Charles Edward Hovey, the first president of Illinois State Normal University (now Illinois State University), played a pivotal role in the institution's early years. Located in Normal, Illinois, ISU was founded in 1857 and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The Milner Library at Illinois State University proudly holds two historically significant artifacts that reflect the legacy of Charles Edward Hovey: a portrait painting and a Civil War battle-used sword. The portrait is a rare image of Hovey before his military service, making it an essential piece of the University's historical collection.
Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, before treatment
During his time as the University president, Hovey was instrumental in developing the institution, the first publicly funded academic institution of higher education in Illinois. The institution aimed to train teachers to serve in underserved areas of the state. His legacy extended beyond education as he led the 33rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as the Schoolmasters Regiment, which comprised students and faculty from the University. Hovey's contributions were significant both in the realm of education and military service, highlighting the dual nature of his legacy.
Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, before treatment, verso
The portrait of Hovey, believed to date back to the mid-1850s, offers a glimpse into his early years at the University. Despite the uncertainty about its exact date, the painting is invaluable for educational tours at the Rayfield Archives. It provides a tangible connection for students studying art history, public history, and other disciplines, allowing them to engage with the University's past and Hovey's contributions. April Anderson-Zorn, University Archivist, shared, "An art history student can learn about the piece and Hovey's connection to ISNU. In contrast, a history student in the public history course learns how to use memorabilia, ephemera, and archives as a way to connect a community with its history."
Civil War sword, before treatment
The sword, another artifact linked to Hovey, is one of the two he used during his Civil War service. Research indicates that the metal for the sword was sourced from Germany and forged in Philadelphia. Hovey likely acquired it before his military service. He used the sword for the year he served and saw action at several significant battles associated with the Campaign of Vicksburg, including the Battle of Cotton Plant.
Civil War sword, before treatment, detail
Both the painting and the sword have undergone meticulous conservation efforts to preserve their historical and educational value. Michael Young, Senior Paintings Conservator, treated the painting. Before treatment, the painting showed signs of age, which is common in historical artifacts. The painting exhibited moderate deformations throughout and was slack on its support. On the reverse, there were twelve canvas patches, ranging from 1 to 6 inches in size. The paint layer, characteristic of moderately applied oil, showed craquelure throughout, indicating stable age-related wear. Tenting and associated losses were visible along the bottom three inches, with two small losses on the shirt collar. Large areas of repaint covered the front, corresponding to the patches on the back. The painting was varnished with a discolored natural resin and exhibited a light layer of surface grime.
Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, before treatment, detail
Michael began treatment of the painting by locally consolidating the flaking paint using conservation adhesives. The painting was surface cleaned to remove grime using appropriate aqueous solutions or dry methods, and the reverse was cleaned of grime using a soft brush and vacuum. Michael removed the varnish layer and the areas of repaint to the extent safely possible with appropriate solvents. The canvas was removed from the stretcher, and patches were removed before the deformations were flattened as much as possible using a combination of heat, suction, humidity, and weight techniques.
Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, during treatment for deformations
Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, during treatment for deformations
Michael then aligned and mended the tears using conservation adhesive, and the original canvas was lined with a prepared canvas using conservation adhesives to offer structural support. He then restretched the painting onto the existing stretcher and adjusted the tension. The losses were filled and textured using an appropriate conservation-grade fill material, and a coat of varnish was to saturate the paint layer. Inpainting was carried out in areas of loss and abrasion using reversible conservation paints, and a final coat of varnish was applied to integrate the surface gloss.
Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, during treatment
Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, during treatment
Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, after treatment
Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, after treatment, verso
The frame, treated by Josh McCauley, the Senior Conservator of Objects and Frames, also required significant attention. Frames, often neglected, are integral to the artwork's presentation. The frame comprises wood, compo, gesso, gold leaf, toned silver leaf, and black bole. It exhibited open miters and had been poorly gilded with imitation gold leaf. Moderate scratches, abrasions, and dents were present throughout, and the original surface was unclear due to overpainting. There were minor compo losses at the top right and moderate gesso and gilding losses throughout, particularly at the upper and outer edges. The frame appeared to be original to the painting, partially refinished, with a metal leaf on the outer wall edge. It was overpainted overall, with the overpaint having oxidized, and exhibited a moderate layer of surface grime.
Detail of Frame, Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, before treatment
Josh began the conservation work on the frame, stabilizing the miters and removing the overpaint. He consolidated flaking compo, gesso, and gilding with appropriate conservation adhesives and removed the overgilding from the liner. The liner was retextured to emulate the original finish, and a grey bole and oil gilding with gold leaf was applied. Gesso losses were then filled, and those areas, along with any scratches or abrasions, were ingilded to match the surrounding area.
Frame for Portrait of Charles Edward Hovey, after treatment
The sword was treated by Stephen Ryan, Senior Conservator of Furniture. Its condition before treatment included polish residue on the fretwork in the hilt, moderate oxidation on the brass and steel blade, and red rot and significant surface losses on the scabbard leather. The end of the scabbard exhibited a 1" loss and a 3 ½" split in the leather. The hilt handle, assembled using metal pins to connect the handguard to the hilt end and the hilt end cap to the handle, had loose pins no longer secured to the wood substrate.
Civil War sword, after treatment
Stephen's treatment began with photographing the sword for in-house documentation before and after the work. The pinned area where the handguard and hilt end cap meet was stabilized with a bulked reversible adhesive, ensuring the connection's stability without compromising the artifact's integrity. Although it was impossible to remove the hilt pins to repair the wood substrate connection, this approach effectively minimized the risk of further deterioration. Surface oxidation was left untreated to preserve the sword's historical authenticity, but the red rot in the leather was stabilized. After treatment, the hilt retained some minor movement, but the connection was stable for display and research purposes.
Civil War sword, after treatment
The painting and its frame, now securely stored within the Archives repository, hang alongside portraits of other ISU presidents. This provides a striking contrast between Hovey's historical portrait and the more recent presidents' printed photographs on canvas, offering a unique visual history of the University's leadership. The sword is stored in a specially made box by Milner Library's Preservation team, facilitating its transportation and exhibition at various events.
April Anderson-Zorn, University Archivist, shares that these artifacts are educational tools that connect students and the community with the University's rich history and the enduring legacy of Charles Edward Hovey. "It's an interesting juxtaposition to see his restored portrait next to portraits of recently retired presidents. Their portraits are printed photographs on canvas and glossed with a clear coat to give them a stylized painted look. It's always interesting to show all those portraits to class groups and get their take on the individual presidents and the art of their time." These meticulously conserved artifacts serve as educational tools that connect students and the community with the rich history of Illinois State University and the enduring legacy of Charles Edward Hovey.
