President Lincoln, writing the Proclamation of

President Lincoln, writing the Proclamation of Freedom, January 1, 1863. In a cluttered study Lincoln sits in shirtsleeves and slippers, at work on the document near an open window. His left hand is placed on a Bible that rests on a copy of the Constitution in his lap. The scene is crammed with symbolic details and other meaningful references. A bust of Lincoln's strongly Unionist predecessor Andrew Jackson sits on a mantlepiece near the window at Lincoln's right. A bust of another former President, James Buchanan, who was widely viewed as ineffectual against secessionism, hangs by a rope around its neck from a bookcase behind Lincoln. The scales of justice appear in the left corner, and a railsplitter's maul lies on the floor at Lincoln's feet

1860-1869 Appear Bookcase Brainstorming Buchanan Careless Chaos Clutter Cluttered Constitution Contemplation Crammed Details Emancipation Frustration Hangs Idea Ineffectual Mantlepiece Maul Meaningful Messy Old-fashion Paperwork Placed Predecessor Proclamation References Rests Scales Shirtsleeves Slippers Strongly Studying Unionist Viewed Widely

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