Lincoln and His Family

Lincoln is shown with his two sons and wife surrounded by the elegant furnishings of the White House. The family is grouped around a covered table, upon which lie two books, including the Bible. Lincoln and Tad sit to the left, and above Lincoln's right shoulder is a bust of George Washington, linking the martyred president with the 'father of the nation.' Outside the draped window is the outline of the Capitol dome, completed during Lincoln's terms. Mary Lincoln sits to the right, and Robert stands in the center between his parents. Over Robert's shoulder is a portrait of William Lincoln, who had died in 1862.Paper on the back of the print states: "This is one of the most famous prints of Lincoln, a family portrait based on a painting of Samuel B. Waugh and engraved by William Sartain. This print was copied by many other nineteenth century print publishers, but none equaled the quality of this rich engraving.... Waugh makes use of clever symbolic lighting and artifacts, which was characteristic of portrait painting at this time. One symbol was described in a promotional circular, 'On the table is a vase of flowers -- which bloom in profusion in the South, -- all wreathed in harmony, emblematic of the friendly feeling that should exist between the people of the North and South, in the great vase of the UNION…' Waugh's details are beautifully rendered by Sartain, who was able to closely simulate the texture of the rich satins, soft wools, and lustrous leather. At the time of its issue, this print was thought of as a first class example of print making, selling for as much as $20 for an artist's proof, and $7.25 for a regular print. This print was so popular that cartes-de-visite were published using photographs of the print, giving the illusion they were photographs of the actual family.