Abraham Lincoln

Gallery number - 20

President of the United States

The first President of the United States to explicitly express a desire to free the slaves was Abraham Lincoln. Historians note that while he exhibited a degree of tolerance towards slavery initially, this stance was primarily driven by his aim to prevent a national rift—an effort that ultimately proved unsuccessful. Nevertheless, Lincoln went on to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom for slaves in all states in rebellion. This proclamation did not apply to slave-holding border states like Maryland and Kentucky that remained in the Union. However, Lincoln's actions set in motion the eventual abolition of slavery. Furthermore, he skillfully navigated the nation through the most tumultuous period in its history.

I wanted to emphasize the tallness of Lincoln, and what better way than to integrate the large top hat he was known for wearing. I kept the colors mostly monotone and cool to evoke the dark period of the civil war.