Portrait of Abraham H. Feller
This painting was created to honor the late Abraham H. Feller who served as the first General Counsel of the United Nations as well as Principal Director of the Legal Department. Mr. Feller served the United Nations from 1946 until his death on the 13 November 1952. This painting was donated by the Friends and Colleagues of Mr. Feller and was placed in the S-34 floor Reading Room which was also dedicated to him on the 6th of October 1953. Present at the dedication ceremony were Mrs. Feller and Secretary-General Trygve Lie who spoke about his immediate colleague.
Mr. Feller joined the United Nations in 1946 during its formation and had an integral role as legal counsel and policy adviser. At the inauguration of the S-34 floor Reading Room dedicated to him and the location of his portrait, former Secretary-General Lie said: “I think it is a combination of sound, practical judgement and deep idealism that made Abraham Feller’s contribution to the United Nations so constructive and of such lasting significance. He was calm and judicious in his advice, always sensitive to the limits of the presently attainable but never deviating from the ultimate goal of world community to which he had dedicated his life.”