Presidents--Portraits

Letter from James E. Downey to Theodore Roosevelt

James E. Downey, headmaster of the High School of Commerce, writes to Theodore Roosevelt to ask for an autographed picture of himself. The school has started a tradition of displaying a picture of the President of the United States, the Governor of Massachusetts, and the Mayor of Boston, but now wishes to expand this to including all holders of these offices since the school was founded five years ago.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-24

Creator(s)

Downey, James E., 1876-1947

Letter from Joseph Hawley Chapin to Theodore Roosevelt

Joseph Hawley Chapin, art editor of Scribner’s Magazine, encloses a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt. Chapin would like Roosevelt to sign it for his father, Charles A. Chapin.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-03

Creator(s)

Chapin, Joseph Hawley, 1869-1939

Letter from Henry Edward Rood to Theodore Roosevelt

Henry Edward Rood thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the autographed portrait that he sent to hang in the high school building.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-03

Creator(s)

Rood, Henry Edward, 1867-1954

Letter from Archibald Willingham Butt to Theodore Roosevelt

Archibald Willingham Butt explains why Theodore Roosevelt received a large photograph of Thomas Sully’s painting of Andrew Jackson.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-30

Creator(s)

Butt, Archibald Willingham, 1866-1912

Letter from Henry Edward Rood to Theodore Roosevelt

Henry Edward Rood asks Theodore Roosevelt for a handwritten note to frame and display next to his portrait, which will hang in the main entrance hall of the Pleasantville High School in New York. He does not understand why the article about W. H. Crook’s recollections has been delayed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-21

Creator(s)

Rood, Henry Edward, 1867-1954

Letter from William A. Madaris to Theodore Roosevelt

William A. Madaris is helping Rough Rider John M. Neal secure a pension. He describes how Neal’s legs were damaged in an accident at Montauk Point. The women of a nearby “field hospital” treated Neal. Madaris asks Theodore Roosevelt for information about these women so Neal can contact them. Regarding a personal matter, Madaris requests a picture of Roosevelt to replace the one damaged while on display during his local patriotic event.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-16

Creator(s)

Madaris, William A., -1920

Letter from Charles Henry Davis to Theodore Roosevelt

Charles Henry Davis requests Theodore Roosevelt authorize that he receive a copy of Victor D. Brenner’s newest portrait plaque to accompany the other portraits of Roosevelt in his collection. He intends to hang it alongside those of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington as “the three great Presidents.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-12

Creator(s)

Davis, Charles Henry

Letter from Fülöp László to Theodore Roosevelt

Fülöp László was greatly pleased by President Roosevelt’s letter and photograph. László will always value the reproduction of his picture, as it reminds him of their pleasant time at the White House. Roosevelt’s portrait is on its way to Berlin, and will be exhibited at the end of the month.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-15

Creator(s)

László, Fülöp, 1869-1937

Letter from Fülöp László to Theodore Roosevelt

Fülöp László asks President Roosevelt to send him a signed photograph of himself. László has just finished painting portraits of both German Emperor William II and Empress Auguste Viktoria.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-21

Creator(s)

László, Fülöp, 1869-1937

Letter from Earl Grey to Theodore Roosevelt

Earl Grey thanks President Roosevelt for sending his photographic portrait and is happy to hang it among his portraits of other American politicians. Grey also sends a facsimile of a chair owned by James Wolfe and gifted to George, Prince of Wales, and thanks Roosevelt for sending his sister, Alice Roosevelt Cowles, to Québec’s tercentenary celebration. In the postscript, Grey notes how he has been “haunted” by the illustrations of mountains that Roosevelt appended to his last message.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-13

Creator(s)

Grey, Albert Henry George Grey, Earl, 1851-1917

Letter from Micah John Jenkins to Theodore Roosevelt

Former Rough Rider Micah John Jenkins informs President Roosevelt that he has won his battle against alcohol, and has no desire to drink anymore. To mark the occasion, he sends Roosevelt a gallon of rye whiskey. He thanks Roosevelt for his example, which inspired him to stop drinking. Jenkins also sends a photograph from his young daughter, Ruth Darling Jenkins. He discusses the decorations for the room shown in the photograph, which includes engravings of Roosevelt, General Leonard Wood, and Napoleon I.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-16

Creator(s)

Jenkins, Micah John, 1857-1912

Letter from John Woodbury to Theodore Roosevelt

John Woodbury informs President Roosevelt that Joseph DeCamp has been selected to paint his portrait. DeCamp has been informed that Roosevelt would like to sit for it this month.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-11

Creator(s)

Woodbury, John, 1856-1940

Letter from John Woodbury to Theodore Roosevelt

John Woodbury informs President Roosevelt that he has received a letter from John Singer Sargent, and it is unlikely he will be able to paint Roosevelt’s portrait. Woodbury is anxious to have a portrait made before Roosevelt leaves office, and suggests Frederick Porter Vinton for the job. Woodbury supposes Roosevelt has heard of the death of Henry Bainbridge Chapin’s son.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-01

Creator(s)

Woodbury, John, 1856-1940

Letter from Arthur Hamilton Lee to Theodore Roosevelt

Arthur Hamilton Lee has received Fülöp László’s portrait of President Roosevelt, and is pleased and impressed with its likeness. He thanks Roosevelt for sitting for it, and notes that it will help László’s career in London advance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-04

Creator(s)

Lee of Fareham, Viscount (Arthur Hamilton Lee), 1868-1947

Letter from Arthur Hamilton Lee to Theodore Roosevelt

Arthur Hamilton Lee is pleased that President Roosevelt was willing to sit for a portrait by Fülöp László, and looks forward to seeing it. He updates Roosevelt on the progress of William Lyon Mackenzie King, who is in England advocating for Roosevelt’s policy on Japanese immigration to English-speaking countries. Lee agrees that such immigration should be limited, and King is making inroads in getting the government to cooperate on this matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-31

Creator(s)

Lee of Fareham, Viscount (Arthur Hamilton Lee), 1868-1947

Letter from John Woodbury to Theodore Roosevelt

John Woodbury has spoken to John Singer Sargent about doing the portrait of President Roosevelt intended as a gift to Harvard from the Class of 1880. Sargent does not intend to return to the United States until he can bring some of his Boston Public Library work. The class feels that the portrait will lose some sentiment if it is not hung while Roosevelt is still in office. Woodbury asks if Roosevelt would still like Sargent to do his portrait if he can come in 1908. If not, Ellen Emmet Rand has been suggested as a substitute painter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-03

Creator(s)

Woodbury, John, 1856-1940

President Diaz receives portrait of President Roosevelt

President Roosevelt gifted a portrait of himself to Mexican President Porfirio Diaz. Ambassador David E. Thompson delivered the portrait and made it clear that it was a personal gift from Roosevelt and had no political meaning. English translation of an attached Spanish article.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-08

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from David E. Thompson to Theodore Roosevelt

David E. Thompson, Ambassador to Mexico, tells President Roosevelt that the portrait of himself that he gifted to Mexican President Porfirio Díaz arrived and has been given to him. When it arrived, it had been damaged due to mishandling, but was repaired. Díaz appreciated the painting and was equally happy when Roosevelt’s letter arrived. He asked to keep it and show is wife, and will be writing Roosevelt a thank-you letter soon. Thompson encloses a clipping from El Imparcial.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-08

Creator(s)

Thompson, David E. (David Eugene), 1854-1942

Letter from Arthur Hamilton Lee to Theodore Roosevelt

Arthur Hamilton Lee writes President Roosevelt on two matters. First, he is glad that Roosevelt has agreed to see the painter Fülöp László when he is in Washington. He thinks László is a talented painter and hopes Roosevelt will sit for a sketch, although he is aware it would be an imposition. Second, he apologizes sincerely for attempting to befriend A. Maurice Low, whose letter was published in the London Morning Post. Lee did not know that Low’s letter would be so bad. He vehemently wishes Low could be fully punished and assures Roosevelt that the Post will not publish such a letter again.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-11

Creator(s)

Lee of Fareham, Viscount (Arthur Hamilton Lee), 1868-1947

Letter from Arthur Hamilton Lee to Theodore Roosevelt

Arthur Hamilton Lee writes to President Roosevelt about the president’s impending retirement and hopes that it will not impact Anglo-American relations significantly when another man takes office. Lee is distressed about how the papers in New York are covering Roosevelt, as if his character is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He hopes the president continues to shine light in dark places of the securities industry so that scandals will be brought to light. Lee ends his letter requesting that Roosevelt sit for a painter, Fülöp László, for two to three hours and believes that Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt will agree.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-13

Creator(s)

Lee of Fareham, Viscount (Arthur Hamilton Lee), 1868-1947