“Sept. 14, 1901” William McKinley reflects on the life and legacy of the 25th president of the United States, the last Civil War veteran to hold the office. McKinley was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz and died eight days later, a moment that marked the third assassination of a sitting U.S. president in just over three decades. This painting, part of my Assassinated Presidents series, combines historic gravity with bold expression to examine a national turning point.
The attack took place at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and led Vice President Theodore Roosevelt to be sworn in as McKinley’s successor. In its aftermath, the U.S. Secret Service expanded its duties to include full-time protection of the president, a policy shift that still shapes American political security today. I convey the weight of that history through moody contrasts and layered brushwork, drawing the viewer into a story of disruption and transition. It’s a meditation on the vulnerability of power and the lasting impact of violence on national identity.