Notes
Provenance: Juneau Bank/Bank of Commerce
Provenance for the original 1857 Brookes & Stevenson painting and the 1872 copy by Hugo Broich (this work):
1857: "At the studio of Brooks [sic: Brookes] & Stevenson may be seen a life-like portrait of Solomon Juneau, the lamented first settler of Milwaukee painted for the new Juneau Bank" [Juneau Bank was later the Bank of Commerce] (source: 7/28/1857 MS).
1857–1871: Juneau Bank/Bank of Commerce
"In rear of the counter [of the Juneau Bank, later Bank of Commerce], in a niche of the wall, may be seen an admirable life size portrait of the late Solomon Juneau, painted by Messrs Brookes & Stevenson" (source: 8/26/1857 Milwaukee Daily Sentinel).
1871: Brookes Original "Transferred" to Common Council Chambers
"Brookes's excellent portrait of Solomon Juneau, founder of Milwaukee and first Mayor of the city, which now graces the walls of the Bank of Commerce as a relic of the Juneau Bank, will be transferred to the new City Hall under the resolution concurred in by the Board of Aldermen during last evening's session" (source: 9/19/1871 Milwaukee Daily Sentinel).
1871/January 1872: Common Council Commissions "Faithful Copy" by Broich
"Hugo Broich ... is producing a faithful copy of Brooke's [sic] portrait of the Hon. Solomon Juneau, for the Council Chamber," "authorized by a resolution of the Common Council some month [sic? months?] ago" (source: 1/9/1872 Milwaukee Daily Sentinel).
The 3/26/1872 Milwaukee Daily Sentinel says that "[t]he large portrait of Juneau" was "painted by Broich after an original by Brooke [sic: Brookes]" and "occupies a place in the committee-room, where it will remain until a suitable frame can be provided for it."
June 1872: Broich Copy or Brookes Original with Frame-Maker
The 6/6/1872 Milwaukee Daily Sentinel says that "[t]he Brookes portrait of Hon. Solomon Juneau, recently purchased for City Hall, is now in the hands of the frame-maker and will soon grace the walls of the Council Chamber." Apparently the Brookes & Stevenson original was unframed prior to this point? The earlier 3/26/1872 MDS references the Broich copy as the work in need of a "suitable frame" (source: 6/6/1872 Milwaukee Daily Sentinel).
ca. 1872: Bank of Commerce Purchases Broich Copy
A retrospective article in the 4/26/1925 MJ says that "a group of stockholders of the Bank of Commerce purchased it" shortly after its creation, presumably in reference to the Broich copy.
1883: Milwaukee Public Library (Broich Copy)
Stockholders of the Bank of Commerce presented the portrait [the Broich copy] in 1883 (to the Milwaukee Public Library). The 4/12/1883 Milwaukee Daily Sentinel reports different information: the Library Board of Trustees "resolved to have the portrait of Solomon Juneau framed, which the First National Bank recently presented to the Library."
Other Information:
The 4/26/1925 MS reports that "[t]he common council in 1850 voted $400 for the Books [sic] portrait of Milwaukee's first mayor," but this information has not been verified and seemingly contradicts the 7/28/1857 MS, that the painting was "painted for the new Juneau Bank."
FR-38 Accession Sheet for this work reports that the (Brookes & Stevenson?) painting "was hung in City Hall Feb. 3, 1873."