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W.M. Belknap, Secretary of War

Mathew B. Brady

Artwork Details

W.M. Belknap, Secretary of War
circa 1869-1876
Mathew B. Brady
albumen print on paper
Gift of Dr. Seymour and Barbara K. Adelson
2008/2.196.19

On Display

Not currently on display

Description

Subject Matter:

In this photograph, the head and shoulders of United States Secretary of War William M. Belknap hover amid a blank white field. The secretary's torso faces out directly toward the viewer, though his face is turned toward the right allowing for a greater view of his voluminous pointed beard and wavy hair. The sitter wears a fairly simple, dark suit with a white shirt, and very little information in the image conveys his status as a prominent American politician. Here he poses for the photographer Mathew Brady, whose studios in New York City and Washington, D.C. were well-known for their portraits of high-profile public figures.  

Physical Description:

Bust-length portrait of bearded man in a suit floating amid a blank background. 

Usage Rights:

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