Harriet Lane Johnston

John Henry Brown, Harriet Lane Johnston, 1878, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of May S. Kennedy, 1928.1.1
Copied John Henry Brown, Harriet Lane Johnston, 1878, watercolor on ivory, 4 3⁄4 x 3 1⁄2 in. (12.1 x 8.9 cm) oval, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of May S. Kennedy, 1928.1.1
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Harriet Lane Johnston
Artist
Date
1878
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
4 3⁄4 x 3 1⁄2 in. (12.1 x 8.9 cm) oval
Credit Line
Bequest of May S. Kennedy
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait female — Johnston, Harriet Lane — bust
  • Occupation — art — collector
Object Number
1928.1.1
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1928.1.1

Artwork Description

Harriet Lane Johnston (1830-1903) was President James Buchanan’s niece and ward, and served as hostess of the White House during Buchanan’s administration. Orphaned at age eleven, she was raised by her uncle, but came into her own as a strong presence in the White House. In 1903 she earned the affectionate nickname “First Lady of the National Collection of Fine Arts” when she gave her art collection to the “national art gallery,” which Congress decided should be part of the Smithsonian Institution.