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Ancestors added to courthouse luster

Cincinnati resident Glenn King came to photograph 56 portraits at the Luzerne County Courthouse painted by her late grandfather, Vincent Aderente. Above, portraits depict John Wilkes, Henry M. Hoyt and Isaac Barre.

Don Carey/the times leader

Cincinnati resident Glenn King traveled to the Luzerne County Courthouse on Wednesday morning to photograph 56 portraits that were painted by her late grandfather, Vincent Aderente.
She also took time to admire the century-old courthouse. Her great uncle, Frank Carlucci, had supplied the marble and other stone through his Scranton business, Carlucci Stone Co.
“I love the building. It’s gorgeous,” King said.
King is writing a book about her Italian-born grandfather, who forged a successful career painting murals in churches, banks, libraries, hotel ballrooms and many government buildings until his death in 1941.
She will submit photographs of Aderente’s Luzerne County Courthouse portraits to the Smithsonian American Art Museum for its online database of American painters.
The Luzerne County portraits show the likenesses of dignitaries and other movers and shakers in county history. The portraits are surrounded by mosaic on the vaulted ceilings of the hallways.
“I managed to take photos of each and every one,” King said.
King said she also met county Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla and courthouse switchboard operator Rose Zondlo. Zondlo helped King with her research by digging up copies of old news clippings.