Exhibition details
The exhibit “Uncle Abe”: The Common Image of the Uncommon Man explores the popular visual culture associated with Lincoln throughout, and beyond, his life.
September 2 - November 22, 2026
Location
Project Space
Reception
Lecture
Walter Greenoak Patterson (Scottish, active mid 19th century), after a carte de visite by Mathew Brady (American, 1823-1896), Abraham Lincoln Cooper Union Engraving, 1859, carte de visite, on Loan from Ron Perisho
Works on display
The image of Abraham Lincoln evolved to be an iconic emblem of the nation’s commitment to the ideals of equality, progress, and liberty. The exhibit “Uncle Abe”: The Common Image of the Uncommon Man explores the popular visual culture associated with Lincoln throughout, and beyond, his life. This show considers how these representations have helped to shape the memory and mythology of Lincoln in the American consciousness. Lincoln forms a key component of the nation’s collective memory, and a close examination of his enduring image offers a reflection on how we think of our own identities as Americans.