• American Indian Delegation on the South Grounds
    Mathew Brady
    delegation
    South Lawn
    South Grounds
    American Indians
    This photograph shows a group of American Indian delegates, lawmakers, and interpreters gathered on the South Grounds of the White House. During the 19th and 20th centuries, many American Indian delegations traveled to the White House to express the concerns and challenges of their people. However, their requests were frequently dismissed, as they faced pressures to concede their lands and assimilate into American society. The photograph is credited to the studio of Mathew Brady and was likely taken during the James Buchanan or Abraham Lincoln administrations.
  • American Indian Delegation by the South Portico
    Mathew Brady
    American Indians
    delegation
    This photograph, taken by Mathew Brady during the James Buchanan administration, shows a group of American Indian and white men by the South Portico. The American Indians are believed to be representatives from the Ponca, Pawnee, Potawatomi, and Sac and Fox nations. During the 19th and 20th centuries, many American Indian delegations traveled to the White House to express the concerns and challenges of their people. However, their requests were frequently dismissed, as they faced pressures to concede their lands and assimilate into American society.
  • Soldiers on the South Wall
    Mathew Brady
    White House
    south view
    Civil War
    This photograph of soldiers on the South Lawn of the White House was taken by Mathew Brady in 1862, during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. Brady was one of the first professional photographers in the United States. He studied under inventor Samuel B. Morse, who brought the daguerreotype from France to America. Brady achieved his fame documenting the Civil War. This photograph was printed as a carte de visite, popular Victorian collectables between 1859 and the 1870s. Much like modern trading cards, cartes de visite were exchanged between family and friends and displayed in albums.
  • North View of the White House
    Mathew Brady
    White House
    north view
    This photograph by Mathew Brady is affixed to a decorative mount and shows the bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson that was a prominent fixture in front of the Executive Mansion during the mid-nineteenth century. Brady was one of the first professional photographers in the United States. He studied under inventor Samuel B. Morse, who brought the daguerreotype from France to America. Brady achieved his fame documenting the Civil War. The statue of Thomas Jefferson was commissioned by Navy Lieutenant Uriah Levy and sculpted in France by Pierre-Jean David d’Angers. It was removed from the White House grounds in in 1874 and placed first in National Statuary Hall and then in the Rotunda, both of which are in the Capitol Building.
  • Sherman and His Generals, Blair House Collection
    Mathew Brady
    This photograph taken by Mathew Brady is of Gen. William T. Sherman and his generals in 1866. Frank Blair, who was a member of Sherman's staff, was not present for the initial photograph so a separate image of Blair was cut and pasted at the far right of the photograph. Blair was a member of the Blair family that resided at Blair House, located across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. The house has been used as the president's guest house since the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. Visiting diplomats and dignitaries stay at Blair House while on official visits with the White House and is historically where the president-elect and first family reside prior to taking the oath of office. This photograph is a part of the Blair family's collection.
  • Andrew Jackson
    Mathew Brady
    portrait
    This daguerreotype of President Andrew Jackson was taken by Mathew Brady. This photograph was taken on April 15, 1845, shortly before Jackson passed away at his home, The Hermitage, near Nashville, Tennessee on June 8, 1845. This is one of four known Jackson daguerreotypes in existence. Jackson served as the 7th president of the United States from March 4, 1829 to March 4, 1837. Prior to his election, he also served in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate for the state of Tennessee, and was a major general during the War of 1812.
  • Lucretia Rudolph Garfield
    Mathew Brady
    portrait
    This portrait photograph of First Lady Lucretia Rudolph Garfield was taken by Mathew Brady. After the assassination of her husband, President James Garfield, in 1881, she added a wing to their home in Ohio to house his presidential papers. Brady was one of the most prominent photographers in American history, best known for his Civil War photography.
  • James Garfield and Daughter
    Mathew Brady
    First Family
    portrait
    This photograph taken by Mathew Brady shows James Garfield, possibly around the time he was a member of Congress, with his daughter, likely Mary, who was known commonly as Mollie, reading a book. Garfield served in the House of Representatives from 1863-1880, representing Ohio's 19th district, before being elected as the 20th President of the United States. Brady was one of the most prominent photographers in the 19th century, best known for his Civil War photography.
  • James Garfield and Daughter
    Mathew Brady
    First Family
    portrait
    This photograph taken by Mathew Brady shows James Garfield, possibly around the time he was a member of Congress, with his daughter, likely Mary, who was known commonly as Mollie, reading a book. Garfield served in the House of Representatives from 1863-1880, representing Ohio's 19th district, before being elected as the 20th President of the United States. Brady was one of the most prominent photographers in the 19th century, best known for his Civil War photography.
  • Andrew Johnson
    Mathew Brady
    portrait
    This portrait photograph of President Andrew Johnson was taken by Mathew Brady. Johnson became the 17th President of the United States on April 15, 1865, after the assassination President Abraham Lincoln. Brady is best known for his photographs of the Civil War. He also took portrait photographs of Presidents Grant, Hayes, Lincoln, and Garfield.
  • Mary Todd Lincoln
    Mathew Brady
    portrait
    First Family
    This portrait photograph of Mary Todd Lincoln was taken between 1861 and 1865 while she served as First Lady of the United States. Mrs. Lincoln and her husband, President Abraham Lincoln, were married for over 20 years at the time of his death and had four sons together. The portrait was possibly taken by Mathew Brady at his Brady's National Photographic Portrait Galleries.
  • Mary Todd Lincoln in a Ball gown
    Mathew Brady
    portrait
    First Family
    This full-length portrait photograph of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln was taken in 1861 by the preeminent photographer of the era, Mathew Brady. Mrs. Lincoln and her husband were married for over 20 years at the time of his death and had four sons together.
  • Abraham Lincoln
    Mathew Brady
    portrait
    This portrait photograph of President Abraham Lincoln was taken by Mathew Brady on January 8, 1864 at his studio in Washington, D.C. Brady photographed all the members of the Lincoln family, with this particular photograph from a series of five poses taken of President Lincoln. The original photograph was a carte de visite print with Brady's logo printed on the reverse side.
  • Julia Dent Grant
    Mathew Brady
    portrait
    This photograph, taken by Mathew Brady, is of First Lady Julia Dent Grant. She described her husband's years in the White House from March 4, 1869 until March 4, 1877, as "the happiest period" of her life. While her husband fought during the Civil War she did not shy away from the action herself, moving with him to different postings wanting to stay close to him. While First Lady she entertained often and lavishly, and following the end of his presidency, the couple took a trip around the world. She was one of the first First Ladies to write a memoir, but it went unpublished until 1975. She was buried in the famous Grant's Tomb in New York City alongside her husband.
  • Unfinished Washington Monument
    Mathew Brady
    Washington Monument
    Washington, D.C.
    This photograph of the unfinished Washington Monument was taken by Mathew Brady during the presidency of Abraham Lincoln in the early 1860s. L'Enfant's original plan for Washington, D.C. included a large monumental space for an equestrian statue of George Washington. In 1833, the National Washington Monument Society formed to fund the construction of a monument, and selected a design by architect Robert Mills that featured a 600-foot obelisk surrounded by 30 100-foot columns. Twenty years later the society went bankrupt and construction came to a halt. The monument remained unfinished for more than two decades, until in 1876 Congress assumed responsibility for completing the task. Designers simplified Mills' original plan but still achieved impressive results. At the time of its dedication in 1885 the monument, standing at just over 555 feet tall, was the tallest structure in the world.
  • Detail of Mathew Brady's Earliest WH Photo
    Mathew Brady
    north view
    From a negative, this is a close-up detail of Mathew Brady's first photograph of the White House. It was taken during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. Brady was one of the first professional photographers in the United States. He studied under inventor Samuel F.B. Morse, who brought the daguerreotype from France to America. Brady achieved his fame documenting the Civil War.
  • South View of the White House
    Mathew Brady
    White House
    south view
    children
    This black and white photograph by Mathew Brady is a south view of the White House during the Lincoln Administration. There is a man sitting on a brick wall and children sit and play on the grass. Brady was one of the first professional photographers in the United States. He studied under inventor Samuel F.B. Morse, who brought the daguerreotype from France to America. Brady achieved his fame documenting the Civil War.
  • The North Front of the White House
    Mathew Brady
    White House
    north view
    This black and white photograph by Mathew Brady is of the North Grounds during Abraham Lincoln's presidency (1861-1865). The statue of Thomas Jefferson, which was later moved to the Capitol Building, is visible. Brady was one of the first professional photographers in the United States. He studied under inventor Samuel B. Morse, who brought the daguerreotype from France to America. Brady achieved his fame documenting the Civil War.
  • Earliest Photo of White House by Mathew Brady
    Mathew Brady
    north view
    From a negative, this is the earliest photo of the White House by Mathew Brady. Brady was one of the first professional photographers in the United States. He studied under inventor Samuel F.B. Morse, who brought the daguerreotype from France to America. Brady achieved his fame documenting the Civil War.
  • North View of the White House
    Mathew Brady
    White House
    north view
    This print shows a black and white photograph of the White House taken by Mathew Brady. Brady was one of the first professional photographers in the United States. He studied under inventor Samuel B. Morse, who brought the daguerreotype from France to America. Brady achieved his fame documenting the Civil War. The Jefferson statue is shown at the front of the building. The statue of Thomas Jefferson was commissioned by Navy Lieutenant Uriah Levy and sculpted in France by Pierre-Jean David d’Angers. It was removed from the White House grounds in in 1874 and placed first in National Statuary Hall and then in the Rotunda, both of which are in the Capitol Building.