Members of the public can finally get a look at the $29,000 oil-on-canvas memorialization of Gov. Charlie Baker's eight years in the corner office.
Baker's official portrait, unveiled at a private soiree Dec. 21 in the Massachusetts State House library, was up on the wall this week in the lobby of the executive suite for all to see.
With display space in the lobby reserved for the 12 most recent governors, that means 1950s Gov. Christian Herter has finally moved out of the suite, with Gov. Foster Furcolo on deck to head out whenever Gov. Maura Healey's picture goes on the wall. Gov. Deval Patrick slid down a space to make way for Baker to occupy a spot closest to the door.
Ed Lyons, a Baker supporter known for writing about Massachusetts politics on social media, celebrated "unique" details of the portrait this week in a series of posts on X — such as the Swampscott Republican's purple necktie, both a color of bipartisanship and of Alzheimer's disease awareness. Lyons also noted that Baker's portrait is the first to feature that omnipresent piece of modern technology, the iPhone.
Another unique aspect of the portrait was its closed-doors unveiling, with members of the public and press kept away from getting a first glance at the canvas last Thursday.
Baker's political campaign account paid Pennsylvania-based artist Ellen Cooper nearly $30,000 over the past year for the picture. Decades ago, the cost of gubernatorial portraits was borne by the taxpayers. Gov. Michael Dukakis started a trend of financing portraits with private donations during his second term.
