Leonard Wells Volk (American, 1828-1895). Plaster sculpture with bronze finish, approx. ht. 31, wd. 24, dp. 11 in. Portrait bust of a beardless Abraham Lincoln, clad in a toga. Thoughtfully rendered likeness of Lincoln, with heavy brows and prominent cheekbones. Accompanied by wooden pedestal, ht. 39 in., wd. 13.5 in., dp. 13.5 in.

Best known for taking a famous and oft-copied life mask of Abraham Lincoln, one of only two made, Leonard Volk was a major American sculptor during the nineteenth century. The founder of the Chicago Academy of Design, Volk was a popular choice for monumental public works, particularly Civil War memorials.