Charles Fenderich, 1805 - 1887 - John C. Calhoun - 1838 - T-Shirt

This pen and ink drawing shows John C. Calhoun standing full-length, caught mid-argument in a formal chamber.

Visual Elements & Composition

The figure fills the sheet from head to foot in a dark tailcoat, waistcoat and trousers, with a white shirt and high collar. His right arm reaches outward, open-handed, in a gesture of address, while his left hand rests on the curved back of an upholstered chair. He turns his head slightly, with a level, stern gaze. Behind him a low desk holds a quill and an inkwell, and a patterned rug anchors the lower half. The linework is direct and precise, and the dark coat carries the composition. A caption in the lower centre reads Hon. Jno. C. Calhoun, and the artist's dedication, signed Chas. Fenderich, sits in the lower margin.

Meaning & Symbolism

The open hand, the stance and the writing desk present the sitter as a speaker, a public man whose authority rested on his words. Calhoun was a South Carolina statesman who served in the United States Senate, as Vice President and as Secretary of State. He was a leading proponent of states' rights and nullification, and a central voice in the sectional debates over slavery that preceded the Civil War. The drawing is dated to 1838 and made by Charles Fenderich, a German-born artist who worked in America and portrayed public figures in this direct, linear manner.

On the Unisex Heavy Cotton Tee

A full-length figure suits a tee, since the whole body of the portrait fits across the chest and the reader sees the entire pose at a glance. The dedication and caption sit in the margin, so they read as a signature on the shirt rather than a block of text. Worn, the drawing turns with the wearer, and the stiff, upright posture of the sitter becomes part of how the shirt is seen.