James Buchanan
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the Library of Congress
Accession Number
NPG.66.76
Tags
Art Historical Context
This 1847 print by Swiss-born artist Charles Fenderich captures James Buchanan at a pivotal moment in his political ascent. Created while Buchanan served as Secretary of under President James K. Polk, the portrait presents the Pennsylvania lawyer and diplomat as a statesman of gravitas. Fenderich, known for his work in lithography and engraving, used the medium to produce accessible images that helped shape public perception of national figures during the antebellum era. The composition includes a classical column, a conventional symbol of strength and republican virtue often employed in port...