Governor Fred Warner
(1905-1911)

1911
Painted by Percy Ives
Oil on Canvas

This portrait of Governor Fred Warner, painted by Percy Ives, is one of the artist’s most modern portrayals. The strong contrast of black and white in the piece, along with the visible, expressionistic brushstrokes used throughout the painting, illustrate the development of Percy’s style over time. Though the artist began by painting with a combination of modern and traditional styles, this portrait of Warner shows Percy straying further from the traditional and aligning himself more with popular art of the period, which pushed back against classical portrayals.

Warner is painted at full length, with one hand tucked into the pocket of his trousers and the other hanging by his side. He holds a rolled-up document and is positioned next to a table covered in books and papers. Aside from the chair behind him, the rest of the background is simple, with nearly half of it completely covered in shadow. Warner does not look at the viewer, but instead gazes out to his left, as if deep in thought. His face and hands are naturalistic but created with highly visible brushstrokes. The left side of the man’s face is particularly expressionistic, with the outlines of his eye and mustache blending into the layered paint that makes up the rest of his face.

Created in 1911, this piece incorporates the popular expressionistic style of the early 20th century. At the same time, it remains naturalistic enough to fit the prescribed expectations for formal governmental portraiture. This demonstrates the tension that has likely existed for Capitol portrait artists over time, between artistic expression and the nature of a gubernatorial portrait commissions.