Memento Mori

Portraiture became part of the mourning process that followed Abraham Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865. In the ensuing months, print publishers furnished the image of Lincoln in all guises. This simple, black-bordered Memento Mori recalls many Americans’ first grieving response: to drape funereal bunting, crepe, and flags on doors and windows, often tucking a portrait into the decorations.