DeCourcy donates portrait of Lincoln to Presidential Library

By Carissa Sitki

Submitted Photo
Gary DeCourcy’s India ink drawing of Lincoln that was donated to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

Jerseyville native, Gary DeCourcy, has donated a portrait he rendered of Abraham Lincoln to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) in Springfield. DeCourcy created his work of art by stippling India ink on watercolor paper, a technique called pointillism. Up close, you can see that artworks created by this method are simply made up of many small dots that form a larger picture.

DeCourcy is a lifelong artist who received a master’s degree in art and has worked for McGraw Publishing in New York and St. Louis. He was also vice president and creative director for the Sangamon Company in Taylorville, but his artistic journey began when he was attending elementary school in his beloved hometown of Jerseyville.
“My fifth grade teacher instructed my mom to not let me get too far from a pencil and paper,” said DeCourcy. “That’s where it all started.”

This isn’t the first time DeCourcy has created artwork featuring Lincoln, either, he also painted two large murals in Taylorville. According to DeCoury, he’s known as the “Lincoln nut” of the city.

“It wasn’t difficult to start, Lincoln had such interesting features that I really enjoy working with and trying out different techniques,” said DeCourcy.

DeCourcy’s friend suggested he reach out to the chief of staff and director of acquisitions at ALPLM about donating the Lincoln portrait. An enlarged print of the drawing will remain in the ALPLM’s permanent audiovisual collection.