Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s portrait tells his story from inside — and outside — his office

INDIANAPOLIS (INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — Cowboy boots, an Ohio River scene, former First Dog Henry: all were key components of outgoing Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s gubernatorial portrait, unveiled during a Statehouse ceremony on Friday.

The 51st governor — whose tenure will end in less than a month — said he intentionally chose those and other details enshrined in the painting. Even the tiniest of details carry significant meaning, representing pivotal moments and experiences from his life before and since he took office.

Hoosier portrait artist Russell Recchion was selected from a group of more than two dozen applicants to illustrate Holcomb’s likeness on canvas.

“He very early on said that he’s an artist, but he has to know what he’s painting. And in this case, that was the person — me,” Holcomb told the Indiana Capital Chronicle in a Friday interview. “He traveled with me … he watched me interact with people. He wanted to be able to paint my personality, which was something he said very early on.”

First Lady Janet Holcomb, an avid artist herself, was also “directly engaged” in the portrait process from start to finish and helped select Recchion as the artist.

“I knew he and Eric would easily connect on a personal level,” the first lady said at Friday’s unveiling. “I also felt that connection would come through in the portrait — and I believe it has.”

Holcomb’s story — in a painting

Among the symbolism and imagery in Holcomb’s portrait is a “special view” of the Ohio River, as seen from Hanover College. Holcomb attended the private college from 1986 to 1990.

“There’ve been a few places in my life that have had a big impact on my life, and that’s why we went to Madison,” Holcomb said.

Originally, the governor said he wanted to be featured standing up, on Hanover’s campus, with the Ohio River in the background.

“But, basically, (Recchion) came back and said, ‘You’re too tall.’ … If I stood there — to get the portrait — the frame would need to be bigger … it would have looked more than funny … so we decided, ‘Hey, that can’t work,’” Holcomb recalled. “But he took pictures of me standing there, and he agreed to paint that separately, because that’s such an iconic kind of view of the state.” 

The river scene ultimately ended up in the background, hanging behind Holcomb. He emphasized that it’s a “really important” and memorable view for him, personally, given that Recchion painted the scene from the same spot where Holcomb stood at his graduation.

The purple tie donned by the governor is also an homage to his alma mater, honoring his fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, of which he served as chapter president.

Part of his outfit, too, features cowboy boots — nod to the governor’s “distinctive style and grounded approach,” his office said.

Holcomb — who said he did not want to be depicted behind a desk — instead chose a “comfortable” sitting pose, which he called a “listening posture,” to represent his commitment “to listen first.”

A globe sits on the desk next to him, symbolizing the governor’s efforts “to connect the state globally.” Indiana’s flag additionally hangs in the background.

“We’ve done a lot of traveling,” Holcomb noted, but having Indiana at the globe’s forefront “is to bring the world back to us.”

And ever so discreetly, a family portrait featuring a photo of the the first lady and former First Dog Henry “reflect family ties,” the governor said. Henry’s cameo made him the inaugural pet to be featured in a governor’s painting.

“I couldn’t have done the job without those two. I mean, Henry, you talk about my buddy during the pandemic. That was like … get a dog if you want a friend. And he sat there on my lap and that rocking chair out there every night,” Holcomb said, pointing towards a seat inside the governor’s residence.

In question, however, was whether to paint Holcomb with a beard or glasses. In the end, the beard stayed, but the glasses — no longer worn by the governor — didn’t make the cut. 

“We agreed to just paint what you see,” Holcomb said. “I was kind of quizzing him, like, beard no beard. I wanted to see if he said, ‘You need to shave.’ I wouldn’t have, but I just wanted to see what he said. And we agreed — if you paint something, you’ve got to paint what you see.”

Holcomb is the first governor to have facial hair in his portrait since Samuel Ralston, who served between 1913 and 1917.

About the artist

Recchion, whose work has additionally been commissioned by Indiana University and Eli Lilly, was selected from the competitive field of artists — all with ties to the Hoosier state — to create the official portrait at the beginning of this year. 

He’s worked as a portrait painter for more than 30 years and serves on the board of the Oil Painters of America. In 1990, he moved to Indianapolis and built a studio in Avon, and was an active member in the Hoosier Art Salon and Brown County Art Guild, according to the governor’s office. 

While he now resides in Tuscon, Arizona, he still remains “very involved” with Hoosier Art Salon, Holcomb’s team said.

Holcomb said the artist joined him at his eighth and last State of State to the General Assembly in January. Recchion also joined Holcomb on a trip to Madison and spent time at the governor’s residence.

“They have been so generous with their time … it has been such a joy for me to work with them,” Recchion said of the Holcombs during Friday’s ceremony. “All of this time together was so valuable for me, as a portrait painter, because I really got to know the governor. I got to see him up close at work, and from home, and I got to know his personality and his spirit before I even touched a brush to the canvas.”

More than a century of portrait history

How Indiana’s executive leaders are depicted in their gubernatorial portraits is largely up to them. It’s a tradition that dates back to 1869, when then-Gov. Conrad Baker began collecting pictures of the 17 Hoosier governors who preceded him. 

The collection of paintings has since come to capture every governor in Indiana history — including those from when the state was just a territory — except acting Gov. John Gibson, who served for four months in 1800 while awaiting the arrival of territorial Gov. William Henry Harrison.

Mark Ruschman, chief curator of fine arts at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, previously told the Capital Chronicle the portraits “immortalize” Indiana’s top leaders and “honor them for the work they’ve done.” They’re also “excellent” windows into the past — providing a glimpse at the personalities, expressions and even the fashion preferences of former Hoosier governors.

Many of the works are now on display at the Indiana Statehouse. The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites is charged with overseeing the portrait process and caring for existing portraits.

Private funding is used to pay for the artist’s commission and framing of the portrait. Any remaining funds are maintained by the state museum for the preservation and exhibition of the collection.