Life Mask (Abraham Lincoln)

Priscilla Roberts, Life Mask (Abraham Lincoln), 1961-1962, oil on board, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase made possible by David S. Purvis, 2009.12
Copied Priscilla Roberts, Life Mask (Abraham Lincoln), 1961-1962, oil on board, 19 × 16 in. (48.3 × 40.6 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase made possible by David S. Purvis, 2009.12

Artwork Details

Title
Life Mask (Abraham Lincoln)
Artist
Date
1961-1962
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
19 × 16 in. (48.3 × 40.6 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase made possible by David S. Purvis
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on board
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait male — Lincoln, Abraham — head
Object Number
2009.12
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2009.12

Artwork Description

Life Mask (Abraham Lincoln) shows two well-known sculptures—Leonard Volk's 1860 life mask of Abraham Lincoln and Nike of Samothrace, the classical sculpture of the winged goddess of victory. Life Mask (Abraham Lincoln) is open to many interpretations. The classical statue, silhouetted in the foreground, may symbolize Lincoln's victory during the Civil War, but the muted colors and deep shadows suggest a more somber meaning. Roberts leaves the viewer wondering if this painting celebrates Lincoln's legacy, represents his mortality, or suggests that victory was overshadowed by his death.