Life Cast of the Hands and Face of Abraham Lincoln c. 1860 - 1888

Here are Leonard Wells Volk's bronze casts of Abraham Lincoln's face and hands. The composition is striking, with the face centered and flanked by disembodied hands. Their placement suggests a fragmented, almost surreal portrait. The bronze surface has a tactile quality; you can see the fine lines and pores captured from life. The decision to present these body parts separately raises interesting questions about representation. Lincoln's face, with its deeply etched lines, speaks of the burden of leadership, while his hands, one gripping a symbolic rod, convey strength and resolve. Yet, severing these elements from the whole destabilizes traditional portraiture. The mask and hands, removed from the body, become signifiers of Lincoln, prompting us to consider how we construct meaning from fragments and symbols. Note how the artist's choice of bronze also contributes, lending a sense of permanence and historical weight. The dark, almost somber tone echoes the gravity of Lincoln’s era, inviting contemplation on the enduring legacy of his image and the power of symbolic representation.