Leda a la Mode,
ca. 1959.
Oil on canvas,
48 x 29 1/2 in.
Collection of Molly Root
Elihu Root, Jr., Class of 1903: Lawyer-Painter
June 5, 2004-September 5, 2004
Elihu Root, Jr. (Hamilton College Class of 1903) was a prominent lawyer in New York City, a son of a statesman (Secretary of State Elihu Root), father of an inventor and brother of an art collector, but he was also a recognized and accomplished painter. The artistic side of Elihu Root, Jr. was recognized by a group of New Yorkers who were members of The Century Association, a well known club for artists, professionals and intellectuals. For 20 years, from 1947 until 1966, Root exhibited at The Century and from 1957 until 1962 participated in Century shows open only to professional artists by invitation. Root also had a one-person show at the The Century Association in January 1963.
Three Hamilton students, Tally Gibson, Carolyn McLean and Laura Weatherly, led by Associate Professor of Art History Deborah Pokinski, curated this exhibition. The Emerson exhibition includes about 40 canvases by Root including landscapes, skyscapes, cloudscapes, portraits and the female nude. Most of the paintings have been loaned by the Root family. A few came from The Century Association and the Harvard Club of New York. Accompanied by an exhibition catalogue.
