President Gerald R. Ford
(1974-1977)

1991
Painted by Mark Heckman
Oil on Canvas

This painting of U.S. President Gerald Ford is the only portrait of a president in the Capitol’s collection. It was commissioned following an inquiry from the public as to why the only president to reside in Michigan was not displayed in the Capitol. The portrait is a larger-than-life bust of Ford in a relaxed pose. The graphic quality of the piece, with dark outlines and saturated colors, is reminiscent of pop art from the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s created by artists like Chuck Close and Andy Warhol. Completed in 1991, however, this painting can be better classified as exemplifying the neo-pop movement, which similarly broke from artistic tradition and was influenced by popular culture, mass production, and advertising.

Artist Mark Heckman was popular for his graphic design and illustration, as well as billboard paintings; this portrait of Ford can be read similarly. Ford is painted in a casual fashion: a wrinkle can be seen along his shirt, and he holds a pipe in his hand. At the time of the portrait’s creation, Ford had not smoked for over two decades; this suggests that the portrayal of the president is intended to highlight Ford as the cultural icon he had become, rather than Ford as an individual. Considered in this way, and as representative of the neo-pop art movement, this portrait demonstrates the role of the Capitol’s collection as commentary on historical, social, and cultural concepts larger than the subjects of the paintings.