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Primary sourcePainting1881

Rutherford B. Hayes

Eliphalet Frazer Andrews · 1881

An 1881 oil portrait of Rutherford B. Hayes painted at the end of his single presidential term.

This is an official portrait of Hayes painted at the close of his presidency.

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Oil portrait painting of a bearded man with graying hair and reddish-brown beard, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and black bow tie, against a dark green background. He gazes off to the left. Signature and date in the lower left corner.
Eliphalet Frazer Andrews, Rutherford B. Hayes, 1881. National Portrait Gallery.

About this source

What it is

This oil painting of Rutherford B. Hayes was made in 1881 by Eliphalet Frazer Andrews. It is held by the National Portrait Gallery and shows Hayes as the nineteenth president, who served from 1877 to 1881.

Why it matters

Painted right as Hayes's term ended, the portrait records a leader whose presidency began amid controversy over the disputed 1876 election. His decisions—withdrawing troops from the South, ending Reconstruction, using federal force against the 1877 railroad strike, and pushing assimilation policies on Native American children—shaped how later generations judged him. The painting is a formal, official image rather than a private one, showing how Hayes wanted to be remembered.

Look closer

  • What does the formal pose and dark clothing suggest about how Hayes wished to be seen?
  • Why might a portrait like this leave out the controversies of his presidency?
  • How does an official portrait differ from a photograph taken in daily life?

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

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