Print of William Lloyd Garrison, 1854

What it is

This is an oval-framed black-and-white lithograph portrait of a bald, middle-aged man with wire-rimmed glasses, facing left. He wears a high collar, bow tie and dark coat. A printed caption below includes a quotation and Garrison's name. The print is dated 1854 and was issued by Popular Graphic Arts. The catalogue record notes that some of its data is unverified and comes from a shelflist card that names another person, Grozelier.

Why it matters

Printed portraits of antislavery leaders were circulated in the 1850s, when the debate over slavery was growing sharper in the United States. The caption's quotation places Garrison's words beside his face, which shows how his public image was tied to his message.

Look closer

• What does the quotation in the caption tell you about the message the print wanted to send?
• Why might a printed portrait be more widely seen than a single photograph?
• What do we not know about who made this print, given the unverified record?