Hon. Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the United States

Hon. Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the United States, by Winslow Homer, is a detailed example of American illustration created in the pivotal year 1860. This powerful portrait was produced using the wood engraving technique, a medium that was central to the illustrated journalism of the time. Before achieving fame for his oil paintings and watercolors, Winslow Homer established his career as a highly sought-after printmaker and illustrator, utilizing his meticulous skill to capture the likenesses of important political figures during the volatile period leading up to the Civil War. This classification of print allowed for the rapid, mass dissemination of images to a wide readership across the United States.

The subject, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney (1777–1864), was one of the most polarizing figures in antebellum America. As the presiding judge who delivered the notorious 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, Taney played a critical, if controversial, role in exacerbating sectional tensions over slavery and the definition of American citizenship. Homer renders the elderly jurist in a sober, formal style suitable for an official governmental portrait, yet the context of 1860 imbues the piece with historical significance, capturing a key player just as the Union began its fracture.

This important historical wood engraving is preserved within the collections of the Cleveland Museum of Art. As with many significant works of American graphic art from the mid-19th century, Hon. Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the United States is a widely documented piece. The historical and artistic importance of these early prints by Homer ensures their continued study, especially since many original illustrations and publications from this era are now part of the public domain.