Francis Bicknell Carpenter

In 1844, after his father approved of a portrait he painted of his mother, Carpenter studied under Sanford Thayer in Syracuse for six months, marking the start of his career.¹

At 18, he won an American Art-Union prize, and by 21, he established a studio in NYC. He was elected an associate member of the National Academy of Design in 1852.¹

Starting with President Millard Fillmore in 1852, he painted portraits of several presidents and mid-19th century notables, establishing his reputation as a portraitist.¹

Deeply moved by the Emancipation Proclamation, Carpenter desired to express its moral grandeur and gained Lincoln's permission to work at the White House with financial backing from a friend.¹

In 1864, he resided at the White House for six months. He was granted free access to Lincoln's office and used the State Dining Room as his personal studio.¹

For his work, he used life sketches of Lincoln and his Cabinet along with photographs by Mathew Brady, seeking both realism and historical accuracy through various sources.¹

In 1866, he published 'Six Months at the White House with Abraham Lincoln,' a memoir detailing his personal relationship with the President and the behind-the-scenes of his painting.¹

By the late 1870s, he became increasingly interested in religion and spirituality; some art historians believe this obsession undermined the quality of his later work.¹

His masterpiece, 'First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation,' was purchased for $25,000 in 1877 by Elizabeth Thompson and donated to Congress for display in the Capitol.¹

In 1929, a portrait of Mary Lincoln attributed to Carpenter was discovered, but its provenance involved a mysterious story by a former vaudeville performer, leading to questions of authenticity.¹