Images(3)

Portrait of Jacques Kahn

Object number98.18.1

Artist Kathleen Frost

Date1997

MediumPaint; Wood; Metal; Gilding

Credit LineGift of Intestinal Disease Foundation

DescriptionOil painting on composite panel, depicting the sitter in middle age, seated in a wooden armchair; he is wearing a dark pinstriped suit, with a yellow & black tie. His left hand holds a pipe with silver decoration. His countenance displays the hint of a smile. Mounted in a heavy gilded frame with a matte black painted edge.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 47.188 x 37.188 x 2.25 in. (119.9 x 94.5 x 5.7 cm)
SignedSigned at lower right "Kathleen Frost 1997".
InscriptionsBrass nameplate engraved: "Jacques L. Kahn / 1920-1997 / Kathleen Frost - Artist / Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center / Donated by Intestinal Disease Foundation"

Historical NotesOil painting on composite panel, depicting civic leader Jacques L. Kahn. The artist reported that she has repainted the portrait a number of times to add a ring, the yellow tie, & the pipe to the painting. Painting was commissioned after the subject's death.Label TextPortrait of Jacques L. Kahn (1920-1997), oil on panel, by Kathleen Frost, 1997 A devoted city booster, Jacques L. Kahn's enthusiastic promotion of the city earned him the nickname "Mr. Pittsburgh". Born in Baltimore, Md., Kahn came to Pittsburgh in 1936. His lifelong career in advertising began here when, as a teenager, he took a job with Warner Brothers Theaters. From that first position as an office boy, Kahn went on to do personal publicity for stars including Charlie Chaplin and Howard Hughes. A graduate of Duquesne University, Kahn enlisted in the Air Force in 1942. He earned a Bronze Star for his service and was a veteran of the D-Day landings. Returning to Pittsburgh after the war, Kahn worked as an advertising director for the Warner Theaters chain. He left the motion picture industry in 1953 to begin his own advertising form (later known as Kahn & Associates, Inc.), which grew into one of Pittsburgh's foremost agencies. That same year, he began his 40-year relationship with the Golden Triangle Association (GTA), a group formed to promote the downtown business district. A director for the GTA for many years, Kahn was a driving force behind developments such as the creation of Light Up Night. For his tireless promotion of the city and his involvement with many area institutions and charities, he was recognized by both state and local government. This posthumous portrait is a tribute to Jacques Kahn's life and work.

Related person Jacques L. Kahn

Related institution Golden Triangle Association

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