Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Artwork under copyright: © The Al Hirschfeld Foundation.
Caricature of Henry Morgenthau, Jr.
Artifact IDMO 1944.26.6.7
Object Type
Drawing
Artist
Al Hirschfeld
(American caricaturist, 1903-2003)
Dateca. 1943
Mediumpaper (illustration board), ink
Dimensionsoverall H 6 5/8 in x W 8 1/2 in (16.8 cm x 21.6 cm )
Physical DescriptionAn original pen and ink caricature of Henry Morgenthau, Jr. in the form of a dog. Morgenthau's face - sporting a long nose and pince-nez spectacles - is placed on the body of a lean dog with a long neck, long, hanging ears, and a fluffy tail. The drawing is unsigned by the artist.Morgenthau's name is handwritten twice on the reverse of the caricature for identification purposes, once in pencil (possibly by Al Hirschfeld) and once in ink.
Historical NoteThis caricature of Henry Morgenthau, Jr. is one of eight pen and ink caricatures (MO 1944.26.6.1-8) that Al Hirschfeld drew of some of Franklin D. Roosevelt's distinguished friends and prominent visitors to the White House. The caricatures were the basis of comedy slide effects used at the National Press Club preview of this subject. The caricatures were sent to FDR in June 1943 by Carter T. Barron, the Washington, DC representative of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures.
Henry Morgenthau, Jr. (1891-1967) was a Dutchess County neighbor and close friend to FDR. Morgenthau, only son of New York City real estate mogul and diplomat, Henry Morgenthau, Sr., attended Cornell University, studying agriculture. In 1915, he began his enduring friendship with Roosevelt through their common interests in increasing rural representation in the Democratic Party in opposition to New York City dominance.
In 1928, this relationship led to Morgenthau’s appointments as chairman of the New York State Agricultural Advisory Commission and state Conservation Commissioner in Roosevelt’s administration as governor. Then, as president, FDR first appointed Morgenthau chairman of the Federal Farm Bureau, later the Farm Credit Administrator, and finally, as Secretary of the Treasury, from January 1934 through July 1945. During this tenure Morgenthau played a key role in the design and financing the New Deal program. In the wake of revelations about Hitler’s extermination of European Jews, Morgenthau convinced FDR to create the War Refugee Board in 1944 and proposed the controversial “Morgenthau Plan” to turn postwar Germany into an agrarian state.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteDeposited at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum by Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 3, 1943. It was donated as a bequest of FDR to the Library in 1947.
Credit LineEstate of Franklin D. Roosevelt
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesPortraits (National Archives Identifier 778816)
Use Restriction StatusRestricted - Fully
Copyright© The Al Hirschfeld Foundation.
Copyright or other proprietary rights are held by individuals or entities other than the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum does not warrant that the use of these materials will not infringe on the rights of third parties holding the rights to these works, or make any representations or warranties with respect to the application or terms of any international agreement, treaty, or protections that may apply. It is your responsibility to determine and satisfy any copyright or other use restrictions. Pertinent regulations can be found at 36 C.F.R 1254.62.
In Collection(s)
Not on view
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