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Lt. Charles Wilkes, Blair House Collection

This engraving by Richard W. Dodson, also known as R. W. Dodson, is a portrait of Lt. Charles Wilkes. The engraving is based on a portrait by Thomas Sully. This engraving is part of the book "Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition" by Charles Wilkes himself. In August of 1838 Wilkes embarked on an expedition that left from Hampton Roads, Virginia and sailed westward around the world. He made stops in Rio de Janeiro, Tierra Del Fuego, Hawaii, the Philippines, Singapore, and the Cape of Good Hope. The expedition ended in New York on June 10, 1842. The book this engraving was published in is a part of the Blair House Collection. James Blair, son of Francis Preston Blair, was a part of the expedition. Blair House, the family's home, is located across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House and has been used as the president's guest house since the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration.
Artist
Richard W. Dodson
Date of Work
1845
Type
Print
Credit
Bruce White for the White House Historical Association/Blair House
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