Governor Luren D. Dickinson
(1939-1941)

1942
Painted by Charles W. Traver
Oil on Canvas

In this portrait by Charles W. Traver, Governor Luren Dickenson is pictured sitting in a rolling desk chair. His pose is relaxed, though his left elbow rests stiffly on the table beside him, rather than on the arm of his chair. He gazes directly at the viewer with a serious expression, though his demeanor appears calm. Dickenson’s face is naturalistic and exhibits many wrinkles – perhaps a sign of the man’s wisdom; at age 79, he claimed the record of being Michigan’s oldest governor. The lack of visible brushstrokes and relatively plain background give this portrait a more traditional feeling. The large columns behind Dickenson’s head provide a neoclassical addition to the portrait, a contrast to the modern chair in which he sits.