Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State

United States of America flag

Web Property of the U.S. Department of State

Close

Object Details

Maker
Louis Augustin Simil (French, b. 1822)
Date
1865
Geography
Unknown
Culture
North African
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
Canvas: 85 3/4 in x 56 in; 217.805 cm x 142.24 cm
Provenance
This full-length portrait of Muhammad al-Sadiq, Bey of Tunis, is thought to have been painted from life. It was presented by the Bey to President Andrew Johnson through a Special Envoy to the United States on October 30, 1865.
Inscriptions
Signed "Louis Simil. [illegible] 1865[?]". A further inscription, reads: "Simil, Calligaris et Compagnie." A plaque attached to the frame reads: "His Highness the Mushir Mohammed Essadek, Bey of Tunis. Portrait presented as a souvenir of his Friendship in November 1865, by his Envoy, Gen. Otman Hashem, bearer of letters of condolence for the assassination of President Lincoln and of congratulations for the termination of the Civil War."
Credit Line
The Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.
Collection
The Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.
Accession Number
RR-1981.0138