(ALLAMUCHY TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- From September 18-20, 2025, Rutherfurd Hall will open a remarkable art exhibition celebrating the work of Elizabeth Shoumatoff, the acclaimed portrait artist whose sitters included royalty, world leaders, and American society's most influential figures. At the heart of the exhibition will be the recently acquired 1943 portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, painted at the White House during his third term.
The portrait, on loan from members of the Rutherfurd and Knowles families and acquired this summer by the Rutherfurd Hall Foundation, offers a rare, close portrayal of the 32nd president. It will be displayed alongside Shoumatoff ’s portraits of the Rutherfurd family, creating a unique visual narrative that bridges presidential history with the personal history of one of America’s most prominent families.
“The acquisition of the Shoumatoff portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt marks a profound moment for Rutherfurd Hall," said Rosemary Tuohy, President of the Rutherfurd Hall Foundation. "This remarkable painting deepens our connection to the legacy of Lucy Rutherfurd and brings an extraordinary piece of American history home to Allamuchy.”
The exhibition will open with a special reception and gallery opening on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at Rutherfurd Hall. The evening will feature historian Joan Leckie Salvas, who will offer a brief curator’s talk on the enduring connection between FDR, Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd, and Rutherfurd Hall. Guests will then enjoy an exclusive first viewing of the portraits before they are opened to the public.
Following the September 18 opening, the exhibition will be available for public viewing on Friday, September 19, and Saturday, September 20, during limited hours. Admission is $10 per person. Tickets available at the door only.
Tickets for the September 18 opening reception are available for purchase online. Seating is limited to 100 guests.
Rutherfurd Hall is a 1905 Gilded Age mansion in Allamuchy Township, Warren County, New Jersey, and is listed on the National and New Jersey Registers of Historic Places. Owned by the Allamuchy Township Board of Education and operated by the Rutherfurd Hall Foundation, the site offers lectures, tours, concerts, and educational programming that promote appreciation for regional and national history.
The Rutherfurd Hall Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to funding vital capital improvements for Rutherfurd Hall. This historic Tudor Revival mansion, built in 1905 as the summer estate of Winthrop Rutherfurd, is now owned by the Allamuchy Township Board of Education and serves the public with a range of lectures, concerts, tours, educational programs, and community events. By supporting preservation and enhancement projects, the Foundation helps ensure that Rutherfurd Hall remains a vibrant cultural and historic resource for Allamuchy Township and the surrounding community.
