COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Artists often put oil to canvas at this time of year to render the official portrait of a governor or legislative leader who's coming to or going from office.
Oil paintings of American politicians go back to George Washington. It's a tradition that's been made largely immune to budget pressures thanks to private funding.
But the practice isn't without its challenges. The commissioning and placement of the portraits — mostly of governors, sometimes of legislative leaders — can raise quirky questions.
What of the Ohio governor whose portrait probably took longer to paint than her 11-day tenure in office? Or the image of a once-revered New York governor who later engaged in misdeeds?
Not all Ohio's images are on display. Some lieutenant governor portraits are in storage awaiting restoration.
