Object Details
Artist
Daniel Huntington, 14 Oct 1816 - 18 Apr 1906
Sitter
Carl Schurz, 2 Mar 1829 - 14 May 1906
Exhibition Label
Born Erfstadt, Prussia (now Germany)
While representing Missouri as a U.S. senator (1869–75), Carl Schurz began a crusade to reform the civil service, which he continued as secretary of the Department of the Interior (then located in this building) from 1877 to 1881. Schurz concentrated on eradicating widespread corruption that plagued the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He dismissed agents and traders who cheated Indigenous communities for personal gain and fended off the War Department’s efforts to acquire oversight of the bureau. Having immigrated to the United States in his youth, Schurz strongly believed in assimilation and promoted the acculturation of Native Americans through education, rather than forced removal to government reservations.
Schurz later became active in the anti-imperialist movement. In opposition to expansionists such as Henry Cabot Lodge and Theodore Roosevelt, he objected to the intervention of the United States in Cuba and the Philippines in 1898, warning that imperialism would be democracy’s downfall.
Nacido en Erfstadt, Prusia (hoy Alemania)
Siendo senador por Misuri (1869–75), Carl Schurz inició una cruzada para reformar el servicio civil, la cual continuó como secretario del Departamento del Interior (entonces ubicado en este edificio) de 1877 a 1881. Schurz se propuso erradicar la corrupción que plagaba a la Oficina de Asuntos Indígenas. Despidió a los agentes y tratantes que timaban a las comunidades nativas para beneficio propio y esquivó los esfuerzos del Departamento de Guerra por controlar la oficina. Habiendo migrado a EE.UU. en su juventud, Schurz era un firme partidario de la asimilación y promovía la aculturación de los nativos americanos a través de la educación, no del traslado forzoso a reservaciones del gobierno.
Más tarde, Schurz estuvo activo en el movimiento antiimperialista. Opuesto a expansionistas como Henry Cabot Lodge y Theodore Roosevelt, objetó a la intervención de EE.UU. en Cuba y las Filipinas en 1898, advirtiendo que el imperialismo sería la ruina de la democracia.
Provenance
New York Chamber of Commerce; purchased 1980 NPG
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Date
1899
Object number
NPG.81.20
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Type
Painting
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
Frame: 162.2 × 136.8 × 12.1 cm (63 7/8 × 53 7/8 × 4 3/4")
Stretcher: 126.7 × 101.6 × 2.2 cm (49 7/8 × 40 × 7/8")
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition
Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900
On View
NPG, East Gallery 140
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Topic
Interior
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair
Printed Material\Book
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Table
Printed Material\Papers
Equipment\Drafting & Writing Implements\Writing implement\Pen
Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Beard
Carl Schurz: Male
Carl Schurz: Law and Crime\Lawyer
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\Statesman
Carl Schurz: Arts and Culture\Journalism and Media\Newspaper editor
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\Government official\Cabinet member\Secretary of Interior
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\Government official\US Senator\Missouri
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\Diplomat\Minister
Carl Schurz: Social Welfare and Reform\Reformer\Revolutionary
Carl Schurz: Military and Intelligence\Soldier\Civil War\Union
Carl Schurz: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Major General
Portrait
Link to Original Record
Record ID
npg_NPG.81.20