Two original Lincoln portraits to be displayed at Old State Capitol

SPRINGFIELD - Two original nineteenth century portraits of Abraham Lincoln will be displayed at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in downtown Springfield following an unveiling reception on Thursday, February 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. The paintings are on loan until January 2009 from Morris Library at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, which is undergoing an extensive renovation.

The larger of the two portraits was painted by Alban Jasper Conant (1821-1915), who is known for painting a smiling Lincoln. This 1865 portrait features a three-quarter view of the sixteenth president and is believed to have been based on a contemporary photograph. The smaller portrait was painted by Edward Dalton Marchant (1806-1887). A nationally-known portrait artist, Marchant painted many famous Americans, including Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, and Illinois Governor Edward Coles. This portrait bears similarities to the landmark Union League of Philadelphia portrait, painted by Marchant in 1863, and may have served as a study for that famous painting. The stretcher bar of this painting bears the inscription, "Painted from life Marchant Phila."

For the past year these portraits have been on loan to the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site in Bloomington, Illinois. SIUC Library Affairs Dean David Carlson commented, "Morris Library's renovation gives the people of Illinois a unique opportunity to view two rare portraits—both by artists who knew and painted Lincoln from life—in an appropriate and historic setting."

Following opening remarks on February 7, a short talk will be presented by Wayne Temple, Chief Deputy Director of the Illinois State Archives. Refreshments will follow. The portrait display is a partnership of the Illinois State Historical Society, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, the Old State Capitol Foundation, and Morris Library at SIUC. The Old State Capitol was the seat of Illinois government from 1839 to 1876, and Abraham Lincoln was a familiar sight there as a legislator and attorney.