the 1865 engraving Lincoln Family depicts President Lincoln and his family in April of 1865. The artist F. Schell painted the original work, A. B. Walter engraved it, and John Dainty published it in 1865.

In the engraving, Abraham Lincoln sits in a chair reading a book as his youngest son, Tad, looks on. To Lincoln’s right is his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, and his oldest son, Robert, stands just behind them wearing his Captain’s uniform. Depicted as a painting in the upper right corner, is Willie Lincoln, the middle of the three boys. 

The print shows Lincoln’s family as it was just before his death in April 1865. As far as research shows, the Lincoln family never sat down together to have any complete family portrait done. In the months following Lincoln’s death, a mourning nation demanded images of a domestically comfortable and loving Lincoln family, and the American print industry responded with a flood of “Lincoln at home” engravings and lithographs.  

Artists such as Schell compiled a family scene using several individual portraits to capture each figure’s likeness. Willie passed away in 1862 at age eleven, devastating the family amidst the time of war. He was the only child of Lincoln to pass away during his presidency. Sadly, Tad also died of pneumonia at age 18 in 1871. His eldest son, Robert, lived a long and prosperous life. He studied law at Harvard, was commissioned as a captain in Grant’s army, served as Secretary of War for President Garfield, and owned his own law firm. Mary Todd Lincoln, lived to be 63. This portrait depicts the Lincoln family peacefully together, just as they were in early 1865.

CONDITION:

Overall very good condition. This 20th century reprint of the 1865 engraving of Lincoln Family has a light scratch across Lincoln’s proper right eye, but otherwise is free of any notable damage. Framed.

Framed Dimensions: 25.5” H x 21” W x .5” D