Museum Director Commissions Jewish Artist for $48.5k Portrait of Himself (with Museum Funds)
January 5th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
W. Richard West Jr., founding director of the National Museum of the American Indian, spent $48,500 of the museum’s money on a portrait of himself, reports The Washington Post in Portrait Cost Indian Museum $48,500.
The portrait (pictured, from Wash Post) was painted by Burton Silverman (official website, American Society of Portrait Artists profile).
According to the Post story, Silverman is “of Polish descent.” Although his website does not elaborate, a profile on California-based Waterhouse Gallery’s site indicates Silverman “showed early art talent, and his parents who were orthodox Jewish even allowed him to go to art school on the Sabbath.”
Silverman has not yet replied to an email seeking confirmation that he is Jewish.