Alexander Hesler: The Photographer Who Captured Lincoln's Soul Alexander Hesler (1823–1895), a German-born photographer who emigrated to the United States in 1849, stands as an unassuming yet profoundly influential figure in American art history. While perhaps overshadowed by contemporaries like George Bucher Ayres and Alexander Nasmyth, Hesler’s singular contribution – namely, his breathtaking portrait of Abraham Lincoln – cemented h…