Who created "Mark Twain"?

Mark Twain was created by John White Alexander, 7 Oct 1856 - 31 May 1915 in c. 1908.

When was "Mark Twain" created?

This artwork was created c. 1908.

Is "Mark Twain" in the public domain?

Yes, Mark Twain is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

Mark Twain

John White Alexander, 7 Oct 1856 - 31 May 1915

c. 1908

Medium

Drawing

Classification

Drawing

Department

Smithsonian Collection

Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Credit

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Elizabeth B. Reed and Natalie R. Adams

Accession Number

S/NPG.2017.123

Tags

PortraitPreparatory sketchNewspaperHumoristNovelistSamuel Langhorne Clemens: Male

Art Historical Context

In the early 20th century, American artist John White Alexander (1856–1915) created this captivating preparatory drawing titled *Mark Twain* around 1908. As a skilled draftsman, Alexander captured the likeness of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, the legendary humorist and novelist whose works like *Adventures of Huckleberry Finn* defined American literature. This sketch, held in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection (gift of Elizabeth B. Reed and Natalie R. Adams), likely served as a study for a larger portrait, showcasing Alexander's keen observati...

Mark Twain

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