Object Details
Artist
Joseph E. Burgess, 1890 - Jan 1961
Copy after
Ercole Cartotto, 26 Jan 1889 - 3 Oct 1946
Sitter
Calvin Coolidge, 4 Jul 1872 - 5 Jan 1933
Exhibition Label
Calvin Coolidge was the sixth vice president to assume the highest office following a president’s death. Early in the morning of August 3, 1923, just after Warren G. Harding’s sudden passing, Coolidge’s father administered the oath of office. The newly sworn-in president set out to rebuild public trust following the Teapot Dome bribery scandal that had stained the previous administration.
Coolidge’s nickname, “Silent Cal,” described both his soft-spoken manner and his hands-off approach to government. Unlike the Progressive-Era presidents before him, Coolidge did not seek to regulate business or raise taxes to fund government aid programs. Indeed, he vetoed both agriculture relief bills and veteran bonuses. As he explained in 1925, “The collection of any taxes which are not absolutely required, which do not beyond reasonable doubt contribute to the public welfare, is only a species of legalized larceny. Under this republic the rewards of industry belong to those who earn them.”
Though Coolidge oversaw a healthy economy, scholars debate how much his policies contributed to the onset of the Great Depression in 1929, just months after he left office. Some fiscally conservative politicians have been inspired by his philosophies, including President Ronald Reagan, who hung Coolidge’s portrait in the Cabinet Room.
Calvin Coolidge fue el sexto vicepresidente que asumió el cargo más alto de la nación por morir el presidente. En la madrugada del 3 de agosto de 1923, tras la súbita muerte de Warren G. Harding, el propio padre de Coolidge le tomó el juramento presidencial. Pronto se propuso recuperar la fe del pueblo tras el escándalo de sobornos de Teapot Dome, que opacó al gobierno anterior.
Apodado “Cal el Silencioso”, Coolidge era de modales suaves y favorecía una política no intervencionista. Al contrario de sus predecesores de la Era Progresista, no intentó regular a las empresas ni aumentar los impuestos para subsidiar programas de asistencia pública. De hecho, vetó proyectos de ayuda agrícola y bonos para los veteranos. Como dijo en 1925, “cobrar impuestos que no sean absolutamente necesarios, que no aporten al bienestar público de manera inequívoca, es una especie de robo legalizado. En esta república, las recompensas de la industria pertenecen a quien se las gana”.
Si bien Coolidge gobernó en una economía salu- dable, los estudiosos cuestionan si sus políticas con- tribuyeron al inicio de la Gran Depresión en 1929, a pocos meses de terminar su mandato. La filosofía de Coolidge ha inspirado a políticos de ideas fiscales conservadoras como el presidente Ronald Reagan, quien colocó su retrato en la sala del gabinete.
Provenance
Phi Gamma Delta Club, Washington, D.C.; gift 1965 to NPG.
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta
Date
1956
Object number
NPG.65.13
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Painting
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
Stretcher: 143.5 × 97.2 cm (56 1/2 × 38 1/4")
Frame: 160.7 × 112.7 × 6.4 cm (63 1/4 × 44 3/8 × 2 1/2")
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition
America's Presidents - Current
On View
NPG, West Gallery 210
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Topic
Printed Material\Book
Interior\Office
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Desk
Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Necktie
Calvin Coolidge: Male
Calvin Coolidge: Law and Crime\Lawyer
Calvin Coolidge: Arts and Culture\Literature\Writer
Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Government official\Governor\Massachusetts
Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Vice-President of US
Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Government official
Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Government official\State Senator\Massachusetts
Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Government official\President of US
Calvin Coolidge: Arts and Culture\Journalism and Media\Journalist\Columnist
Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Government official\Public official\Mayor
Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Government official\Lieutenant Governor\Massachusetts
Calvin Coolidge: Politics and Government\Government official\State Legislator\Massachusetts
Portrait
Link to Original Record
Record ID
npg_NPG.65.13