William Henry Seward

Object Details

Artist

Giovanni Maria Benzoni, 1809 - 1873

Sitter

William Henry Seward, 16 May 1801 - 15 Oct 1872

Exhibition Label

Born Florida, New York

When William H. Seward lost the Republican nomination in 1860 to Abraham Lincoln, many people felt that it was a “sacrifice of commanding ability in favor of respectable mediocrity.” But Seward’s belief that the struggle between the slave and free states was “an irrepressible conflict between opposing and enduring forces” had made him some unforgiving enemies. In the end, Seward supported Lincoln actively and became his secretary of state. So closely was he associated with Lincoln’s policies that he was attacked on the night the president was assassinated, in an unsuccessful attempt to cripple the government.

Provenance

Sara Carr Upton; bequeathed to the National Gallery of Art 1931; transferred to NPG 1965

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the Smithsonian American Art Museum; bequest of Sara Carr Upton in memory of Olive Risley Seward, 1931

1872

Object number

NPG.65.39

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Sculpture

Medium

Marble

Dimensions

With Socle: 72.1 x 48.3 x 27.3cm (28 3/8 x 19 x 10 3/4")

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Location

Currently not on view

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

William Henry Seward: Male

William Henry Seward: Politics and Government\Government official\US Senator\New York

William Henry Seward: Law and Crime\Lawyer

William Henry Seward: Politics and Government\Presidential candidate

William Henry Seward: Politics and Government\Statesman

William Henry Seward: Politics and Government\Government official\Governor\New York

William Henry Seward: Politics and Government\Government official\Cabinet member\Secretary of State

William Henry Seward: Politics and Government\Government official\State Senator\New York

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.65.39

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4c947d533-bb72-4974-9c4c-0a0cef674f4b