Lincoln’s Life Mask attributed to Leonard W. Volk is one of the few life masks ever produced of Abraham Lincoln. It was very popular during the time for prominent figures to have living impressions made of themselves. These were used as models for future portraits or busts. The process of the life mask consists of many steps. Each of these steps would have taken a lot of time for both the artist and the subject. The subjects most depicted were those who were not laborers and had much leisure time. Those who fit the bill were white men in political positions. Lincoln’s casting was originally supposed to be done in 1858 when Volk first approached Lincoln during his U.S senate campaign. However, it took Lincoln two years to finally agree to the bust as things began to settle down. After getting Lincoln to sit down, Volk made a cast of Lincoln’s face. He did so by using wax after greasing Lincoln’s head. He then applied layers of plaster. Threads were also put into the mold so that the cast could be lifted off when it was ready.  “This created the mold from which the eventual bronze head and fists came. The measurements of the right-hand are around the length of 7 inches by a 5-inch wrist. With the hand, the width becomes 6 inches, and with the broom handle included it is about 7 inches in width. The right hand is slightly enlarged because it was said that Lincoln was swollen from so much hand-shaking the day before. On each wrist and the inside of the chin reads the inscription, “A. Lincoln. L. W. Volk fecit 1860.” This particular life mask is in excellent condition other than some patina found on the crevices of the ears that are a grayish color caused by wear and tear over time. Cultures all around the world have had casts made of famous leaders and families of noble status. This is no exception in American life mask culture. Only famous political figures during the time were chosen by sculptors to have a mask created.  Sculptors during this period always chose those in power, who tended to be educated white men who held office. Sculptors figured that anyone that did not fit these categories would not gain the attention that political figures would and chose accordingly. Life masks themselves are not that common to find in American history as death masks were much more prominent, so those who had them made while they were alive had to be upper class like the white men who dominated politics. This is fascinating because Lincoln had two facial casts made of him in a five-year time span, demonstrating just how influential and powerful he was.

However, the legacy of Lincoln offers a counter-narrative to the white male subject that life masks initially were created for. Behind Lincoln and these masks are the millions of slaves that were declared free as a result of his proclamation in 1863. Despite 19th century white Americans’ violent stance on what it meant to be a slave compared to a citizen, Lincoln was still given the highest honor of having two death masks. With this, they brought the voices of so many unheard lives to be exhibited at the level of what only political figures such as James Madison and Thomas Jefferson had. What stands out more is that his last life mask was made in 1865. This was already after he had given the Emancipation Proclamation and set things in motion for the abolition of slavery on a political scale. Lincoln’s history will forever be attached to the history of those who were treated so negatively for so many years. They are brought toward the light that 19th century white Americans had tried to keep hidden because they wanted to ignore the inhumane treatment of slaves. This is ironic because every other political figure to be honored in the same way has had to do with the negative treatment of slaves. Whether it be in terms of government policy or by the fact that they themselves owned slaves and treated them harshly. Lincoln is the only one that gives a stage for the millions who were never recognized in higher forms of art such as the life mask, despite all their hard labor and struggles they provided for those of a higher status.