Abraham Lincoln Stone Litho Portrait 1865-1867
This is a very rare stone lithograph portrait of Abraham Lincoln from between 1865-1867 (23.5” x 30”) most likely printed by Gibson & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Gibson & Co. was one of the most prominent lithographic firms in the Midwest during the mid-to-late 19th century. They specialized in these large, "vignette" style portraits that feature the subject emerging from a dark, soft-edged background.
Since Lincoln is shown with a full beard, it was modeled after a photograph taken between 1861 and 1865 (likely a 1864 portrait by Mathew Brady). The market for large, colored "memorial" lithographs like this exploded immediately after Lincoln's assassination in April 1865. Families across the country wanted a formal, lifelike image of the "Martyr President" for their parlors.