Elihu Root (/February 15, 1845 – February 7, 1937) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and statesman who served as the 41st U.S. Secretary of War and 38th U.S. Secretary of State. He also served as the United States Senator from New York and received the 1912 Nobel Peace Prize. Root is sometimes considered the prototype of the 20th century political "wise man," advising presidents on a range of foreign and domestic issues. He served as secretary of war under William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

Any man (or woman) of any importance in the 19th and early 20th century felt they had to have an official engraved portrait. This is a continuing series of intaglio vignette portrait engravings produced for these gentlemen and ladies.