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Primary sourcePhotograph1864

Abraham Lincoln Photograph after Mathew Brady

Mathew B. Brady · 1864

A wartime photographic portrait of President Lincoln based on a photograph by Mathew Brady, taken in 1864.

A primary wartime photographic portrait of Lincoln, taken in the final year of his presidency and life.

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Black and white seated portrait of a bearded man with short dark hair in a dark suit, bow tie, and white shirt, with a watch chain across his vest. He rests his hands on his knees against a pale backdrop.
Abraham Lincoln. Photograph after Mathew B. Brady, 1864. Wellcome Collection, United Kingdom.

About this source

What it is

This is a black-and-white portrait photograph of Abraham Lincoln, made after a photograph by Mathew B. Brady in 1864. It shows Lincoln seated, in a dark suit, resting his hands on his knees. It is held today by the Wellcome Collection in the United Kingdom.

Why it matters

Mathew Brady was one of the most famous photographers of the American Civil War era, and his portraits of Lincoln helped shape how the public saw their wartime president. This image was taken in the final year of the Civil War and the final year of Lincoln's life, showing him as a mature leader during a period of immense national strain.

Look closer

  • What does Lincoln's posture and expression suggest about how he wanted to be seen?
  • Why might a photographer like Brady have been trusted to photograph the president?
  • What does the formal setting tell you about photography's role in politics at the time?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Abraham Lincoln on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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