Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), Sixteenth President of the U.S. (1861-1865) c. 1864

Curator: Here we have Mathew Brady’s multiple portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Editor: The repetition is striking—it feels almost like a sheet of stamps, mass-produced and impersonal. Curator: Yet, each image captures a slightly different expression. These weren’t intended for mass distribution initially. They were made using a multi-lens camera, a clever darkroom hack which allowed Brady to produce multiple prints at once. Editor: So, efficiency dictated the aesthetic. I'm curious about the paper and the printing process—the material conditions shaping the image we have. It’s a direct predecessor to celebrity culture. Curator: Lincoln, even in this format, takes on the aura of a secular icon. The collective memory of the war years is distilled within these individual portraits. Editor: It's a powerful reminder of how even seemingly simple materials can be shaped by labor and technology to convey very complex ideas. Curator: Indeed, and it serves as a potent symbol of Lincoln’s enduring legacy. Editor: A mass-produced image, becoming an icon.