Walt Whitman by Mathew Brady?, ca. early 1870s
The chair appears to be one used in Brady's Washington studio; the "Lincoln chair" was given to Brady by the President in 1860. It had been Lincoln's chair in the House of Representatives before new chairs were installed in 1857, and it became the most familiar prop in Washington Brady photographs. It would be fitting, of course, for Whitman to have his portrait taken in this symbolic chair.
For more information on Mathew Brady, see "Notes on Whitman's Photographers."
Photographer: Brady, Mathew B., 1823–1896
Date: ca. early 1870s
Technique: photograph
Place: New York (N.Y.)
Subject: Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892 | New York (N.Y.)
Instance(s):
Metadata for Digital Item
Creator of master digital image: Library of Congress
Rights: Public Domain. This image may be reproduced without permission.
Work Type: digital image
Date: ca. 1995–ca. 2000