Christian Petersen
Object NamePortrait
Artist / Maker
Frank I. Johnson
(Swedish-American, 1879 - 1952)
Date1943
MediumOil
Dimensions38" x 32" (96.5 x 81.2cm)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineGift of the Playmakers of Ames. In the Art on Campus Collection, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Object numberUM82.127
Status
Not on viewCollections
Label TextJohnson was commissioned by Iowa State to create several official portraits of campus faculty. He also became a close family friend of Charlotte and Christian Petersen. Johnson painted two portraits of Christian, with this one becoming the official Iowa State portrait and visually places Petersen in context of his studio and Iowa State.
Widely known for his white shirt and tie, Petersen is shown working with rolled up shirt sleeves as he sculpts the portrait bust of Martin Mortensen, who was the head of Dairy Science, and with whom petersen first worked at Iowa State when he sculpted the History of Dairying (1933-34) bas relief mural for the Dairy Industry Building. Also illustrated in the background is the Library Girl (completed in 1944 after this painting was finished).
Locations
- (not entered) Iowa State University, Christian Petersen Art Museum, Collections Storage
Object Name: Portrait
Frank I. Johnson
1946
Object number: U98.1
Object Name: Portrait
Frank I. Johnson
1943
Object number: U88.12
Object Name: Portrait
Frank I. Johnson
1944
Object number: U86.439
Object Name: Portrait
Frank I. Johnson
1943
Object number: U82.126
Object Name: Portrait
Frank I. Johnson
1944
Object number: U86.443
Object Name: Portrait
Frank I. Johnson
c. 1940s
Object number: U88.37
Object Name: Painting
Frank I. Johnson
1943
Object number: U2006.107
Object Name: Painting
Frank Lobdell
1963
Object number: UM2011.177
