Lewis Ives

Lewis T. Ives was born in Rochester, New York and moved to Detroit as a boy. He studied art in Paris and Rome under William Page, though he chose to split his time between art and law upon his return to Detroit. Ives served as a counsel of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad for twelve years before devoting his time entirely to art. He became one of the most well-known and prolific portrait artists in Detroit, creating portraits of several governors, legislators, justices, and other prominent figures. Ives founded and was a lifetime member of the Prismatic Club of Detroit. Aside from several portraits in the Capitol’s collection, Ives is also responsible for the design of the building’s east pediment, “The Rise and Progress of Michigan.”

Photo courtesy of the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library.