Capitol Portrait Collection Tour

This painting is the oldest gubernatorial portrait in the collection. Though small, it is a finely painted bust that exemplifies early 19th century American portraiture.

Porter sits at an angle, dressed in formal attire that includes an 1830's cravat. The plain background and Porter's serious expression are typical of formal portraiture. The light, glowing effect of the man's skin is achieved by the application of several thin layers of oil paint, a classical approach to painting.

This portrait of Governor Sleeper represents a turning point in the collection, where artists begin to stray from the classical approach. While Sleeper's face and hands remain realistic, we can see more visible brushstrokes and a variation of color and paint thickness within them. His facial expression and pose are also more relaxed and comfortable.

The background of this piece showcases much more artistic freedom and spontaneity than earlier portraits. The unrestrained, colorful brushstrokes in the couch and the curtain behind Sleeper communicate intense emotion. They may call to mind some Post-Impressionist artwork - like that of Van Gogh, for example!

Of all the portraits in the collection, this one garners the most questions from our visitors! Governor Swainson's portrait stands out due to its unique brushwork, which gives it an unfinished, sketched appearance. It is a powerful example of how social and historical context can help us understand an artwork.

Swainson's portrait is an example of Abstract Expressionsim: a style that developed in response to the uncertainy of mid-20th century America. The country was at war in Vietnam, with the Korean War, WWII, and the Great Depression fresh in its collective memory. This art style is characterized by fast, loose, spontaneous brushstrokes and abstract colors, which help communicate the artist's emotional state to the viewer.

Fun Fact! This portrait is painted on a hardboard called Masonite, rather than canvas, which has created a challenge for conservators because oil paint has trouble adhering to it. Even the materials of this work reflect the uncertainty of its time period!

Symbolic items in this portrait of Governor James Blanchard include a vase of maple leaves for his term as Ambassador to Canada, a model car for the Chrysler rescue package he spearheaded, a white diploma for the Michigan Education Trust (tied with a Spartan green ribbon for Michigan State University), and two volumes of the Congressional Record for his time in Congress.

Many visitors ask about the "moving box" behind the governor, as well. The portrait's artist, Robert Wilbert, was known to prioritize form over function with his portrait props, incorporating humble objects - like the box - to display symbolic items. Wilbert was also the artist behind Michigan's Sesquicentennial stamp design, featured on the poster behind Blanchard's foot.

This portrait of Governor Engler strikes a careful balance between casual and controlled. He stands in a relaxed pose and is painted in a lifelike fashion, including age lines on his face. Objects appear to be piled haphazardly on his desk, though each one has a symbolic meaning.

The brass elephant and the bust of Lincoln symbolize the Republican party, while the books reflect his political and personal interests (for example, the biography of Pope John Paul II acknowledges Engler’s practice of Catholicism). A photo of Engler’s wife and three daughters shows that he is a family man – as do the roses in each corner of the painting's gilded frame, one for each of the family members pictured. Engler's tie features profiles of Adam Smith, an economist associated with conservative politics, and he holds blueprints to denote his involvement in the Capitol's 1987-1992 restoration.

Governor Jennifer Granholm's portrait is carefully crafted to communicate a message of hope and success to her viewers. She has chosen a powerful, wide-legged stance and surrounded herself with symbolic objects, many of them related to her pursuit of a greener future.

A painting of the Ford River Rouge Plant hangs behind her, nodding to the historic importance of manufacturing in Michigan, while a model wind turbine and Chevy Volt (an electric car) sit on the table beside her. The shovel in the background alludes to a groundbreaking ceremony for a Holland battery plant, which she attended with President Barack Obama. The books on her shelf have been carefully selected to reflect the governor’s values and interests, and a miniature Spirit of Detroit statue sits on top of it.

Unlike many portraits in the collection that surround governors with visibly symbolic objects, this portrait communicates with viewers more organically. Though small symbols are hidden throughout the portrait, like a Petoskey stone tucked between leaves in the bottom left corner, artist Joshua Risner places more emphasis on capturing the governor's identity and essence in paint.

Snyder stands outdoors, beside a lake and surrounded by tall autumn trees. This background can be read metaphorically, suggesting qualities such as strength, fortitude, and wisdom with age – all traits that a governor strives to embody.

This painting of President Gerald R. Ford is the only portrait of a president in the Capitol's collection. Ford resided in Grand Rapids for most of his childhood and adult years prior to his time in Congress. This larger-than-life portrait of Ford entered the Capitol's collection in 1991.

Lewis Ives take a classical approach to formal portraiture. He uses several thin layers of oil paint, building up the color gradually and leaving few, if any, brushstrokes behind. His careful, controlled painting technique reveals not only a focused study of Campbell’s features, but of earlier masters and their techniques as well.

For example, the emphasis on line in this portrait is akin to the work of Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo. The use of brown tones throughout the painting also suggests that Ives looked to history for inspiration; this practice was common amongst American portrait artists at the time, who hoped the colors would give their paintings an “Old World” feel.

In contrast to his father, Percy paints in a more modern style. He uses the alla prima approach, which involves applying the paint all in one sitting and layering wet paint over wet paint. This leaves behind visible brushstrokes, or traces of the artist's hand, and it adds a sense of spontaneity to the portrait.

Here, Justice McGrath appears focused, though there is a sense of hopefulness and ease to his expression as well. This is mirrored by colorful additions to the portrait's background, which adds a creativity to an otherwise formal piece.

Representative Ferguson served in the MI House from 1893-1896 and was the state's first Black legislator. This portrait was painted by contemporary artist Joshua Adam Risner using a historical style.

The hazy transition from light to dark tones across the background is characteristic of Tonalism, a movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries which focused on subtle shifts between colors to create harmony, elicit emotion, and encourage contemplation. The background colors, reminiscent of the sky at dusk or dawn, are intended to remind viewers that Ferguson’s election occurred at the dawn of a new century.

Ferguson is pictured wearing a coat and top hat. Though this is not traditional attire for a formal portrait, extant photos of the Representative feature a similar outfit and Risner felt that the clothing added strength and stability to the man's form.

In this portrait, the Marquis de Lafayette is pictured on a rocky hillside in front of a colorful, cloudy sky. The colors used here are typical of early 19th century paintings, particularly those by artists like Benjamin West. The dark greens and browns in the foreground speak to the grounding effects of nature, while the vibrant blue and pastel pink in the sky highlight the expansiveness of the American countryside.

This painting has hung in all three of Michigan’s capitol buildings. It was originally believed to be by the French artist Ary Scheffer. Conservation later revealed that the portrait was a copy of Scheffer’s, created by James Alexander Simpson during Lafayette’s 1824-1825 visit to the United States. Copying was an acceptable practice at the time, used as a studying tool for emerging artists and a way to spread images of important individuals more widely. The original version currently hangs in the House Chamber of the nation’s Capitol.

This piece is representative of Gamble's typical style. His brushstrokes are visible and expressionistic throughout the portrait, particularly in Fitzgerald’s clothing and the background. The governor’s suit is outlined with a thick black line, giving the figure a graphic quality that makes him pop off the canvas. The furniture is similarly outlined, though thinner, brown lines are used; this flattens the scene slightly overall.

The portrait of Governor Frank Murphy is similarly simplified, with a plain background and heavy outlines around the figure.

Though Gamble did not take commissions from the Works Progress Administration, his style is reminiscent of many WPA artists that worked contemporaneously. The immediacy of the brushstrokes throughout the piece, which create an unsettled feeling, reflect the unrest of the period in which he worked, as America emerged from the Great Depression and entered the second World War.

This painting of Governor Murray Van Wagoner was the first of Coppin's four portraits, and it is the most traditional. The governor sits in a relaxed post and smiles at the viewer, creating a welcoming feeling in the portrait. His clothing contributes to this as well: his suit, while formal, crumples as he leans forward, and his colorful tie appears slightly askew. The background of this portrait has been kept simple, with a classical red curtain cascading down the left side of the canvas.

In this piece, Governor Harry Kelly is shown in a straightforward, simple pose within his office. Few brushstrokes are visible in Kelly's face, a more traditional approach, though they can be seen in his clothing and the background of the painting. This aligns the painting more closely with artistic trends of the mid-20th century, which included more prevalent, expressive brushstrokes. Notice the hyperrealistic rendering of the governor's right hand and its reflection on the glass table beneath it, as well.

Of Coppin's four portraits, the painting of Governor Kim Sigler is the most unusual. Sigler is pictured towering over the outside of the Capitol building, set against the backdrop of a bright blue, cloudy sky. Coppin plays with the horizon line, lowering it to make the sky more prominent. A plane is pictured behind the governor – a nod to the fact that he was also a pilot.

This painting of Governor Williams is full of symbolism. The six red Michigan Manuals on the desk beside him nod to his six two-year terms in office, while the presence of a cross and Episcopalian book of prayer show his ties to religion. He wears his trademark polka dot green bow tie, and the Mackinac Bridge, built during his term, stretches out across the background.

Coppin goes further than these symbols, however, communicating information about the governor's personality and demeanor too. Williams leans back in his chair and smiles at the viewer in a welcoming fashion. The choice to smile in a formal portrait is unusual; generally, sitters are painted with a more neutral, ambiguous expression that allows for a more complex reading of the piece. Williams likely requested a smile, as the other Michigan governors painted by Coppin are not shown smiling.