Abe Lincoln was America’s sixteenth president, who made a big impression – both in his physical stature and in the things he achieved during his time in office. Standing at six feet four inches tall, he served as president between March 1847 and April 1865. Many southern states formally withdrew from the union, due to his policies on slavery, and this eventually resulted in the American Civil War. A champion of equal rights, nationalism, liberty and democracy, Lincoln’s presidency is epitomized by the Gettysburg Address. An Abraham Lincoln print celebrates this president, who left an indelible mark on America and the rest of the world.

These days, Lincoln’s image appears on five dollar bills and pennies, however his notoriety extends much further than this. There are art collections dedicated to this former president, including famous portraits that grace museum walls and historical texts. Whether it is a painting of the president posing beardless, a four cent postage stamp, or a photo of the Lincoln Memorial statue, there is a print to suit all tastes. Choosing your favorite print to hang on the wall is a great way of adding a touch of history to your home.

A print of the well known photo of Lincoln by Mathew Brady, which was taken on the day he addressed the Cooper Institute, is called the ‘Cooper Institute’ photo. In it, the cleanly shaved president stands next to a window, while his hand rests on a pile of books. Throughout the nineteenth century, thousands of lithographs depicting Lincoln without a beard were issued in separate prints. Such prints were designed as frameable artworks for the American public. The fascinating perspective on the range topics displayed in these images provides a great insight into that period of history. Lincoln prints rarely show the president without a beard.

In 1864, a patriotic and bold image of Lincoln was released during the Emancipation Proclamation period. This image was meant to reflect the president’s commitment to the legislation. Francis Carpenter produced a painting and engraving of Lincoln’s reading of the proclamation, and participants like Alexander Ritchie and Matthew Brady helped to publish these, along with the aforementioned image of the president. George Sherwood from Chicago and J.A. Elliot from Boston are also credited with publishing this Abraham Lincoln print. All these men were applauding Lincoln’s achievement, and the plate of steel lasted to subsequently reflect his fame and dignity.