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Unveiling
Unveiling spotlights, a recently completed portrait
commission, figurative work or upcoming exhibition
from some of the best and most active members
of the Portrait Society of America. This month
Krystle Stricklin, guest writer for the Portrait Society,
interviewed Joseph Daily about his recently unveiled
portrait of Dr. Geno J. Merli.L
ast May, artist Joseph Daily unveiled
an exquisite new portrait of Dr. Geno J.
Merli commissioned for Thomas Je erson
University Hospital in Philadelphia. Daily
portrays the noted doctor and professor
standing in his o ce, surrounded by an array
of personal objects that represent Merli’s
commitment to family, faith and a profes-
sion in service to others. This is the eighth
portrait Daily has completed for Je erson;
each one being a special experience for him
with a subject he was thankful to get to know.
Inspired by each of his subjects, Daily was
especially impressed by Merli’s easygoing
nature and his e ort to ensure that the entire
portrait process fl owed smoothly. “His entire
demeanor exemplifi ed patient care as well as
anyone I’ve ever met,” Daily says, and he felt
honored to paint his portrait for Je erson.
Prior to their first sitting, Daily asked
Merli to consider whether he would like
any significant personal or professional
items included in the composition. Upon
arrival, Merli had the items that appear in
the portrait arranged carefully in his o ce.
Daily remarks, “I adjusted them a little in
person and in Photoshop, but for the most
part all I had to do was show up. On the
left are various professional awards, on the
right are portraits of his wife, father and
family, and behind him is a picture of the
U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an
American fl ag that fl ew in Afghanistan. Dr.
Merli’s hand is resting next to a book that he
co-wrote, which is placed on top of a Bible.”
The portraits for Je erson are particularly
dear to Daily because of the hospital’s rich
history with portraiture. One of his portraits
hangs on the same wall with a painting by
one of his childhood painting heroes Nelson
Shanks, and another resides on a wall with a
Thomas Sully and other remarkable works
dating back to the late 1700s.
Born in Philadelphia to two freelance illus-
trators, Daily’s early interest was in comics
and cartoons until 10th grade, when a belovedart teacher, Mrs. Jewett, opened the door for
him to representational drawing. He went
on to study painting and even sold his fi rst
portrait while in college. Yet after graduating,
he was unable to sustain full-time commis-
sion work and soon resorted to a job painting
houses to stay afl oat. With little spare time
and money, he painted a full-length portrait
of his then-fi ancée’s father. Several months
later, the painting won both Best of Show
and People’s Choice Award at the PortraitSociety’s 2005 International Portrait
Competition. In addition to his success at
the competition, a chance meeting with that
year’s keynote speaker, Minnie Churchill,
Winston Churchill’s granddaughter-in-
law and director of the Churchill Heritage,
pushed his career forward to success. Over
the next fi ve years, he completed more than
80 commissioned portraits in both the U.S.
and the U.K. As Daily succinctly puts it, “It
was a wild ride.”Joseph Daily: Portrait
of Dr. Geno J. Merli BY KRYSTLE STRICKLIN
1
Dr. Geno J.
Merli, oil on
linen, 42 x 32"