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Catalog Data

Artist:
Thomas Le Clear, 11 Mar 1818 - 26 Nov 1882  Search this
Sitter:
Ulysses Simpson Grant, 27 Apr 1822 - 23 Jul 1885  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
Frame (Verified): 179.1 x 123.5 x 10.2cm (70 1/2 x 48 5/8 x 4")
Stretcher: 136.5 × 80.6cm (53 3/4 × 31 3/4")
Type:
Painting
Date:
c. 1880
Exhibition Label:
Eighteenth president, 1869–1877
Ulysses S. Grant was a West Point graduate who had no real ambition to be in the military: he wanted to be a teacher. Nonetheless, he served with distinction in the Mexican-American War. After resigning from the army in peacetime, he reenlisted during the Civil War. Following a series of victories, Grant was brought east by Lincoln to command the Union armies. His unrelenting campaign against Robert E. Lee, in 1864–65, finally won the war for the North. Grant was ultimately elected president, but the powers of command he displayed in the army seemed to abandon him when he reached the White House. He was unable to manage the politics of Reconstruction, and his hands-off attitude spawned an outbreak of federal corruption. Shortly after his presidency, Grant posed for the artist Thomas Le Clear. Grant owned this portrait, while a second, larger version entered the White House collection.
18o presidente, 1869–1877
Ulysses S. Grant se graduó de West Point sin verdaderas ambiciones militares: quería ser maestro. Sin embargo, sirvió con distinción en la Guerra de Estados Unidos y México. Después de renunciar del ejército en tiempo de paz, volvió a alistarse durante la Guerra Civil. Después de una serie de victorias, Grant fue transferido al este por órdenes de Lincoln para que comandara los ejércitos de la Unión. Su campaña sin tregua contra Robert E. Lee, en 1864–65, finalmente consiguió que el norte ganara la guerra. Grant fue finalmente electo presidente, pero las dotes de mando que demostró en el ejército parecen haberlo abandonado cuando llegó a la Casa Blanca. No pudo manejar la política de la Reconstrucción y su postura de no intervenir dio pie a un brote de corrupción a nivel federal. Poco después de su término presidencial, Grant posó para el artista Thomas Le Clear. Este retrato fue propiedad de Grant, mientras que una segunda versión, de mayor tamaño, pasó a la colección de la Casa Blanca.
Thomas Le Clear (1818–1882)
Provenance:
Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, Jr., San Diego; gift 1921 to National Museum [NCFA]; transferred 1970 NPG.
Topic:
Exterior  Search this
Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Mustache  Search this
Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Beard  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Male  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of War  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\General  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Congressional Gold Medal  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the Smithsonian American Art Museum; gift of Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, Jr., 1921
Object number:
NPG.70.16
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition:
America's Presidents (Reinstallation September 2017)
On View:
NPG, South Gallery 240
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm42f79a96e-d4a6-45e1-9389-e1688cc4288f
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_NPG.70.16