Hi,

For the past year, I've been doing some research on an oil painting
and I need your help! The painting is entitled "Lincoln at Gettysburg"
and was painted by the New England artist Albion Harris Bicknell.
The scene shows Lincoln giving the Gettysburg address and surrounded
by 21 life-sized portraits of the most famous American statemen
and writers of Lincoln's day, many of whom were not actually
present at Gettysburg. Bicknell completed
the painting in 1879, although he painted 1876 on it (the year
he began the work). The dimensions of the painting are
10.3 feet x 17 feet (or 123.6 inches x 204 inches) (or 313.9 cm
x 518.2 cm).

This painting has hung in the Malden Public Library (in Malden, MA)
since 1884. However, the painting apparently was exhibited
in several cities. According to a 1947 article in the
Christian Science Monitor, "after a tour of the principal cities
of the country, the work was installed in the Malden Public Library."
I also found a small book entitled "The Exhibition of the
Historical Painting of Lincoln at Gettysburg by Albion H. Bicknell"
published in 1879 by the Doll & Richards Co. of Boston, which
describes the painting. The Doll and Richards Co. also mentions in
the book that it was selling steel engravings of the work.

Here is where I need YOUR help. Could you PLEASE check through
your collections records (1879-1884)to see if the "Lincoln at Gettysburg"
painting was ever on exhibit at your institution?

and...do you know of any copies? I have located one copy
at Lafayette College but I found a 1940 Parke-Barnet Galleries
auction booklet which lists a 24 3/4 inch x 40 1/2 inch version on sale.
I have not been able to locate where this painting ended up.

I have also been in touch with various Lincoln Societies but no one
there has been able to help. ANY information you can provide would
be VERY GRATEFULLY APPRECIATED.

Thanks very much,


Noreen Grice
Charles Hayden Planetarium
Museum of Science

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