57 x 38 in. (144.8 x 96.5 cm)
Framed: 71 1/2 x 52 1/2 in. (181.6 x 133.4 cm)
Accession Number
2003.015.000
Credit Line
Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
Object Details
Although this portrait was made long after Chairman Thomas Foley left the Agriculture Committee, it was intended to show him as he appeared when he wielded the Chairman’s gavel. The carved relief in the background includes apples, grapes, and wheat, which allude to the committee’s jurisdiction. Foley’s dog, Alice, makes an appearance at her master’s side. His hand rests on a chair whose upholstery suggests the seal of the Speaker of the House, a reference to his later position as Speaker.