Drawing Together: Art of the Longfellows

Portrait of Papa, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Portrait of Papa, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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.