A. Kromer (Bavarian, active 19th century). Death Bed of Lincoln, 1867

A. Kromer
(Bavarian, active 19th century). DeathBed of Lincoln, 1867, oil on canvas, framed signed and dated, Gemalt A. Kromer 1867.
This painting is a striking version of "The Death Bed of Abraham Lincoln," a scene of immense national importance. It depicts the final moments of the 16th President at the Petersen House on the morning of April 15, 1865. Visually, this composition is closely aligned with the 1866 works by James Burns, These composite paintings were masterpieces of the 19th-century memorial art. As this piece originates from The Lincoln Museum collection, it carries a distinguished layer of institutional history. Such works were often based on contemporary photographs taken by the Mathew Brady studio to ensure the physical likeness of each figure was historically accurate.
This painting represents not just a piece of art, but a window into a pivotal moment of American history. It would serve as a profound centerpiece for any serious collection of 19th-century Americana.please see youtube presentation from the Lincoln Museum and article including the painting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbvf_Lyd5Q0 https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2015/04/13/150-years-ago-original-ap/34781618007/#

It is a rare oil-on-canvas depiction of The Last Hours of Abraham Lincoln by the German artist A. Kromer, dated 1867. While several artists captured this somber scene, kromer's version is highly distinct for its stoic, reverent composition. He likely based this work on popular lithographs and engravings of the time, such as those by C.A. ASP or N.P. Beers. Here are a few reasons why I believe it would be a significant addition to your collection: International perspective: As a Bavarian church muralist Kromer's work represents how the global community mourned the loss of Lincoln. His perspective adds a unique "Old World" gravity to this quintessentially American moment.

Detailed Portraiture: The work is notable for its formal, stoic portraits of the 20+ dignitaries present including depiction of Mary Todd Lincoln at the bedside, Robert Lincoln standing in the back weeping, Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War, Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase, Surgeon General Joseph Barns and Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles.
Academic Rarity: Unlike the more common mass-produced engravings of the era, this painting was in the Taper Collection before moving to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. The painting is housed in an impressive period-appropriate frame that truly complements its historical weight. This painting was acquired by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, as part of the Taper Collection.

Notable Exhibits:
"Undying Words: Lincoln 1858-1865" (2015-2016): https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153769326751469&id=100064874524810 This major exhibition at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum featured the painting as part of a deep dive into Lincoln's final years.

The Taper Collection Display: Before its permanent home in Springfield, the painting was part of the renowned Louise and Barry Taper Collection, one of the most significant private collections of Lincolniana ever assembled.

Presidential Museum Assassination Exhibit (2005): Upon the museum's official opening, this painting and related artifacts including the physical Lincoln deathbed on loan from the Chicago History Museum.

Articles and Historical Coverage:
"Stories from the Vault" (April 2012) The Lincoln Presidential Library.
"The Lincoln Tragedy in Artwork" (2029): An article by Emerging Civil War https://emergingcivilwar.com/2019/04/14/the-lincoln-tragedy-in-artwork/ discusses how this painting fits into the broader tradition of "Rubber Room" art-a term historians use for deathbed scenes that exaggerated the size of the room to include more mourners.

"Prints as Historical Evidence" (2009): featured on the Antique Prints this analysis examines the painting's likely sources, such as the prints by C.A. ASP and N.P. Beers