This illustration is of a reception held in honor of Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales and future king of the United Kingdom, in the East Room of the White House on October 4, 1860. The reception was hosted by President James Buchanan, likely the man standing to the Prince's right. The future King Edward VII was 18 years old at the time of this trip and toured the Capitol and various government buildings, as well as Mount Vernon.

This illustration was published on March 13, 1858 in "Harper's Weekly." The illustration depicts a reception in the East Room of the White House during the James Buchanan administration. Hosting dinners and receptions at the White House became a regular practice for the president in the mid-19th century.

This painting by Peter Frederick Rothermel depicts a fictitious formal reception in the East Room of the White House following President Abraham Lincoln's second inauguration on March 4, 1865. The painting features a number of historical figures: President Abraham Lincoln (standing to the right of the large chandelier that intersects the middle of the painting) with General Ulysses S. Grant to Lincoln's right, presenting his wife, Julia Dent Grant, to the president (in a light pink gown, shaking hands with Lincoln). First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln stands to Lincoln's left, holding a fan to the shoulder of General Winfield Scott. To the left of the chandelier, orator Edward Everett (who died in January 1865, before the scene portrayed this painting purportedly took place) is seated, and Secretary of State William H. Seward and General William Tecumseh Sherman are standing (Sherman stands between the two men, but toward the back). Rothermel was an American painter who is mostly known for his large historical paintings.

This hand-colored wood engraving by Alfred R. Waud appeared in the centerfold of Harper's Weekly on January 25, 1862. Waud made a sketch in person at the reception, which was the basis for the engraving. Abraham Lincoln, tallest man present, welcomes guests near a White House doorway during a Grand Reception in January 1862. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase and his daughter Kate greet Mrs. Lincoln, while several Union Army officers fill out the scene.