LOT #43103 |
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Abraham Lincoln: Signed Painting by Thomas E. Stephens. ...
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Sold on Feb 25, 2023 for:
$10,000.00
Bid Source: Live: Phone bidder
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Description
Abraham Lincoln: Signed Painting by Thomas E. Stephens. Utilizing a dramatic color palette, Thomas E. Stephens managed to provide Lincoln with a softened aesthetic; from the pale blue-gray of his eyes to the sheen of his black suit jacket, the late president almost seems to glow. This oil-on-canvas portrait features Lincoln directly facing the viewer, his body gently leaning toward the right side of the frame. The artist's signature appears in the bottom left corner as "T.E. Stephens." The text on the back of the painting reads, "Based on photograp[h] kindly lent from the collection of A.H. Greenly and Henry Meserve Photos No 59 & 87 mostly used." Upon inspection, it appears Stephens most likely combined Lincoln's facial expression from Alexander Gardner's photograph taken on November 15, 1863 (Meserve photo No. 59) with the body posture of Mathew Brady's portrait taken on February 9, 1864 (Meserve photo No. 87). The sight size measures 29.5" x 35.5", and the painting is housed in a thick brown frame with an overall size of 36.75" x 42.75".It is easy to see why Stephens' works have appeared on the covers of Time and Life magazines, in the National Portrait Gallery, in museum collections, in the White House, and on the walls of universities and libraries. His subjects include Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mamie Eisenhower, George C. Marshall, Douglas McArthur, and Harry S. Truman, among others, with many works commissioned from the United States Military Academy. In addition to presidents and military figures, Stephens painted ivy league university heads and icons of the business world, such as American businessman Robert Winship Woodruff, who served as president of the Coca-Cola Company from 1923 to 1985.
Thomas E. Stephens was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1886, and studied at the Art School of Cardiff University, the Heatherly School in London, and the Académie Julian in Paris. Abraham Lincoln was one of the first personalities Stephens chose to paint upon his arrival in America in 1929.
Condition: There is a very small scratch at the center of the bottom edge and minor wear at the bottom and lower right edges from possible friction against the frame. The lower left corner has minor buckling, and the canvas stretched onto the back is frayed and torn. In overall excellent condition and perfect for display.
Auction Info
2023 February 25 - 26 Americana & Political Signature® Auction #6269 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
February, 2023
25th-26th
Saturday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 19
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 1,169
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