Life Mask of Abraham Lincoln (Exhibition)

Exist Dates

1953 February 11 - 1968 February 25

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract

Exhibition. Held during the month of February each year from 1953 to 1968. Located in Section 2, Floor 1 in the Grand Gallery for the years 1953, 1963, 1964, 1965 Section 12, and Floor 2 in the Rotunda of the New York State Roosevelt Memorial in 1956 and 1968. The Life Mask of Abraham Lincoln at the American Museum of Natural History featured a bronze cast of a mold created by sculptor Clark Mills on or about February 12, 1865.

Summary

The Life Mask of Abraham Lincoln at the American Museum of Natural History featured a bronze cast of a mold created by sculptor Clark Mills on or about February 12, 1865. The bronze belonged to Clarence Hay, Honorary Museum Trustee and Research Associate in the Department of Anthropology, who was the son of John Hay, one of Lincoln's private secretaries. Curator Harry L. Shapiro used the mold for a physical heritage study, which he published in an article titled "Was Lincoln a Mountaineer?" in the February 1953 issue of Natural History Magazine. Also on view was a bronze of Lincoln's right hand by Leonard Wells Volk. The life mask was on view every year from 1953 to 1968 (1; 2).

This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resources.

Sources

(1) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Rare Head of Lincoln to Go on View at Natural History Museum." February 6, 1953. Departmental Records. DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

(2) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Lincoln Life Mask on Display at Museum." February 5, 1968. Departmental Records. DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

---

Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Anthropology.
Anthropology curator Harry L. Shapiro made study of Lincoln's physical heritage using life mask (1)

American Museum of Natural History. Grand Gallery.
Location of exhibition 1953, 1963, 1964, 1965

Hay, Clarence L. (Clarence Leonard) 1884-1969
Owner of life mask; research associate in Anthropology at the Museum (1; 2)

Mills, Clark, 1810-1883
Artist, life mask (1)

New York State Roosevelt Memorial.
Location of exhibition (second floor Rotunda) 1956, 1968

Shapiro, Harry L. (Harry Lionel) 1902-1990
Anthropology curator; made study of Lincoln's physical heritage using life mask (1)

Volk, Leonard Wells 1828-1895
Artist, bronze hand (1)

Related Resources

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1962-1963.
Page 60

American Museum of Natural History annual reports, 1902-2001.
"Report from the Manager of Exhibition and Construction 1 July 1955 – 30 June 1956." 1956.

American Museum of Natural History press releases, 1933-1990s.
"Rare Head of Lincoln to Go on View at Natural History Museum." February 6, 1953; "Rare Mask of Lincoln to Go on View at American Museum of Natural History." February 11, 1956; "Lincoln Exhibit at Museum." February 6, 1964; "Immediate Use." February 12, 1963; "100-Year-Old Lincoln Mask is Shown at Museum." February 10, 1965; "Lincoln Life Mask on Display at Museum." February 5, 1968.

Natural history.
Shapiro, Harry L. "Was Lincoln a Mountaineer?" (February 1953)

---