Grover Cleveland

Twenty-second and twenty-fourth president, 1885–1889 and 1893–1897

Grover Cleveland, the first president to serve two nonconsecutive terms, vetoed more legislation than any prior president, earning the nickname “Old Veto.” He believed in a “hands-off” government and often rejected bills that favored individual groups. For instance, he vetoed what he thought were unnecessary pension bills for Civil War veterans. After being ousted from office in 1889 by Benjamin Harrison, Cleveland returned to the presidency four years later, but the Panic of 1893 plagued his second term. He had to call on federal troops to suppress labor unrest and did not succeed in restoring the nation’s economy.

Swedish artist Anders Zorn portrayed numerous statesmen and society figures during his frequent trips to the United States. He painted this portrait in 1899, two years after Cleveland had completed his second term. The sittings took place at the former president’s estate in Princeton, New Jersey, where the artist and subject bantered happily for several days. Cleveland expressed satisfaction with this portrait, declaring, “As for my ugly mug, I think the artist has ‘struck it off’ in great shape.”