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Theodore Roosevelt
Date
1898
Artist
Charles Dana Gibson, 14 Sep 1867 - 29 Dec 1944
Sitter
Theodore Roosevelt, 27 Oct 1858 - 6 Jan 1919
Exhibition Label
As Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1898, Theodore Roosevelt supervised the building of twenty-six new steel ships. After the explosion of the USS Maine, Roosevelt wrote: “If we will not fight for the blowing up of the MAINE... we are no longer fit to hold up our heads among the nations of earth.“ Roosevelt became second-in-command of the First Volunteer Cavalry, known as the “Rough Riders,” in the Cuban campaign of the war.
This portrait, by Charles Dana Gibson, demonstrates how Roosevelt fashioned his own image during the war. Instead of wearing an Army-issued uniform, he ordered one from Brooks Brothers, a high-end menswear store. This illustration accompanied his published memoir as a lieutenant colonel of “The Rough Riders” in the January 1899 issue of Scribner’s. Roosevelt’s fame served his political aspirations. President William McKinley named him as his running mate ahead of the 1900 presidential election.
Como secretario asistente de la Marina entre 1897 y 1898, Theodore Roosevelt supervisó la construcción de 26 naves de acero nuevas. Tras la explosión del USS Maine, escribió: "Si no nos vamos a la lucha ante la explosión del MAINE [...] ya no Podemos llevar la frente en alto entre las naciones de la tierra”. Roosevelt pasó a ser segundo al mando del Primer Regimiento Voluntario de Caballería, conocido como “Rough Riders” (jinetes duros), durante la campaña cubana.
Este retrato por Charles Dana Gibson demuestra cómo Roosevelt construyó su imagen durante la guerra. En vez del uniforme expedido por el Ejército, pidió uno a Brooks Brothers, una tienda masculina de lujo. Esta ilustración acompañó sus memorias como teniente coronel de los “Rough Riders”, publicadas en Scribner’s en enero de 1899. Su fama favoreció sus aspiraciones políticas. El presidente William McKinley lo nombró compañero de papeleta con vistas a la elección presidencial de 1900.
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National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Object number
NPG.73.35
Type
Drawing
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Medium
Graphite and conté crayon on paper
Dimensions
Image: 44.8 x 30.8cm (17 5/8 x 12 1/8")
Sheet: 50.6 x 35.6cm (19 15/16 x 14")
Mat: 71.1 x 55.9cm (28 x 22")