This is a portrait of Andrew Jackson for the Eyes of American History series. Jackson, who was nicknamed "Old Hickory" is portrayed with tree bark across his face. Jackson, as the hero of the battle of New Orleans in the war of 1812, rose to national prominence as the country expanded westward. In a new era for the Republic, Andrew Jackson represented the turning away from the old guard of East Coast elites and the birth of a more populist form of government. This tongue in cheek portrayal of him in the form of a tree trunk has a political cartoon feel to it that captures the problematic legacy of this frontiersman turned politician. I strove to connect with the unbending tenacity of Jackson whose colorful exploits included duels, Indian campaigns and an ongoing battle with the banks.
This is a portrait of Andrew Jackson for the Eyes of American History series. Jackson, who was nicknamed "Old Hickory" is portrayed with tree bark across his face. Jackson, as the hero of the battle of New Orleans in the war of 1812, rose to national prominence as the country expanded westward. In a new era for the Republic, Andrew Jackson represented the turning away from the old guard of East Coast elites and the birth of a more populist form of government. This tongue in cheek portrayal of him in the form of a tree trunk has a political cartoon feel to it that captures the problematic legacy of this frontiersman turned politician. I strove to connect with the unbending tenacity of Jackson whose colorful exploits included duels, Indian campaigns and an ongoing battle with the banks.