SPRINGFIELD -- Of the myriad ways Abraham Lincoln's life was unlike that of modern presidents, there's one you can see very clearly.

Because, depending on who's counting, there are only 114 photographic portraits of Lincoln, making each valuable to historians and open to interpretation.

That's one reason Philip Kunhardt wanted to author a book in which each portrait of Lincoln is enlarged to life size to allow closer inspection of the 16th president's face.

"They really look different when you blow them up," he said.

Kunhardt wrote "Lincoln, Life-Size" with his brother and nephew. He'll be in Springfield Thursday to discuss it.

The 114 photos weren't easy to come by. Fortunately, Kunhardt's great-grandfather was a leading expert on photos of Lincoln. So if the family didn't have a copy of a photo, they knew a collector who did.

"We have a huge collection of these images ourselves that came down from our great-grandfather," he said.

Each photo in the book is accompanied by a snippet of written history from the time when it was taken. In the introduction, Kunhardt describes Lincoln's self-deprecating humor about his looks. One journalist called him the "homeliest man I ever saw."

Kunhardt has a favorite portrait. It was taken in 1865, after the 13th Amendment abolished slavery. Kunhardt's family owned the only original print of the photo, which now belongs to the Smithsonian.

A crack in the original glass negative shows on the upper part of the photo.

"It's the last great photograph taken before the assassination," Kunhardt said. "That cracked glass is almost haunting given the fate that would befall him."

In fact, the book displays a photo of Lincoln lying in his coffin in New York City.

Kunhardt's visit to Springfield comes as the celebration of Lincoln's 200th birthday is winding down. It started February of this year, and Kunhardt was in town then to promote a different Lincoln book.

Illinois Historic Preservation Agency spokesman Dave Blanchette said events for the yearlong celebration are mostly over but have generated a lot of interest in Lincoln.

"Every Lincoln site has seen significant increases in attendance," Blanchette said.

Kunhardt said he's sensed some added interest, too. But, he said, his wish that the excitement would turn up another new Lincoln photo hasn't come true.

"That's why everyone was hoping another one would appear," he said.

GO!

What: Book signing and discussion with Philip B. Kunhardt III, co-author of "Lincoln, Life-Size"

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum-Union Theater, Springfield

Cost: Free, but reservations required at 217-558-8934