1. Creator/Author:
  2. E. H. Miller (1)

The Last Moments of Lincoln

Creator:
E. H. Miller, Alexander Gardner
Location:
Washington D.C.
Origin Date:
1866
Materials:
paper, print
Measurements:
overall: 24 1/2 in x 28 1/2 in
Item ID:
71.2009.081.0555
Holding Institution:
Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, courtesy of the Indiana State Museum
Available for Viewing:
No
Category:
Fine Art

Description

This photographic print features President Abraham Lincoln laying on his deathbed in the Petersen House which was actually a very small room. After his death a number of artists composed scenes filled with various people who supposedly visited the dying president during the early hours of April 15, 1865, but in reality would never have fit at one time in the small room. In this deathbed print, President Lincoln is lying in the bed with his head to the viewer's left. Twenty people are shown at the head or foot of the bed or standing behind it. Mrs. Lincoln is shown seated and bent with her head resting on the bed. Robert Todd Lincoln, the Lincolns' oldest son, is shown standing behind his mother with his head resting on Senator Charles Sumner's shoulder as he weeps. Dr. Crane, one of three doctors in the room, is shown standing at the head of the bed with his hands on President Lincoln's head. Unique to this print by E. H. Miller is the presence of Alexander Williamson who had been Tad and Willie's tutor before Willie's death in early 1862. He is shown standing at the foot of the bed. The publisher's information, the title of the print, and the names of the people shown are printed in the lower margin. The print is incorrectly dated April 16th. For more information on other Lincoln deathbed prints with various numbers of visitors present, see Lincoln Lore, number 1517, July, 1964. Copy and paste the following URL into a browser to read the issue online: https://archive.org/details/assassix00linc Part of the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, courtesy of the Indiana State Museum