The Peacemakers, White House Collection
A painting of four important Union leaders meeting toward the end of the Civil War, created by George Peter Alexander Healy in 1868
Historical Period
The Union Remadecontributing partner
About
The painting The Peacemakers shows a meeting between President Abraham Lincoln, Major General William T. Sherman, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, and Rear Admiral David D. Porter that took place in March 1865, only weeks before the end of the Civil War. George Peter Alexander Healy (1813–1894) painted this scene, basing the details on first-hand accounts of the meeting given to him by Sherman and Porter. Healy used the body language of his four subjects to communicate what Sherman and Porter told him—that most of the discussion was held between Lincoln and Sherman. Healy also included a rainbow in the window to symbolize the coming peace between the Union and the Confederacy. Healy was a well-known portrait painter who sketched and painted Lincoln many times.
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The Peacemakers, White House Collection
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Analysis Questions
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1
What and who do you see in this picture?
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2
This picture is a painting made long ago. What do you wonder about the painting?
make observations
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3
Look at the faces of the four men. How do the men seem to act?
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4
Look at the way each man is sitting. How are the ways the men are sitting alike? How are they different?
interpret what you see
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5
This painting is called The Peacemakers. It shows President Abraham Lincoln and three of his advisors. They were also leaders in the U.S. Army and Navy. This meeting took place during the Civil War. The war was fought when some states decided that they did not want to stay part of the United States, or the Union. After leaving the Union, these states became known as the Confederate States of America. The men meeting were on the Union side of the Civil War. They talked about what peace might be like if the war ended soon. What clues does the artist give to let us know whether these leaders were successful at making peace?
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6
Look at the rainbow outside the window. What feeling does it make you have? Why do you think the artist included it?
use it as evidence
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7
This painting is of President Lincoln and three of his advisors. Lincoln is sitting and leaning forward in his chair. One of the advisors, General Sherman, is speaking to him. What do these details tell you about Lincoln’s leadership?
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8
This painting is called The Peacemakers. The rainbow outside the window is a symbol that the war would end soon. What does this tell you about the goals of a good leader?
Vocabulary
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Citation & Details
Citations
- Creator: George Peter Alexander Healy
- Date Created: 1868
- Materials and Measurements: Oil on canvas 47 1/8 x 62 5/8 inches (sight)
- Object Identifier #: 1947.2558.1
- Alt Text: Painting of Major General William T. Sherman, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, President Abraham Lincoln, and Rear Admiral David D. Porter meeting in the cabin of a steamer.
- Citation Label: Art in the White House (2nd ed.) p.162-164; Treasures of the White House p.46-47
Sources used to create the comprehension questions include:
White House Historical Association. (n.d.). The Peacemakers, White House Collection. https://archives.whitehousehistory.org/fotoweb/archives/5056-White-House-Collection/Main%20Index/Artwork/205.tif.info
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