Abraham Lincoln 1864 Bust

Commissioned by Shawn Thomas. Also known as the ‘Thomas’ Abraham Lincoln.

Exhibited at The NY Historical Society, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Executive Offices, Hofstra University permanent collection, Human Rights Plaza of Argentina, and various private collections.

Master sculptor Frank Porcu's bust of Abraham Lincoln in full view.
Master sculptor working on his life-size bust of Abraham Lincoln in his studio.

Project Overview
This life-size portrait bust presents the 16th President not just as a historical figure, but as the Ideal American Leader—forged in the crucible of the nation's greatest trial in 1864.

Artistic Process
During extensive research for this piece, Frank discovered an undocumented pathology in Lincoln’s facial structure—an insight that informed the physicality of the work while honoring the man’s iconic likeness. Balancing anatomical truth with symbolic power presented a compelling artistic challenge: to develop a new monumental style of portraiture that respects history while engaging modern viewers.

A detailed work in progress image of master sculptor Frank Porcu's life-size Abraham Lincoln bust, next to a skeleton model for craniofacial comparison .
A detailed work in progress image of master sculptor Frank Porcu's life-size Abraham Lincoln bust next to the death mask of Abraham Lincoln.
A detailed work in progress image of master sculptor Frank Porcu's life-size Abraham Lincoln bust.
A detailed work in progress image of master sculptor Frank Porcu's life-size Abraham Lincoln bust.