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 an Oregon governor whose past misdeeds were later revealed?
Not all Ohio's images are on display. Some lieutenant governor portraits are in storage awaiting restoration.
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