By Stephen W. Houghton II
A portrait of Justice Robert H. Jackson by a local artist is the newest exhibit
at the Jackson Center in Jamestown. The painting by Ragnor A.
Ring depicts Jackson in a classic pose with his thumbs hooked in his vest
pockets standing before shelves of law books.
The work, created in 1955, was donated to the Jackson Center on Monday by
the artist’s brother, Arnie Ring. Ring inherited the painting after
his brother died in 1963. “It hung on our hallway wall, but it was too
large for the spot,” Ring said. “Unless someone went to the bedroom
or bathroom, they didn’t see it. I said to my wife, we have to do something
with it. I put it in my daughter’s attic about five years ago, but I
said to my wife recently, why not donate it to the Robert Jackson Center?
That is the one place it should be.”
Ragnor’s motivation for painting the Jackson portrait is not clear.
“My brother was 20 years older than me,” Ring said. “I don’t
know why he painted it.” Ring said the portrait was painted “from
a picture in the newspaper.”
He said Rolland Kidder, executive director of the Jackson Center, gave Ring
and his wife, Donna, a tour of the center. “I am just glad we could
do this,” Ring said of the donation.
Kidder said the center is grateful for the donation of the painting. “The
portrait will hang in a prominent place in the Jackson Center,” he said.
Greg Peterson, Jamestown attorney and president of the Jackson Center, said,
“The painting is a fantastic addition to the Robert Jackson Archives.
It will provide further insight in to the character of Robert Jackson. We
were thrilled to be the recipient of this contribution of a painting, which
was painted in 1955 as part of the exhibit. We are pleased that the family
thought of us as the repository for this memorabilia. It will be displayed
with a great deal of pride.”
Transcribed by Charlene J. Peterson, 2003