JACKSON — When Natchez-born artist Will Smith Jr. painted a portrait of Tennessee Williams, the painting was part of a series to honor 12 of the legends of the Deep South — particularly New Orleans.

Four years later, that portrait is honoring Williams even further as it has come to find a home in the Mississippi Department of Archives and History’s Hall of Fame.

“Even though he spent so much time in New Orleans, he loved his home state,” Smith said. “I think he is smiling down on this.”

Department of Archives and History spokesperson Chris Goodwin said the painting completes the state’s four titans of letters, Williams, Faulkner, Eudora Welty and Richard Wright.

“Tennessee Williams was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001,” Goodwin said. “Someone is no less a member of the Hall of Fame without a portrait, but we want all members to have one.”

Smith had thought about Mississippi in painting the Williams portrait, which is why elements from the Delta show up. But the art gallery it was created for was primarily about New Orleans, hence the gallery title, IcoNOLAgy.

“The portrait of Tennessee Williams just made sense to represent the impact he contributed, particularly with ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’” he said. “That’s why, ala the conductor, he’s painted in the street car looking at you.”

Smith said the painting was done in a narrative style of portraiture, which tells more of a story than a portrait of a figure in a dark suit looking back at you.

The portrait includes a Tony and two Pulitzers in the foreground, along with an old Underwood typewriter. His favorite gin beverage, the Ramos Gin Fiz, and an ashtray from the bar he regularly visited, the Carousel, are also in the foreground.

“The clients of the bar provided him inspiration for his works,” Smith said. “He would take notes about meetings if that story intrigued him.”

In the background of the portrait, Smith didn’t paint the skyline of New Orleans, but rather the Mississippi Delta. Tennessee himself, with cigarette holder in hand, appears to be assessing his surroundings, taking mental notes for a future story.

“All of these details help tell the story to a general viewer,” he said. “It’s my attempt to educate (the) viewer on who this person is, why he is famous.”

Smith said portraits are not typically his medium of choice — normally he is an oil on canvas landscape artist. That’s one reason why he liked seeing this portrait in the Hall of Fame on a personal level.

“Personally, it reflects that I’m not an artist who likes to stay in the same box,” he said. “It was a departure from what I typically do, but I like a challenge.”

Smith said seeing the painting there and to take part in the ceremony with former Mississippi Gov. William Winter, Tennessee Williams historian Kenneth Holditch and the folks from the department of archives and history was an honor.“Mr. Holditch told a story about what Tennessee Williams would say when people would ask him where he was from,” Smith said. “Even though he had not lived there for 40 years, he would say he’s from Mississippi.

“I am happy Tennessee is home, where he belongs.”