Gallery features 18 of 19 past presidents
Feb 17, 2010
By George Mauzy

An opening reception will be held at the new Presidential Portrait Gallery at 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, as part of the Ohio University Founders Day celebration.

The gallery is located in the hallway outside the main doors of the Baker University Center Ballroom on the fourth floor. The reception, which is free and open to the public, will include refreshments.

The Presidential Portrait Gallery consists of original hand-painted portraits of 18 of the university’s 19 past presidents, with the lone exception being second president James Irvine. The university does not have a picture of Irvine to create a portrait. The portraits range in size from 30” x 26” to 47” x 32”.

“We are currently working with our School of Art to get a presidential portrait of Dr. McDavis finished in the near future,” said Jen Haft, executive office assistant in the Office of the President.

Haft said the gallery was created in an effort to place all of the presidential portraits in one place on campus. She said the portraits had previously been displayed in various locations on campus, including Cutler and McGuffey halls and the Ping Recreation Center.

Most of the paintings had been in storage since they were removed from the Cutler Hall walls during a 2004 interior renovation.

“We wanted to create a single space on campus where everyone, especially students, could see the portraits and learn about the history of the past university presidents,” Haft said.

President Roderick J. McDavis will speak during the Founders Day reception and former president Charles J. Ping will be in attendance. A free commemorative brochure featuring the past presidents will be available at the event.

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Office of the President

A view of the new Presidential Portrait Gallery in the Baker University Center. The gallery features portraits of 18 of the university's past presidents.