George Dennison Prentice
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Accession Number
NPG.88.170
Tags
Art Historical Context
This lithographic print from 1861, produced by the esteemed J. H. Bufford Lithography Company—active in Boston from 1835 to 1890—presents a compelling portrait of George Dennison Prentice, a prominent newspaper editor, publisher, biographer, and poet. Bufford's firm was renowned for its skilled reproduction of images through lithography, a technique that allowed for detailed, affordable prints ideal for widespread distribution in the 19th century. This medium democratized portraiture, bringing likenesses of public figures into homes and offices across America. Seated at a table with quill in ...