John Belardo began the process of creating an image of a man who died before he was born by learning who he was and why Lehman College was named for him. He collected photographs from the Lehman Letters archive at Columbia University that showed Herbert Lehman from a variety of angles. Those photos spanned his early days as Lieutenant Gov to his time as senator—some 40 years of service.  Belardo’s challenge then was to create a timeless portrait, one that has a likeness but also reflects the substance of the man. He chose a stable and balanced pose and a composition with integrity. His gaze is long, and peers gently upward—looking to the future. The scale is nearly twice life size so that the portrait retains significance on this beautiful and complex campus.


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