Judge Henry Lewis 

This is George Caleb Bingham’s portrait of Judge Henry Lewis. Though undated, it reflects the cultural and political landscape of 19th-century America. Bingham, a Missourian painter, gained recognition for his depictions of everyday life along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Yet, his artistic practice took place amidst intense political polarization around westward expansion and slavery. Bingham himself was deeply involved in politics, serving in the Missouri legislature, so this painting prompts us to think about how power dynamics shaped artistic expression. The portrait presents a formal, almost severe image of Judge Lewis. This portrayal echoes the visual language typically reserved for elite white men. The judge's stern gaze and formal attire convey authority. But what stories are absent? The narratives of enslaved peoples, whose labor and lives were subject to legal decisions made by figures like Judge Lewis, are noticeably missing. Portraits are rarely neutral. This piece offers insight into the way power was visually constructed and communicated in 19th century America.