Lincoln With a Smile (Chattanooga artist paints a smiling Lincoln)

Chattanooga Times-Free Press ^ | 5-23-2010 | Ann Nichols

[Colonel Kangaroo]

About three years ago, local attorney Jeff Boehm began reading a number of books about Abraham Lincoln. He became fascinated by this president who invited so many of his detractors to be in his cabinet of advisors. But it was Carl Sandburg's six-volume account of Lincoln that really engaged him.

"The strategies of the Civil War don't interest me as much as the personalities and motivations of the major figures in our history," said Mr. Boehm.

Having already acquired a bust of Thomas Jefferson and a portrait of George Washington, Mr. Boehm wanted to add a likeness of Lincoln to his collection. However, all he could find were photographs. And, all but one of these depicted the late president as a sad and serious man.

"Finally, I did run across a picture of Lincoln with his son Tad that was taken just after Lee surrendered at Appomatox," he said. "There was just a hint of a smile on his face and I decided to commission Cessna Decosimo to reproduce it in a drawing."

Mr. Boehm gave him a number of books containing photographs of Lincoln and Mr. Decosimo studied them carefully.

"Actually, Cessna told me that he felt that he knew the image of Lincoln so well that the could make a sculpture of his head," said Mr. Boehm.

The final drawing is based on several photographs and the slight hint of a smile can be seen.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

The world of politics was a much more stern and austere environment in the 18th Century and I'm not sure that was better than the way it is today. Still, it would have been interesting to see a photo of Lincoln relaxed and smiling.

[madison10]

Nice idea. (This thread is useless without a photo...not your fault) Tried to see it at the site, but only an article.

[Snickering Hound]

Derived from this picture.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

I was looking for a photo too. I should have added that there was no photo in the title.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

Our more advanced era

[Colonel Kangaroo]

Looking at that picture, I always got the feeling that there was an inside joke going on between Lincoln and his son.

[SunkenCiv]

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