Mr. Lincoln Sits for His Portrait: The Story of a Photograph That Became an American Icon

On February 9, 1864, Abraham Lincoln walks from the Executive Mansion to Mathew Brady’s Washington, DC, photography studio, later joined by his ten-year-old son, Tad. This historical account focuses on the photographers and painter who shaped Lincoln’s public image and reveals his awareness of media. Color inserts, archival images, photographs, and timelines accompany the story of a portrait and the people involved in making an American icon.