Who's
that lady?
Conservator who uncovered fake Mary Lincoln painting to present his
findings April 26 at presidential museum
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[April 19, 2012]
SPRINGFIELD -- Although we can't be
sure who is depicted in a painting that hung for years in the
Illinois governor's mansion, conservators are certain about one
thing -- it isn't former first lady Mary Lincoln, as the descendants
who purchased the artwork had been led to believe.
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The conservator who made the discovery will present his findings on
April 26 at 7 p.m. at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in
Springfield. The presentation will be in the museum's Union Theater
and is free and open to the public, but reservations must be made by
calling 217-558-8934. "The Demise of Mary Lincoln: An Artistic
Conspiracy" will detail painting conservator Barry Bauman's
discovery that a portrait of Mary Lincoln began as a painting of
someone else and was then modified more than 80 years ago to
resemble the former first lady.
Mrs. Lincoln's descendants were duped into buying the painting
after a dealer claimed that the portrait had been secretly done at
the White House as a surprise for her husband, who was assassinated
before it could be delivered. The painting was donated by the last
Lincoln descendant in 1976 to the state of Illinois, and it has
since been part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and
Museum's collections.
After its display for three decades at the Illinois governor's
mansion, officials of the presidential library and museum sent the
painting to Bauman for conservation work. It was then he discovered
the painting was not what it appeared to be. Bauman will explain how
the discovery was made and tell the story of this now-famous
forgery.
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Bauman owns and operates Barry Bauman Conservation in River
Forest, America's first national laboratory dedicated to offering
complimentary conservation services to museums and nonprofit
organizations. He was formerly the associate conservator of
paintings for the Art Institute of Chicago. He founded the Chicago
Conservation Center, a research facility for the conservation of
fine art, in 1983.
Visit
www.presidentlincoln.org for more information about exhibits and
events at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
[Text from
Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
file received from the
Illinois Historic
Preservation Agency] |