Authentic 1882 posthumous engraved portrait of President James A. Garfield, published by Henry Tait (Norwich, CT) and engraved by Samuel Hollyer of New York; a classic Victorian-era Americana print.
Detailed Description
This antique American engraved portrait depicts President James A. Garfield in dignified three-quarter profile, rendered in refined stipple and steel engraving typical of late-19th-century memorial portraiture. The soft tonal modeling of the face and beard contrasts with crisply engraved formal attire, producing a restrained yet authoritative likeness intended for public and private display.
The portrait is presented in a vignette format, floating within a warm, unprinted field—a stylistic hallmark of Victorian commemorative engravings. Below the image appears the printed name “J. A. Garfield,” confirming the work as a formal memorial issue rather than a signed artwork. Along the lower margin, the imprint reads: “Copyrighted and Published by The Henry Tait Publishing Company, Norwich, Conn., 1882,” followed by “Engraved by Saml. Hollyer, N.Y.”
Issued one year after Garfield’s assassination in 1881, this engraving belongs to the wave of nationally distributed memorial prints that shaped public memory of political leaders in the post–Civil War United States. Such works were commonly displayed in homes, offices, schools, and civic institutions, reflecting both reverence and historical consciousness.
Condition is consistent with age: visible toning, scattered foxing, and staining to the paper surface, all typical of 19th-century works on paper and fully disclosed for collectors.
Artist biography (James A. Garfield)
James Abram Garfield (1831–1881) was the 20th President of the United States. Rising from humble beginnings, he became a Civil War general, scholar, and influential congressman before his election to the presidency. His term was tragically brief; he was shot in July 1881 and died later that year. Garfield’s assassination deeply impacted the nation and helped catalyze civil service reform. Memorial portraits such as this engraving played a central role in shaping his historical legacy.
James A. Garfield (American, 1831–1881)
Portrait of J. A. Garfield, 1882
Stipple/steel engraving on paper
Published by The Henry Tait Publishing Company, Norwich, Connecticut
Engraved by Samuel Hollyer, New York
15 × 20 inches (sheet)
Condition: age toning, foxing, and staining consistent with period.
Certificate of value & authentication
Work: Portrait of J. A. Garfield
Date: 1882 (as printed)
Medium: stipple/steel engraving on paper
Dimensions: 15W × 20H inches
Imprint: Henry Tait Publishing Company, Norwich, Connecticut
Engraver: Samuel Hollyer (New York)
Assessment: authentic late-19th-century American memorial engraving issued posthumously following Garfield’s assassination.
Current owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
Provenance chain
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York (acquired in the United States and Europe)
→ Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC (current owner)
Authentic 1882 posthumous engraved portrait of President James A. Garfield, published by Henry Tait (Norwich, CT) and engraved by Samuel Hollyer of New York; a classic Victorian-era Americana print.
Detailed Description
This antique American engraved portrait depicts President James A. Garfield in dignified three-quarter profile, rendered in refined stipple and steel engraving typical of late-19th-century memorial portraiture. The soft tonal modeling of the face and beard contrasts with crisply engraved formal attire, producing a restrained yet authoritative likeness intended for public and private display.
The portrait is presented in a vignette format, floating within a warm, unprinted field—a stylistic hallmark of Victorian commemorative engravings. Below the image appears the printed name “J. A. Garfield,” confirming the work as a formal memorial issue rather than a signed artwork. Along the lower margin, the imprint reads: “Copyrighted and Published by The Henry Tait Publishing Company, Norwich, Conn., 1882,” followed by “Engraved by Saml. Hollyer, N.Y.”
Issued one year after Garfield’s assassination in 1881, this engraving belongs to the wave of nationally distributed memorial prints that shaped public memory of political leaders in the post–Civil War United States. Such works were commonly displayed in homes, offices, schools, and civic institutions, reflecting both reverence and historical consciousness.
Condition is consistent with age: visible toning, scattered foxing, and staining to the paper surface, all typical of 19th-century works on paper and fully disclosed for collectors.
Artist biography (James A. Garfield)
James Abram Garfield (1831–1881) was the 20th President of the United States. Rising from humble beginnings, he became a Civil War general, scholar, and influential congressman before his election to the presidency. His term was tragically brief; he was shot in July 1881 and died later that year. Garfield’s assassination deeply impacted the nation and helped catalyze civil service reform. Memorial portraits such as this engraving played a central role in shaping his historical legacy.
James A. Garfield (American, 1831–1881)
Portrait of J. A. Garfield, 1882
Stipple/steel engraving on paper
Published by The Henry Tait Publishing Company, Norwich, Connecticut
Engraved by Samuel Hollyer, New York
15 × 20 inches (sheet)
Condition: age toning, foxing, and staining consistent with period.
Certificate of value & authentication
Work: Portrait of J. A. Garfield
Date: 1882 (as printed)
Medium: stipple/steel engraving on paper
Dimensions: 15W × 20H inches
Imprint: Henry Tait Publishing Company, Norwich, Connecticut
Engraver: Samuel Hollyer (New York)
Assessment: authentic late-19th-century American memorial engraving issued posthumously following Garfield’s assassination.
Current owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
Provenance chain
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York (acquired in the United States and Europe)
→ Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC (current owner)
