Last known picture of Abraham Lincoln

[loetar44]

Thanks Laurie for the link! Indeed nice photos. And the article makes it all fully clear. Tad's photo: March 6, 1865 North Drive. Abraham Lincoln's photos March 6, 1865 South Portico. The gentleman who wrote Roger in '05 was right!

[loetar44]

Ostendorf recorded that photographer Henry F. Warren from Waltham, Mass. "made three pictures of Mr. Lincoln, one standing, and two sitting." and he stated that it was on the south balcony of the White House, late afternoon. The two seated poses (designated O-112 and O-113) were made on a chair which Lincoln himself carried out on the balcony. The standing pose has never come to light (is lost). I’ve still some questions.

(1) Where was that “south balcony”? Was there in 1865 a balcony at the south front of the White House?
(2) The photographs were made during an impromptu session. I suspect that Mr. Warren was not invited and had no access to Lincoln on March 6. He had made photos of Tad on March 4 or March 5. I think on March 6 he came to the White House to show the result to Tad, made the (impromptu) March 6 photo of Tad in front of the north facade and used the boy as an intermediary to gain access to the President. Comments?
(3) Was O-112 or O-113 the “last photo” of Lincoln? Of course this is a hypothetical question, but is it somewhere documented that O-113 was made after O-112? O-112 is the one distributed by Warren and maybe therefore seen as the “last” photo. Personally I find O-113 a more expressive one, maybe because Lincoln’s chin is slightly higher and his hairline a little different.

The March 4/5 photos of Tad
   

O-112 (left) and O-113
       

[RJNorton]

I have seen more than one date/description for the "Tad on horseback" photo, Kees. According to the Lincoln Family Album Tad gave the photo to Robert Lincoln several years later and wrote on the back: "Presented to Robert T. Lincoln by his affectionate brother-Thomas Lincoln. A carte-de-viste of himself and new South American pony, as taken, Nov 16th 1863. Washington, D.C.'

http://www.lincolncollection.org/collect...item=22908

Yet the same photo is on p. 77 of Twenty Days with the inscription, "Sitting on the captured beautiful little pacer, Little Jeff, Tad is shown here at City Point visiting Grant's army with his father just before the surrender."

To me the photo looks like the background is the troop encampment/south wall of the White House grounds.

Kees, if you go to the White House History link that Laurie posted there are a few photos of the south portico.

[L Verge]

Kees, the only explanation that I can make about the use of the word "balcony" is that the south facade has a raised entrance porch with ground level doors leading underneath. Perhaps whoever wrote the descriptions using "balcony" was not good at architecture?

The north facade is what you see the most of today and was definitely built as a porte de cochere (hope I spelled that right) for carriages pulling up in the old days - and limousines in modern times. The north is also the one photographed the most today. I believe that Marine One takes off from the south lawn, and it is also the south facade that faces the Ellipse (and the holiday displays).

[loetar44]

(10-05-2014 09:35 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  I have seen more than one date/description for the "Tad on horseback" photo, Kees. According to the Lincoln Family Album Tad gave the photo to Robert Lincoln several years later and wrote on the back: "Presented to Robert T. Lincoln by his affectionate brother-Thomas Lincoln. A carte-de-viste of himself and new South American pony, as taken, Nov 16th 1863. Washington, D.C.'

http://www.lincolncollection.org/collect...item=22908

Yet the same photo is on p. 77 of Twenty Days with the inscription, "Sitting on the captured beautiful little pacer, Little Jeff, Tad is shown here at City Point visiting Grant's army with his father just before the surrender."

To me the photo looks like the background is the troop encampment/south wall of the White House grounds.

Kees, if you go to the White House History link that Laurie posted there are a few photos of the south portico.

Roger, I know the South Portico was constructed in 1824 and the Truman balcony in 1948. I wonder if there was a balcony at the South Front in 1865 and IMO the answer to that is “no”.

However on page 213 of “Lincoln in Photographs”, Hamilton/Ostendorf write: “H. F. Warren of Waltham, Massachusetts, wanted desperately to take a picture of Lincoln. He was not acquainted with the President and had no connections in Washington. But he had a plan. Warren found out that Tad went riding on his pony every afternoon about three. He "ambushed and shot" young Lincoln astride his pony and on the following afternoon delivered the prints to Tad. The boy was delighted with them."Now," said Warren, "bring out your father and I will make a picture of him for you." Tad dashed off, and in a few minutes appeared on the south balcony of the White House with the President.

And on page 214: “Tad brought his father out on the balcony for the special sitting, the President carried his own chair.

Ostendorf clearly speaks of a balcony. Maybe he ment the first floor (yellow arrow in picture below), but that is not a balcony.

   

The article Laurie sent says: “On March 6, 1865, the busy president agreed to pose on the South Portico, and three images were taken.” I want to find out why Ostendorf is speaking of the “south balcony” instead of the “South Portico”.

I agree with Laurie and suspect that Ostendorf was not familiar with architectonial terms and details.

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(10-05-2014 11:19 AM)L Verge Wrote:  Kees, the only explanation that I can make about the use of the word "balcony" is that the south facade has a raised entrance porch with ground level doors leading underneath. Perhaps whoever wrote the descriptions using "balcony" was not good at architecture?

The north facade is what you see the most of today and was definitely built as a porte de cochere (hope I spelled that right) for carriages pulling up in the old days - and limousines in modern times. The north is also the one photographed the most today. I believe that Marine One takes off from the south lawn, and it is also the south facade that faces the Ellipse (and the holiday displays).

Thanks for your explanation Laurie. I visited Washington, D.C. three times, the last time in 2000. I was in the White House as a tourist and saw President Clinton take off in Marine One from the south lawn indeed. I once met Clinton personally in Amsterdam on Oktober 3, 2007 at a book signing (his book "Giving) and spoke a couple of minutes with him. Quite an experience!

http://www.amazon.com/Giving-How-Each-Ch...0307266745

[L Verge]

I had a similar experience with George W. Bush. I was appointed to the advisory board of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission by President Clinton, but President Bush was the one who held a reception for the Commission members and the board. The President was out of the White House during the reception, but we were treated to elegant food and performances by the Marine Band until the message came that Marine One would be landing on the south lawn.

We went out onto the Truman Balcony to watch the landing, and the President joined us shortly in the East Room and spoke just to the side of that wonderful Lincoln portrait. After talking with us, he shook a number of hands as he left the room - and I was one of the lucky ones.

[LincolnToddFan]

Do you know how fortunate you are to have been allowed onto the Truman Balcony?? That's quite an honor for a "civilian"...what an experience!!

I didn't vote for him, but on a personal level I always liked George W. Bush. He sounds affable and warm, and quite fun in private.

I have a friend who met Bill Clinton, and she said his charisma is strong that it's almost overpowering.

[L Verge]

I was in the crowd here in Clinton way back when Clinton and Gore first ran for office. Because of our town's name, the candidates visited here. We tried to get them to speak at Surratt House, but their "handlers" told us we had a bad reputation with Presidents! I told them only Republican ones, but that didn't sway them. They also said that they needed an area where they could better protect him (meaning that sharpshooters could not be posted on our slanted roof).

I will agree with your friend that he exudes charisma and knows how to ooze Southern "charm." By the way, the pair chose a strip mall here in town for the site of their press event and stood in front of a shop with a big sign on the roof -- Clinton Cycle.

I have also met with a former aide to Mrs. Clinton, who is writing a book that will include something about the Lincoln story. He swears that Mr. Clinton is very genuine in liking people and that I would enjoy talking with him. I'm more of a Bush fan, however.

[STS Lincolnite]

Was reading through Ronald C. Whites book, Lincoln's Greatest Speech and inside is a photo of a ribbon that was worn at Lincoln's 2nd inauguration. There is a photo on the ribbon and it is the is the Gardner photo. If this ribbon was indeed one of the ones worn at the 2nd inauguration it is another piece of evidence that the April 10, 1865 date for the Gardner photo was erroneous (although I think there was already enough evidence to prove the April date was erroneous). Also another piece of evidence that it was taken prior to March 4, 1865 (inauguration day). That strengthens the February 5, 1865 dating of the Gardner photo and that the Warren photo from March 6, 1865 was the last portrait. I recently have seen that the Gardner photo is now called "the last studio portrait" of Lincoln in certain texts and publications.