Timothy Dwight V sits in the above the entrance to the dining hall in the college of his namesake. When students swipe to enter and eat for their meals, it appears as if they are being looked upon by Timothy Dwight V. The portrait, painted in 1935 by Deane Keller, seems to be made of oil paint or acrylics. It doesn’t appear to be large in size, but it’s large enough to be revered and noticed, looking to be about 3 feet in height and 2 feet in width.

To me, a portrait is just a depiction of someone that shows the essence or some facet of their personality. After viewing a portrait, I feel like I should feel somewhat as if I know what the person is like. Examining this portrait, I don’t know if it does that job, but it definitely does a job. Maybe Timothy Dwight V was a mostly straight-faced man, who didn’t have time for smiles and relaxation, which is what I assume of most of the white men on display in similar dining hall portraits. But realistically, I gather that this portrait wasn’t to show his personality or that he was a “relatable guy,” but to communicate the exact opposite––that he wasn’t a regular guy and that he has historical significance and that he wielded power within the Yale bubble.

In the portrait, Dwight V is posed similarly to his historical counterparts in other dining halls. He is standing, looking away from the viewer. He is poised––his back straight, his face void of emotion, framed by mutton chop-esque facial hair. In his right hand, he holds a paper that seems to be wrapped around itself: a diploma. Draped upon his body is a black and dark blue graduation robe with a black bowtie to accent it. There is nothing else depicted in the portrait as the background appears to be a deep brown with white haloed around Dwight’s figure. He doesn’t seem to be opposed to posing for the portrait, but he also doesn’t seem to be overjoyed––the traditional appearance for most white men in portraits such as these. The strokes in the painting cannot be seen as the surface is smooth and unwavering just as the facial expression of the subject is still and plain in nature, which is representative of how traditional and formal the portrait is.

The portrait pays homage to this important figure in Yale’s history as he served as Yale’s President from 1886-1899, following in the footsteps of Timothy Dwight IV, his grandfather. During his presidency at Yale, the different schools for different disciplines were organized into a university format, which began Yale’s rapid development in achieving the reputation it has as a university today. Dwight V was a student at Yale and also served as a professor of sacred literature and a professor in the Divinity School before serving as president of the university.

Timothy Dwight V’s portrait signifies legacy, history, and growth. While it may not be the most pleasing portrait to look at, it still holds a meaning for Yale’s history even if it doesn’t mean anything specific to me. Dwight V was at Yale during a transitional period, during a time when Yale was becoming more and more the university it is today. The portrait is a way of commemorating that time period, the legacy, and what Timothy Dwight V left behind. After all, they did name an entire residential college after him (and his grandfather since they have the same name).