Iowa City’s Portrait of Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780), by Isaac Wetherby

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On offer is a portrait of renowned English jurist Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780). Any attorney worth their standing with the … Read more On offer is a portrait of renowned English jurist Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780). Any attorney worth their standing with the state bar will recognize from law school days the author of the landmark “Commentaries of the Laws of England.”
Painted in Iowa City, Iowa exactly a century after Blackstone’s death, it’s clear that the subject didn’t sit for the work. Nor was there likely to be any late-19th-century wig maker within a thousand miles of Iowa City who might have crafted this awesome hairpiece. Nevertheless, Blackstone remains inspiring in his approachable gravitas.
The portrait’s creator, a prominent Iowa City painter and photographer Isaac Augustus Wetherby (1819-1904) was undoubtedly commissioned by a local legal group to complete the work. No less an above-reproach group as the Pilgrim Chapter of NSDAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution) are reported to have ‘marked’ a portrait of Sir William Blackstone hanging “in the Iowa City Courthouse in 1936, acknowledging his significant contributions to legal history.”
Inquiries from Iowa City or members of the legal profession in good standing are most welcome. See less