ZACHARY TAYLOR, People's Candidate for Twelfth President of the United States

Folio.  355 x 255 mm., [14 x 10 inches]; image size 300 x 210 mm., 11 ¾ x 8 ¼ inches].  Lithographic portrait, printed in tones of black and highlighted with red, blue and yellow wash. Margins soiled with age, two creases at lower right affecting the arm of the sitter.  Good strong color.

Taylor rode his popularity as a military leader during the Mexican War to become the 12th President of the United States.  He was a strong unionist, did not support the extension of slavery into the western states, and urged Southerners to forsake succession and work for a political settlement on the issue of slavery.  He died sixteen months after his election and was succeeded by Millard Filmore.

A powerful lithographic portrait published by Nathaniel Currier   showing General Taylor sitting near a window surrounded by bright red drapery.  His uniform is blue with gold (yellow) epaulettes, and his hand is symbolically placed on a map of Mexico.