Peterson draws on Lincoln's past

By MEGAN HUGHES

news@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood - Local historian Larry Peterson presented his collection of original artwork, portraying President Abraham Lincoln at different stages of life at the Ironwood Memorial Building on March 13.

Peterson told the audience that the collection came as a way of preserving history.

"I figured that I am an artist, but I am also a historian. What can I leave behind as a legacy that would mean something?" asked Peterson.

This search led into him taking a look at photo collections of Lincoln. He noticed a lack of detail in many of the images.

"They just did not have the same sort of detail that you would have in modern cameras," he told the group.

"It is a sort of map for people to refer to; a sort of map as to what he really looked like," he said.

Peterson created his collection using a combination of photos taken of Lincoln during his life, as well as written depictions of him from individuals who met him through his life. He refers to the project as one of forensic archeology.

The collection included pieces that depicted Lincoln in various stages of his life, including an image of his death mask.

The collection was laid out for display, alongside several of Peterson's other recent works, for the audience to view, and ask questions about.

Peterson shared stories from Lincoln's life, from the president's time as an attorney, to the last days of his presidency.

The program was hosted by the Ironwood Carnegie Library.