Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Catalog Data

Artist:
John D. Gilman, active 19th century  Search this
Sitter:
Ulysses Simpson Grant, 27 Apr 1822 - 23 Jul 1885  Search this
Medium:
Albumen silver print
Dimensions:
Image/Sheet: 10.2 × 15.1 cm (4 × 5 15/16")
Mount: 11 × 16.8 cm (4 5/16 × 6 5/8")
Mat: 45.7 × 35.6 cm (18 × 14")
Type:
Photograph
Place:
United States\New York\Saratoga\Wilton
Date:
1885
Exhibition Label:
Grant’s presidency is generally judged as unsuccessful and blighted by corruption. However, the last period of his life has had a lasting imprint on his reputation and on the history of the war. Grant lost almost all of his wealth in a financial panic in 1884, and to make money he started writing about the war. Writer Samuel Clemens negotiated an advantageous contract for him. Diagnosed with throat cancer, Grant raced the clock to finish the book, dying just after completing it. He is shown here near the end. A huge best-seller, Grant’s Memoirs benefited his family, and the book is one of the great works of American literature: the clarity of the crisp, clean prose anticipates modern American writing. It is also an invaluable history of the war that Grant waged so relentlessly.
Generalmente, la presidencia de Grant se considera ineficaz y dañada por la corrupción. Sin embargo, el último período de su vida ha tenido una profunda huella en su reputación y en la historia de la guerra. Grant perdió casi toda su riqueza en un pánico financiero en 1884; para hacer dinero, empezó a escribir sobre la guerra. El escritor Samuel Clemens negoció un contrato ventajoso para él. Al diagnosticarle cáncer de garganta, Grant se puso un límite de tiempo para terminar el libro y murió poco después de completarlo. Aquí se lo retrata cerca del final. Un enorme éxito de ventas, Las Memorias de Grant, benefició a su familia. El libro es una de las grandes obras de la literatura estadounidense. La claridad de la prosa limpia y escueta se anticipa a la escritura moderna estadounidense. También constituye una historia de valor incalculable de la guerra que Grant desató de forma tan implacable.
Topic:
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair  Search this
Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses  Search this
Nature & Environment\Plant  Search this
Printed Material\Papers  Search this
Equipment\Walking stick\Cane  Search this
Costume\Headgear\Hat\Top hat  Search this
Exterior\Architecture\Porch  Search this
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair\Rocking chair  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
Object number:
S/NPG.77.33
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location:
Currently not on view
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm461e8f40b-1969-430a-a3c6-daf20446eccd
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_S_NPG.77.33