Governor John J. Bagley

This half-length portrait of Governor John Bagley, painted by Lewis T. Ives, shows the governor standing in a confident, self-assured fashion. He holds one hand behind his back, while the other rests on top of a stack of papers on the desk beside him. Bagley gazes ahead, but he does not acknowledge the viewer; instead, he appears lost in thought. Though he is depicted naturalistically, his face is idealized and painted using muted, gray tones.

The somber color palette used in this painting contributes to the serious, stately feel of the portrait. The simple background of this piece highlights Ives’ skill at rendering faces, hair, and hands. This painting was presented to the University of Michigan by Mrs. Bagley in 1885, and then presented to the state by the U-M History and Traditions Committee in 1995. The Capitol received the portrait in April 1996.