President Lincoln's Inauguration Medal 1862

Editor: So, this is President Lincoln's Inauguration Medal from 1862 by Salathiel Ellis, made of bronze. It’s…stately, almost stoic. What strikes me most is the deliberate crafting of it – the palpable weight of the metal. How would you interpret this work, especially given the turbulent period it was created in? Curator: I see it primarily through the lens of its production. Consider the materiality: bronze, a relatively inexpensive metal allowing for wider distribution. Was it commissioned by the government? Who would have bought or received it? Think about the labour involved in die-cutting this image. Was the mold created by hand or by machine? The question is: how does mass production inform the political message here? Editor: I hadn’t considered the mass production aspect. So you’re suggesting that the medal’s impact lies less in its artistic expression and more in its accessibility and the labour processes behind it? Curator: Precisely! It isn't merely about commemorating Lincoln. It’s about circulating his image, crafting a particular narrative. Also, did Ellis profit from the process? How would Lincoln have felt about that? These details around consumption are more interesting than the portrait's simple realism. What was the purpose of making more copies available? Editor: I see. The value isn’t just in the image, but in the metal itself, and what that says about the economy of portraiture at the time. It speaks volumes about how power and images were disseminated then. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. Consider how the act of making and owning alters our relationship to history. It shifts the focus from mere representation to material engagement. Fascinating, isn't it?