Portrait of American Antiquarian Society President is Unveiled

Richard Duckett, Worcester Magazine, March 27th 2024

Following a long-standing tradition, former American Antiquarian Society President Ellen S. Dunlap had her portrait unveiled March 12 at the institution at 185 Salisbury St., Worcester.

"It's a tradition that goes back to the earliest days," said current AAS President Scott E. Casper about the paintings of former society presidents that are hung in the building. The portrait of AAS founder and its first president Isaiah Thomas (1749-1831) greets visitors in the lobby.

Dunlap was president of the society for 28 years from 1992, until her retirement in 2020. "Twenty eight years in American Antiquarian Society years — that's kind of a short-timer," Dunlap joked.

But the society is embracing some new aspects to the tradition. After all, Dunlap was the first — and, so far, only —woman to serve as president in the society’s 212-year history.

'A very modern portrait'

The unveilng of Jo Hay’s portrait of Ellen S. Dunlap, former President of the American Antiquarian Society. (Photo: Nathan Fiske)

Her portrait by Jo Hay, a British/American artist who lives in Provincetown, is a different style to the traditional institutional-style portraits of other male former AAS presidents who were painted (one president, Clifford Shipton, who served from 1939 to 1967, did not want a portrait).

In Hay's modern style, Dunlap's head and shoulders fill the large surface in bright colors. There is no background other than hues of blue, and Dunlap is not holding a book or sitting at a desk, which in any case would be out of view.

"I guess I always talk about myself as a contemporary painter," said Hay. One description might be "abstract impressionism ... I want the work to have a little movement to it. I really want people to feel as well as see," she said.

"It is a very modern portrait for the 21st century," Casper said. "In keeping with Ellen's work, which brought us to modern times to connect to broader audiences."The portrait unveiling marked a busy month of new portraits in Worcester. On March 14, Mechanics Hall revealed its three portraits of Black Americans from its Portraits Project.

Dunlap is credited with placing increased emphasis on making the society's collections available to a wide variety of constituents. Asked about her highlights as president, Dunlap cited representing the society when it received the National Humanities Medal from President Obama at the White House in 2014, digitalizing the collection and "making the collection as accessible as possible," as well as leading the organization through three major construction projects.