Littlefield, John H., artist; John Golden, photographer

[Art] DEATH-BED OF LINCOLN, April 15, 1865

Washington, D.C. John H. Littlefield; Wm. Terry, printer, 1866. 1st Edition. Single Sheet- framed. Very Good / Frame - 19th C. Item #012026

1st edition. Original photograph of John H. Littlefield's painting, mounted to the publisher's (and artist's) printed heavy stock board; in period, 19th century wood frame and glaze. The photograph is 13 3/4" x 81/2", mounted to 16 7/8" x 13 1/2" printed board. The 19th century frame measures 23 1/4" x 18". The frame is brown wood, with gold inner border; rough wood backing in 3 parts; in glaze. New matting (with old tanned matting retained in frame). The printed board is damp-stained at the border, extending to the image on the right side; edges have a narrow burn line at the very edge from the old matting. A Very Good photograph in Very Good frame. *** The image depicts a poignant, mournful scene in which President Abraham lay on his deathbed in the house of Mr. Peterson, across the street from Ford's Theatre, after his fatal gunshot wound to the head by John Wilkes Booth. He is surrounded by doctors, friends, colleagues, and family, bereft with grief in the lucid moments of this famous tragedy. A doctor is seen feeling for Lincoln's pulse while looking at a pocket watch, perhaps recording the time of death. The viewer sees only Mary Todd's back as she kneels by Lincoln's bedside. Littlefield based his portraits of the twenty-four men pictured here on individual photographs. The twenty-four visitors are: Dr. Stone, shown seated on the bed holding Lincoln's wrist in his left hand and looking at a pocket watch held in his right hand. Dr. Leale, shown standing behind the bed by the pillow. Dr. Taft, shown standing at the head of the bed examining Lincoln's head wound with Surgeon General Barnes seated beside him. Mrs. Lincoln is shown seated and leaning over to put her head on the bed. Navy Secretary Welles is seated in the rocking chair at the end of the bed. The other visitors are: Gov. Farwell, Sec. McCulloch, Gen. Farnsworth, Vice President Johnson, Judge Otto, Speaker Colfax, Postmaster Gen. Dennison, Major John Hay, Robert Lincoln (Lincoln's oldest son), Senator Sumner, Attorney General Speed, Dr. Crane, Secretary Usher, Rev. Dr. Gurley, Gen. Halleck, Gen. Auger, Sec. Stanton, and Gen. Meigs. The names, the title, and the publisher's information are all found in the margin below the photograph.***.

Price: $500.00