Hon. Stephen A. Douglas

Hon. Stephen A. Douglas is a detailed portrait executed by Winslow Homer in 1859. This work is classified as a Print, specifically a wood engraving. The medium was critical during the mid-19th century in the United States, allowing for the widespread dissemination of political imagery and news in illustrated periodicals, thereby contributing significantly to visual literacy among the populace.

Dating to the eve of the Civil War, this engraving captures Senator Stephen A. Douglas, the influential Democrat from Illinois who fiercely debated Abraham Lincoln in 1858 and ran against him for the presidency in 1860. Douglas was the leading proponent of “popular sovereignty,” the highly contested idea that local residents should determine whether territories would enter the Union as free or slave states. Homer, who was then working primarily as a freelance illustrator for various publications, demonstrated his skill in translating a subject's likeness into the precise, demanding linear structure required for these relief prints.

This piece showcases Homer’s early ability to capture public figures accurately before he transitioned into a renowned painter of American life and landscape. Engravings such as this offered the general public vital access to the appearance of national leaders during an era of extreme political tension. This important historical document, an example of early American illustrated journalism, is housed within the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Because of its age and status as a mass-produced image, the historical record of Hon. Stephen A. Douglas is widely available through public domain digital repositories.