One of the prints featured in the exhibition is a memorial print that followed Washington’s death by John James Barralet, “Apotheosis of Washington,” done in 1800. “This artist appealed to a mourning nation by invoking the hero’s immortality,” says curator Arlene Shy. “Washington, supported by Father Time, is shown being conducted heavenward by an Angel, leaving below symbols of the new Republic: the American eagle looks confidently to the future, a downcast Columbia, liberty cap held aloft, tramples the serpent despotism, and a Native American grieves. In the background, Faith looks up to the light, Hope clings to the anchor of stability, and Charity nurtures her children on Washington’s virtues.”

In conjunction with the exhibit, the Clements will also present a free lecture and discussion, “Reconsidering General Washington,” by Prof. Emeritus John Shy of U-M’s Department of History beginning at 4 p.m. Feb. 22. Commentators will include Gerald Linderman, Jonathan Marwil, and David Fitzpatrick, all of U-M’s Department of History and its Military Studies Group. These three will take a critical look at Washington’s performance as a military leader.

U-M has made the writings of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, available to the public via the Internet. “The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln” are available at http://www.hti.umich.edu/l/lincoln/.

In 1953 the Abraham Lincoln Association published these works in a multi-volume set of Lincoln’s correspondence, speeches, and other writings under the same title. Roy P. Basler and his editorial staff, with the continued support of the association, spent five years transcribing and annotating Lincoln’s papers. “The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln” represented the first major scholarly effort to collect and publish Lincoln’s complete writings, an invaluable resource to Lincoln scholars.