Portrait of W.G. Brownlow

  • Creator: George W. Dury (1817-1894)
  • Title: Portrait of W.G. Brownlow
  • Date: 1866
  • Description: This painting is a full-length portrait of William G. Brownlow standing in front of a red chair while gesturing toward the United States flag.
  • Historical Note: During the Civil War, professional artists dependent upon wealthy patrons risked losing business as a result of partisan attitudes. Some left Tennessee, moving either North or further South to avoid having to take sides publicly.Those who stayed carefully toed the line of neutrality, like painter-photographer George Dury, who painted figures from both sides of the war. The Reconstruction Legislature also funded the bust-length portrait of President Abraham Lincoln. Dury was paid $1,000 for the portrait of Brownlow and $225 for the portrait of Lincoln. Both portraits hung in the Tennessee State Capitol. During the Civil War period, Dury also painted Jefferson Davis, Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard [CSA], Gen. William Rosecrans [USA], Gen. George Thomas [USA], and Andrew Johnson.
  • Institution: Tennessee State Museum
  • Publisher: Digital Initiatives, James E. Walker Library, Middle Tennessee State University
  • Rights: Images reproduced on this website are intended for individual, educational use only. For research inquiries about specific objects or requests for high resolution images, contact the Tennessee State Museum.
  • URL: http://cdm15838.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/shades
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