I am updating my blog post about portrait painter Victor Long as many hyperlinks have broken and better sources have come online over the decade. (I’ll repost the link when I am done.) In the past few days, I have looked at 100+ Long portraits. He was very formulaic with his subjects, especially government officials. It was always a dour suit and slightly turned, such as on the right with Alex Rutherford, Alberta premier from 1905-10. On the left is the man who preceded him, Rutherford. F. W. G. Haultain, who was premier from 1897 – 1905 and painted by Long in 1912. Haultain must have decided “I’m not having that”, and donned a tuxedo jacket, unbuttoned, a bow tie, then lit up a dart and stared straight at the artist. I assume the unseen hand is holding a libation of some sort. I imagine he threw a good party or two in his day. I wonder if Long appreciated the change or if he bristled at it?
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