Portrait of Papa, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1852
Item Contributed by
NPS, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Text by Laura Fecych Sprague
Images from Maine Historical Society and Longfellow National Historic Site
The rich artistic lives of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family are brought to life by the extraordinary drawings and other works presented here.
Renowned for his poetry, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was also a gifted visual artist whose drawings recorded the world around him and who taught his children to draw and entertained them with drawing.
Artistic interests and talents extended to many members of the Longfellow family, a number of whom incorporated their creative skills into their work.
The Longfellows were distinguished artists and architects who contributed to nineteenth-century American culture.
This online exhibit is based on an exhibit that was in the Maine Historical Society Museum from February to December 2007. The sponsors were Shipyard Brewing and the BHA Foundation, with additional support from H.M. Payson & Co, and Preti Flaherty Beliveau and Pachios.
Slideshows
Longfellow parents and children across several generations were interested in drawing, painting, architecture, and music, and often participated together in drawing and other arts.
Drawing Together: Siblings and Offspring
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his brothers Alexander and Samuel all used drawing as one form of expression, and shared their love of drawing and the arts with their children.
Drawing Together: The Longfellows' Cultural Legacy
The Craigie House in Cambridge and the Wadsworth-Longfellow House in Portland preserve the legacy of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his extended family.
