John Wilkes Booth, Satan Tempting John Wilkes Booth, Albumen Montage Photograph

Description

 Booth and his accomplices were featured in numerous photographs, prints, pamphlets, and other commercially produced paper items post-assassination. 

Here, Booth peers into the Presidential Box at Ford Theatre. Booth holds a deringer and a knife, while Satan encourages him to carry out his dastardly plot. 

In the box itself we see the back of Lincoln, with Mary looking over at him, while two actors are on the stage in the background. 

Richard and Kellie Gutman include this photograph in their fundamental book, John Wilkes Booth, Himself (1979). The Gutmans comment: “Generally this could be found as a carte de visite, but one rare large format print, 6-1/2 inches high, is known.”  Either this is that one, or a second has now appeared. Either way: Rare! 

Excellent tonality and clarity, and certainly more powerful at this exhibition size.

(Booth, John Wilkes) Satan Tempting John Wilkes Booth.  Oval Half-Plate Albumen, Montage Photograph.  NY: Macoy & Herwig, 1865; using a Booth photo originally taken by C. D. Fredricks about 1863 (Gutman 30).  5-1/8” x 6-1/4” image; 8” x 10” overall.  (Gutman 42).