Steuben Glass, “Presidential Plaque, Abraham Lincoln”

Engraving designer Bruce Moore represented each of the Presidents in a pose appropriate for his story. He showed Abraham Lincoln in a full figure, standing position. Lincoln is in a “contrapposto” pose. The term “contrapposto” means counterpoised and refers to his stance with his weight on one leg while his other leg is bent. It is a relaxed pose, but one is ready for action, not rigid. Moore was an academically trained artist who had European study. He was likely aware of ancient sculptures, especially of orators (speechmakers) that used “contrapposto.” Lincoln is known for his masterful speeches such as the Gettysburg Address and others, so this pose evokes the tradition of oratory. Yet, Moore showed Lincoln not with commanding hand gestures, but with more subdued physical expression. His left hand is lowered with an outward-facing palm. He is open, even vulnerable.

With his right hand, Lincoln grasps three objects. He holds his characteristic top hat, rather than wearing it. His uncovered head makes him less imposing. Lincoln has a rolled-up scroll, referring to the Emancipation Proclamation that freed slaves (with limitations). From his hand, a cape falls in elegant drapery folds.

Moore probably found additional inspiration for his Lincoln representation in an important nineteenth-century sculpture. Artist Vinnie Ream (1847-1914) made a statue of Abraham Lincoln for the United States Capitol Building not long after the President’s death. According to the Architect of the Capitol, “In 1866, at the age of 18, Vinnie Ream was selected by the U.S. Congress to sculpt a memorial statue of President Abraham Lincoln. This made her the first female artist commissioned to create a work of art for the United States government.” Ream’s sculpture has Lincoln holding a scroll of the Emancipation Proclamation in his right hand, and his cape drapes his body and then falls in folds below his left hand. Both Ream and Moore depicted Lincoln wearing a double-breasted frock coat, the type of coat he wore the night he was assassinated. Ream’s representation Lincoln as a contemplative figure gave a measured resonance that was a model for Moore.

The inscription on the Steuben plaque coordinates with the theme of oratory. The words come from Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, delivered March 4, 1865. As Lincoln began his second term, the Civil War was nearing its end. The Union would prevail. Lincoln faced the formidable task of healing the nation. He sought to do so, not with vengeance and retribution, but with reconciliation and justice. The inscription uses concluding words from the speech, “With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in . . . to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves . . . with all nations.” Lincoln’s message remains relevant today.

The Steuben Presidential Plaques are on view in the Stark Museum of Art’s exhibit, “Steuben Glass: Stories Engraved in Crystal,” installed in Hallway 3.

Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is available through the National Park Service’s Lincoln Memorial site.

https://www.nps.gov/linc/learn/historyculture/lincoln-second-inaugural.htm

FEATURED IMAGE: Bruce Moore (1905 – 1980), engraving designer, Donald Pollard (1924 – 1994), glass designer, Steuben Glass (1903 – present), manufacturer, “Presidential Plaque, Abraham Lincoln,” 1959, engraved crystal with ebony-finish wood base, 15 1/2 × 5 × 2 inches, Stark Museum of Art, Orange, Texas, Bequest of H.J. Lutcher Stark, 1965, 41.8.2.C.