1. Category:
  2. Fine Art (2,667)

"Why Abe You Didn't Have to Do That!"

Creator:
unknown
Location:
unknown place made
Origin Date:
1945-1950
Materials:
paper, graphite, ink
Measurements:
overall: 20 1/4 in x 17 1/4 in
Item ID:
71.2009.081.0009
Holding Institution:
Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, courtesy of the Indiana State Museum
Available for Viewing:
No
Category:
Fine Art

Description

This original painted illustration depicts a young Abraham Lincoln standing at the doorway of a house belonging to a young mother and child. Lincoln holds his hat in his right hand and gestures with his left hand. The barefoot boy carries firewood up to the door with chickens to his right, and a dog looks up at Lincoln to the far left. Original pencil lines can be seen under the ink wash. The painting is unsigned, but was probably done by artist Lloyd Ostendorf. An advertisement featuring this illustration is adhered to the back of the frame. It is titled "Why, Abe, you didn't have to do that!" It was run by the Dow Drug Company in the Enquirer on Sunday, March 5th, year unknown but could possibly be 1950. The same advertisement also ran in the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper in Rochester, New York, on August 28, 1952. Part of The Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, courtesy of the Indiana State Museum