The image of President Obama was painted by Robert McCurdy and the portrait of Michelle Obama was painted by Sharon Sprung.
McCurdy told the White House Historical Association in an interview that his lawsuit focused on working with a photograph of the former president. The photorealistic image of the former president, dressed in a black suit with a gray tie, is painted against a minimal white background – a signature of McCurdy’s artwork. McCurdy said his paintings take at least a year to complete.
The portrait of the former first lady was painted by Sprung, who describes her work as ‘contemporary realism’. The image shows Michelle Obama in a blue dress sitting on a couch in the Red Room of the White House. The artwork is painted from photographs taken at various locations on the State Floor of the White House.
President Joe Biden used Wednesday’s ceremony to reflect on the Obamas’ performance in the White House.
“Together,” Biden said, the former first couple has “made history.”
“You both created hopes for millions of people left behind for so long — and that matters. You both did it with such grace and class. You dreamed big and brought lasting victories to the American people, helping to lift their burden. enlighten with a blessing of hope,” he continued. “It’s so underrated… just having hope. This is the Obama presidency’s gift to the country and history.”
Wednesday’s ceremony in the East Room marked a rare occasion for a celebration between two presidential administrations at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, where President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden convened a who’s who of government officials past and present — from the unique vantage point to watch. have served in both.
It’s the same room that Obama awarded Biden a surprise Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2017, a tearful ceremony that reflected the two men’s deep mutual respect. While they both enjoy playing their relationship in public, there are limits to their friendship, officials said.
Stewart McLaurin, the president of the WHHA, told DailyExpertNews that the Covid-19 pandemic played a factor in the timing of the disclosure. The WHHA, a non-profit organization, facilitates and finances the making of the portraits.
“Covid hit us two and a half years ago and I think it’s important that these[portraits]are revealed at a time when the public has access to the White House and they can be seen,” McLaurin said. .
While there is no hard and fast rule for when a White House portrait should be unveiled, ceremonies were often hosted by a former president’s immediate successor. And while in office, President Donald Trump never held a ceremony for the Obama portraits.
The Obamas through the eyes of the artists
Details about the pieces revealed on Wednesday were a closely guarded secret, with artists and art movers signing confidentiality agreements to keep things secret before the big day.
But the Obamas have often used art as a tool to express their tastes, so it should come as no surprise that their White House portraits do the same.
McCurdy’s depiction of the former president is minimalistic, eschewing the conventional props typically associated with a presidential portrait, such as a desk or bookcase, in front of a completely blank background.
Sprung’s interpretation shows that the former first lady seems to take a moment to feel comfortable in one of the most formal rooms in the White House. Unlike the portraits of her predecessors, Michelle Obama wears a strapless dress in her portrait — perhaps a sign of the country’s evolving style.
In her portrait, the former first lady is wearing a custom Jason Wu Collection dress, a person familiar with the details told DailyExpertNews. Wu is a full-circle designer choice for Obama, and he designed both of her inaugural gowns. Obama’s choice of Wu at the time essentially launched his career as a globally recognized fashion designer.
“There’s going to be some evolution in these portraits over time… and I think it’s going to get really exciting,” McLaurin said in a preview of the upcoming Obama portraits. “I think this is going to be a bit of a magical moment. I think it’s going to be an evolution of art.”
He continued: “We are now moving into the first third of the 21st century. And I think in the minds of most Americans, we see presidential portraits as these very traditional, 19th century portraits that look and feel but art and taste in art evolves and changes.”
While living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the Obamas chose to highlight several contemporary and modern artists.
Amy Sherald, who painted the Smithsonian portrait of the first lady, challenges conventions about race by rendering the skin of her figures in shades of gray. Kehinde Wiley, who painted the former president, commemorates Old Master paintings with black subjects.
Traditionally, the two newest sets of presidential portraits are placed in the White House’s Cross Hall — although Trump chose to move the Bush and Clinton portraits to the Old Family Dining Room — which was essentially used as storage space during his White House House. — after arguing with both families.
Biden moved the Bush and Clinton portraits back to Cross Hall, but with a new Obama portrait, Clinton may have to be moved soon.
Wednesday’s ceremony at the White House
The Obamas’ return to the White House was a rare time for current and past administrations to come together and look back on a presidential legacy.
Unlike the 2012 reveal, Wednesdays were mostly attended by the same party, with some attendees having connections to both administrations.
The Obamas were joined at the unveiling by family, friends, former cabinet members and top government officials.
Marian Robinson, the mother of Michelle Obama who lived at the White House residence during their presidency, attended the ceremony.
Other expected attendees included Obama’s former Chief of Staff (and current US Ambassador to Japan) Rahm Emanuel, former senior adviser David Axelrod, former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Timothy Geithner, former Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, former Attorney General Eric Holder, former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, former director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Shaun Donovan, and former White House press secretary Josh Earnest.
Biden and Obama forged a close relationship while in office together, but their friendship has its limits. Although they speak occasionally, they have no daily or weekly contact, say people familiar with the case.
After serving two terms in Obama’s shadow, Biden has at times distinguished himself from his predecessor. Officials have said there is also a degree of competition between the two men.
Their history, though one of partnership, is also colored by various disdains, real or perceived, that still linger.
Obama declined to back Biden over other Democrats in the 2020 primaries, a move both men said was necessary to allow for real competition within the party. Four years earlier, Obama had seen Hillary Clinton as his Democratic successor rather than Biden, who decided not to run as he struggled with his son’s death.
Trump portraits are next
The White House Historical Association is in the “beginning phase” of the portrait trials for former President Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump, McLaurin said.
“There’s a focus on specific artists who are likely to do their portraits,” McLaurin added.
A source familiar with the situation told DailyExpertNews that chatter about the portraits began over the past six months in Mar-a-Lago — Trump’s Florida residence — and the former president recently began taking photos. However, it’s not clear whether Trump posed for the White House portrait artist or for photos specifically for the portraits.
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to say whether Biden would invite Trump if his portrait was completed during the Biden administration.
According to Linda St. Thomas, chief spokesperson for the Smithsonian, Trump’s political action committee donated $650,000 to the Smithsonian Institution in July to help ensure the portraits of the Trumps.
The donation from Trump’s PAC leadership Save America marks the first time money has come from a political action committee since the institution began raising private funds for presidential portraits — a practice that began with the portraits of former President George H. W. Bush, St. said Thomas.
St. Thomas said another $100,000 private donation is also helping to pay for the cost of the portraits. The money, totaling $750,000, will go toward artist fees, shipping, framing, installation, and events.
CLARIFICATION: This story was updated to clarify where President Donald Trump had taken the portraits of Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton during his stay in the White House.
Kevin Liptak, Kate Bennett, Fredreka Schouten, Gabby Orr, Betsy Klein and Jeff Zeleny of DailyExpertNews contributed to this report.