Rare Autographs, Manuscripts and Aviation Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/27/2016
c. 1974, Original Oil Painting on Canvas, President Harry Truman, Bust Portrait by Lawrence Williams, Choice Extremely Fine.
Original color 16" x 20" Bust Portrait of President Harry Truman, Oil Painting on Canvas, boldly Signed "Lawrence Williams" by artist in lower right hand corner in bright red and housed within a gold colored wood frame with cloth matting. Overall measuring about 24" x 28". Lawrence Williams (died 2003) was considered a master portrait artist and was famous for portraits that caught the spirit of his subjects as well as their likeness. He was particularly known for his portraits of United States Presidents and First Ladies.
In the fall of 1974, Williams became interested, with the approaching American Bi-Centennial celebration, in painting a series of oil portraits of the Presidents of the United States. These paintings were painted from official photographs Williams obtained from the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. The 38 original oil portraits of the presidents by Williams were given to the Colorado Department of Education in 1977. After circulating throughout public schools across Colorado, the collection was placed on the third floor rotunda and unveiled as the Gallery of Presidents on Colorado Day, 1982.Over the years, Williams painted 2 additional sets of presidents and first ladies from Washington through Clinton. These are now in various museums and a very few came into the hands of private collectors.
Oil Painting of "Harry Truman" by Lawrence Williams
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