Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln Leonard Wells Volk, 1828-1895 Modeled 1860, cast 1880 Bronze From the curation card:On May 18,1860, Leonard Volk made a life mask by covering the future president's face in plaster, letting it set, and carefully removing it. Volk then used the mask to create numerous bronze sculptures. Because they were based directly from Lincoln's face, the sculptures have a freshness and level of detail that capture the intensity of the 51-year-old presidential candidate. At the time Volk made the life mask, Lincoln did not yet wear the beard that would later become an iconic part of his popular image. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California