Abraham Lincoln Standing Figure by George Edwin Bissell

George Edwin Bissell
1839-1920 | American

Abraham Lincoln Standing Figure

Bronze
Inscribed "Geo E Bissell, Copyright / 1898" on the base
Stamped GORHAM MFG. CO. FOUNDERS bronze

Full of both historic and artistic importance, this rare standing bronze by the sculptor George Edwin Bissell depicts one of the most recognized and admired figures in American history, Abraham Lincoln. Here, Bissell perfectly captures the most distinctive features of the Great Emancipator's face, including his deep-set eyes, high cheekbones and prominent lower lip. Beyond his physical features, however, the piece also displays Lincoln’s irrepressible air of determination and strength of character. Lincoln stands resolute and stoic, holding a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation in his right hand.

This statue of Lincoln bears a notable origin. The monument to the honorable American president was commissioned in life-size form for the Scottish-American Soldiers Monument in Edinburgh, Scotland, making it the only American Civil War memorial outside of the United States. While Lincoln has been rendered many times in art, Bissell's depiction stands out for his ability to capture the essence of this great historical figure in a uniquely compelling way. In the sculpture, Lincoln is not on a horse brandishing a sword like some of history's other great leaders. Instead, he is depicted standing upright and holding his greatest achievement, the Emancipation Proclamation, in his right hand. This magnificent hollow-cast bronze of the statue includes an incredible degree of detail and features a rich, dark-brown patina that adds to its stirring impact. 

Similar bronzes of Abraham Lincoln by Bissell are on display in the collections of the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia and the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine, Florida, while a monument to the president by the sculptor can be found in Lincoln Park in Clermont, Iowa. The artist had briefly encountered the 16th president of the United States in 1860 during the Civil War when he served as a Navy paymaster with the South Atlantic Squadron. That fateful meeting is thought to have inspired Bissell to render the great President in bronze. 

After the war, Bissell joined his father's marble business and officially began his artistic career. Despite spending over a decade aboard in Paris, Bissell's most important commissions were for prominent monuments and portrait busts of celebrated American heroes, including Lincoln, General Horatio Gates, John Watts, and Chester A. Arthur, and others. His sculptures still stand in parks across the nation.

Conceived in 1898

16 1/4" high x 5 1/2" wide x 4 5/8" deep

Provenance:
Graham Gallery, New York
Wolf Family Collection No. 0885M, March 18, 1987
Private Collection, New York
M.S. Rau, New Orleans