Six Presidents of the United States c. 19th century

Editor: So, this print, "Six Presidents of the United States" by Antoine Maurin, is interesting. It feels almost like a presidential dreamscape, with them floating in the clouds above a rather stoic eagle. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: It's a veritable Mount Rushmore of the early Republic! I’m drawn to the way Maurin presents these figures. It is, in a sense, both reverential and slightly…detached, don't you think? Almost like they're being lifted into the heavens of American mythology. Editor: Yes, that's it! The expressions are quite serious. I wonder, how much of this is idealization versus a true likeness? Curator: Good question! Likenesses are tricky things, aren't they? And then, of course, we have the eagle—a symbol that's taken on so much baggage over time. It’s a potent piece of national iconography. Editor: It certainly gives a sense of legacy, a visual reminder of the foundations of the country. Curator: Precisely. And, for me, it begs the question: how do we measure the legacy of these figures today?