Mayoral Painting Restoration Underway

Work on restoring three Providence mayoral portraits is now underway. Alice Miles, a RISD graduate with more than thirty years experience in art restoration, is beginning to work her magic on the portrait of Patrick J. McCarthy who served as the city's chief executive from 1907 to 1909. McCarthy was the city's first foreign-born mayor. Funds for the restoration of this painting have been raised from the Irish community and Dr. Donald Deignan. The portrait will be hung in Mayor Taveras' office when complete.


Miles has set up a temporary studio on the 5th floor of City Hall and the public is being invited to view progress on the paintings. She will be here Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 1:00 p.m. till 4:00 p.m. Following work on Mayor McCarthy she will restore the portraits of Mayor Henry Fletcher and William K. Potter.


The restoration project is being coordinated by the Providence City Archives. Fourteen paintings in the city's collection of thirty-one portraits are in need of repair and cleaning. Several are severely damaged. Donations and other funds are now being solicited to underwrite the cost of the project. For more information about the project or contributing to the effort contact City Archivist Paul Campbell at 421-7740 ext. 558 or via e-mail at prcampbell@providenceri.com