The First Inauguration at the Unfinished Capitol, March 4, 1861

Lincoln is a tiny figure here: he stands under the wooden canopy on the platform at the Capitol's east front, his face in shadow and only his white shirt front showing, at an inauguration held after seven states had already left the Union. What makes the picture unforgettable is the setting, with the new dome half built and crowned by a construction crane. The photographer is not certain, and different collections credit Alexander Gardner, Montgomery C. Meigs or others.