James Buchanan
ca. 1865
Medium
Painting-Miniature
Classification
Painting-Miniature
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Harriet Lane Johnston
Accession Number
1906.9.2
Tags
About this artwork
John Henry Brown chose to paint this miniature from a daguerreotype he made of United States president James Buchanan (1791-1868), and took great satisfaction in the likeness. James Buchanan Henry, the president’s nephew and ward, later wrote a biography of his uncle, commenting that “The best likeness of him is a miniature portrait on ivory, by Brown of Philadelphia . . . Buchanan was tall---over six feet, broad shouldered, and had a portly and dignified bearing . . . his features [were] strong...