Page 54 - Abraham Lincoln Hearse Narrative

America’s Story By Artist Raymond A. Simon “Painting the Stories of Life”
ABOUT THE PAINTING
Artist Raymond A. Simon is honored to create a commemorative portrait that captures the spirit
and legacy of Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president and the author of pivotal changes within our nation’s
history.
Following the immutable values declared by our forefathers in the United States Constitution, Lincoln
remained steadfast in the belief that “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and
the pursuit of Happiness.”
Lincoln held this vision as sacred. Aiming to end the treatment of slaves as inhuman property, he
implemented the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which declared that “neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist
within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
Passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the states on December 6, 1865, the 13th
Amendment formally abolished slavery in the United States. It would also raise awareness of wider civil
rights, including for women and other minorities. In 1868, the 14th Amendment defined national citizenship
and forbid the states from restricting the basic rights of citizens or other persons. In 1870, the 15th Amendment
prohibited the federal and state governments from denying citizens the right to vote based on their race, color
or former servitude. In 1920, the 19th Amendment prohibited any U.S. citizen from being denied the right to
vote based on their sex.
Because of what the 13th Amendment set in motion, people can believe in a world of equals who live
according to their unalienable rights and overcome that which might interfere with freedom and acceptance
for all civil liberties.
Simon’s portrait expresses the facets of Lincoln that poised him by Providence to alter the course of
America. At front and center is Lincoln sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial reading to multiracial
children; his son Tad is among them. The tallest child is biracial, representing how far we have come, more
importantly how far we have to go.
Prior to his Presidency Lincoln would read stories to children with an array of books, including The
Bible. Members of Lincoln’s Presidential Guard, commented on seeing Lincoln read the bible one evening at
the Cottage.
Upon being questioned, Lincoln replied, “take all of this book upon reason that you can, and the
balance on faith, and you will live and die a happier and better man.”
The book he reads is a conceptual one titled America’s Story to which he contributed vital pages. It
represents the essence of the 13th Amendment and the courageous efforts of those who would embody its
principles, such as Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Dr. Martin
Luther King.
Just above the president on the steps, the Lincoln Memorial’s marble statue fills the painting’s
background and sky. The columns of the chair form pillars of strength to either side of the children. The statue
itself depicts a worn but strong man who had endured many hardships. Its ghosted hands are placed to
symbolize Lincoln’s two leading qualities. One of the hands is clenched, signifying Lincoln’s resolve to see the
Civil War through to a successful conclusion. The other hand is more open and slightly relaxed, representing
his warm and compassionate nature.
To the right of the president and the children, the spirit of Lincoln walks peacefully down the railroad
tracks toward a new dawn for America’s future. Slaves await the arrival of his vision for freedom and equality.
They are ready to thank him, embrace him, hold his hand as he did theirs, and take him home after his work
has been done. To the right of Lincoln and the tracks, a cannon draws silent as the United States heals from the
battle for unification. To the left of Lincoln and the children, an expectant mother stands with other women
in the cotton fields, looking on with hope and comfort knowing her child will be born in the early stages of a
free country.
Bottom center in the foreground, a carriage whispers by as stately horses lead the fallen president to his
permanent place in history and the national conscience.
Millions of Americans came to say their last goodbyes to a beloved president. The words of Lincoln
himself convey the collective soul of the portrait; they are as relevant today as when he first spoke them:
“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must
not break our bonds of affection….With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right,
as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds.”
The Original Painting is part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum Collection on display in
Springfield, IL.

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