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Go to page of Presidential portraits
This full length portrait was issued during the 1844 presidential campaign, which was Henry Clay's (1777-1852) third and last time to be nominated by the Whigs. Fractious debates over the annexation of Texas and Oregon, as well as the policies on slavery had torn the Whig party to pieces, and the election was lost to James K. Polk (1795-1849). Little is known about James Wise (fl. 1843-1860) who worked as a portrait and miniature painter in New Orleans in 1843 and Charleston, S.C. in 1844-5. He also worked in Virginia and St. Joseph, Missouri, according to Croce and Wallace. John Sartain (1808-1897) also engraved a portrait of John C. Calhoun after this artist. Here is classic portraiture conveyed through the elegance that was so well expressed through mezzotint engraving. In a handsome suit, backed by solid pillars and surrounded by books, writing materials, and a terrestrial globe, "The Great Pacificator" stands in the pose of an ancient orator. $650
A. Newsam after John Neagle. "Henry Clay (From Neagle's original painting)." Philadelphia: C.W. Bender, 1844. Copyright by John Neagle. Vignette, ca. 11 x 9 1/2. Lithographed by P.S. Duval. Excellent condition.
Another excellent portrait of Henry Clay issued during Clay's run for the Presidency in 1844. The lithograph was drawn by A. Newsam, who based the image on a life portrait of Clay painted by John Neagle at Ashland at the request of the Philadelphia Whigs. As attested below the title, Newsam worked under Neagle direct supervision and indeed is was Neagle who held the copyright. Newsam was one of the leading lithographers of the period and Duval produced some of the finest American lithographs of the nineteenth century. This lithograph is testimony to the skill of the painter, lithographer and printer. $525
Popular Prints of the Presidents
During the nineteenth century, lithographic publishers such as Currier & Ives, from New York and the Kellogg firm, from Hartford, and many others elsewhere, issued thousands of images in separately issued prints. These prints were intended as frameable art for the American people. Among the more popular subjects for these prints were portraits of the Presidents, appropriate subjects to grace one's home or office. This type of popular portrait began, however, earlier in 1828 when the Pendleton lithographic company of Boston issued a series of portraits, of the first five Presidents, for taken from paintings by Gilbert Stuart done for John Doggett. This set, called the "American Kings," was the first uniform group of popular prints of all the Presidents. The prints were very popular and created a strong market for small folio lithographs of the Presidents. This market was answered over the next decades by a number of other lithographic publishers. These portraits, of current and past Presidents, would have graced many American homes
Seven prints drawn by Alfred Newsam. "Portraits of the Presidents." Philadelphia: C.W. Williams, 1846. Lithographs by P.S. Duval. Original hand color. Very good condition.
A rare set of the first seven Presidents issued in Philadelphia in 1846. The publisher of this series was C.W. Williams, whose output was limited. However, to produce these lithographs, Williams used two of the most important figures in early American lithography, Alfred Newsam and P.S. Duval. Alfred Newsam, a deaf mute, began work as a lithographic artist almost two decades before working for Cephas G. Childs, a Philadelphia engraver and print publisher. Newsam was particularly noted for his portraits, including all the earliest images for the McKenney & Hall series of Indian portraits. In 1831, Childs formed a partnership with Henry Inman, at which time he went to Europe to learn more about lithography, which was still in its early stages. Childs came back with P.S. Duval, to help run the Childs & Inman presses. This was perhaps Childs' most significant contribution to American lithography, for Duval was to become one of the foremost lithographers in the country and the world.
The quality of the work of both Newsam and Duval is evident in these fine lithographs. The portraits are derivative on other sources, as was typical of this type of popular print, but they are finely drawn, lithographed, and colored. Each image is surrounded by an elaborate border, indicating that Williams wanted his series to stand out from the plainer prints issued by his competitors. His strategy does not appear to have been very successful, as the scarcity of these images indicates not that many were sold. We are lucky to have this set of seven, which are fine examples of American popular printmaking, as well as handsome images of our first Presidents. $2,800
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