Grant and His Family

Art Historical Context

**Grant and His Family**, a poignant 1867 print by artist William Sartain (1843–1924), offers an intimate portrait of Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant alongside his wife, Julia Boggs Dent Grant and their children. Created just two years after the victory, this work from the Smithsonian American Art Museum the family in a domestic interior, complete with a table, chair, and book—elements that humanize the general on the cusp of national prominence. Sartain, a skilled printmaker known for his detailed reproductive engravings, likely drew from photography or sketches to immortalize this moment. The composition features Julia, who would become First Lady, and their children: officer Frederick Dent Grant, Jesse Root Grant, Ulysses Simpson Grant Jr. (a lawyer and farmer), and writer Ellen Wrenshall Grant. Ulysses S. Grant himself, tagged with his future roles as President, Secretary of War, and Congressional Gold Medal recipient, anchors the scene as the era's defining military figure. This print reflects post-Civil War America's fascination with its saviors, blending public heroism with private life. Housed in the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, the work highlights the accessibility of printmaking, allowing widespread dissemination of presidential imagery. Its enduring presence underscores the Grants' place in U.S. history, bridging military triumph and family legacy.