Rudman portrait unveiled at courthouse

BANGOR – The painter captured the impish grin, the twinkle in his blue eyes and, of course, the signature bow tie worn by Paul L. Rudman for the 13 years he sat on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

The portrait, which will hang in the third-floor courtroom of the Penobscot County Courthouse, was unveiled Friday by Rudman’s family and given to the court in a centuries-old tradition.

The painting will hang behind the judge’s bench next to the portrait of Rudman’s late father, Abraham M. Rudman, who served on the state’s highest court from 1965 to ’70.

The Rudmans are the only father and son to have served on the court in the state’s history.

“Wow!” Rudman, 70, of Veazie said at the gathering attended by more than 100 other judges and lawyers from around the state. “I’m overwhelmed by the remarks today.”

Rudman was 56 and a founding partner of the Bangor law firm Rudman and Winchell when he was appointed to the bench to replace Chief Justice Vincent L. McKusick, who retired in February 1992. Earlier this year, Rudman announced that he would leave court to return to private practice on July 1.

Another Bangor lawyer, Warren M. Silver, 57, was appointed by Gov. John Baldacci to replace Rudman. Silver last month heard arguments in Portland for the first time. He, along with five of the seven other Maine Supreme Judicial Court justices, attended the ceremony Friday.

The portrait, unveiled by his 9-year-old twin grandsons, Nicholas and Nathan Rudman of Arlington, Va., shows Rudman standing and clad in his black judicial robe, the same one his father wore. Behind his left shoulder is the deep blue of the Maine state flag. On a small table to his right rests a red bound copy of the Revised Statutes of Maine and a picture of Inez Rudman, his wife of 44 years.

Ronald Frontin, 42, painted the portrait over the past six months. The South Thomaston artist also painted the portrait of former Gov. John McKernan that hangs in the State House and a portrait of former U.S. Sen. Margaret Chase Smith that will be unveiled on Oct. 18 at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

“I wanted him to look approachable, but also look like a person of authority,” Frontin said of his painting of Rudman, which is different from the six portraits of former justices that hang in the courtroom.

“Nothing tells us who they are other than what they’re wearing,” Frontin said, pointing to the paintings, all of which are much darker than Rudman’s and appear to contain nothing from the men’s personal lives.

Justice Robert W. Clifford, who has been on the bench since 1986, said Friday that Rudman brought to the bench “the perspective of many years in private practice.” He added that Rudman’s knowledge of business, insurance and contract law had been especially helpful to the court.

Rudman will continue to serve on the committee planning the new Penobscot County Judicial Center that will combine 3rd District Court and the Penobscot County Superior Court.