Portrait of Mark Twain, by Edoardo Gelli, 1904
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Artifact Overview
American author and humorist Mark Twain (1835-1910), whose real name was Samuel L. Clemens commissioned this portrait during his family's extended stay in Italy. Clemens was invited to lecture at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, but was unable to attend, due to his wife's poor health. Instead, Clemens sent this portrait, which he characteristically described as "better than the original".
Artifact Details
Artifact
Portrait
Date Made
1904
Subject Date
1904
Creators
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Edoardo Gelli painted this portrait in Florence, Italy.
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Fully Furnished
Object ID
36.880.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Clara Clemens Gabrilowitsch.
Material
Canvas
Oil paint (Paint)
Technique
Gilding (Technique)
Oil painting (Technique)
Color
Brown
Multicolored
White (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 38 in
Width: 28 in
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Related Artifacts
ArtifactLetter from Mark Twain to Governor Francis about Exhibiting His Portrait at the St. Louis World's Fair, 1904
The 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, commemorating the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, featured agricultural, scientific, and industrial exhibits from the United States and around the world. This tongue-in-cheek letter documents folksy writer Mark Twain's submission of a portrait to the fair for a competition. Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, and had fond ties to the area.
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