— Washington Wednesday marked the official debut of former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama’s official White House portraits.
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted the Obamas on Michelle Obama’s first visit to the White House since her husband’s 2017 departure from office. In April, the former president attended a gathering at the White House commemorating the enactment of the Affordable Care Act.
Mr. Biden addressed the Obamas on Wednesday, “Barack and Michelle, welcome home!” “Welcome back!”
Obama stated, “It’s terrific to be back” after their portraits were displayed. “… Many thanks for your hospitality. We appreciate your permission to invite a few guests to the White House. We shall endeavor not to destroy the property.”
The former portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama at the White House. Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung, on behalf of the Obama Foundation
Mr. Biden praised his former supervisor.
Mr. Biden informed his predecessor, “Mr. President, nothing could have better prepared me to become president of the United States than serving alongside you for eight years, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.”
Robert McCurdy is the artist who painted President Obama. Sharon Sprung painted Michelle Obama.
Obama continued, evoking laughter and applause from the audience, “I want to thank Sharon Sprung for capturing everything I love about Michelle: Her grace, her brilliance, and the fact that she’s wonderful.” “I’d also like to congratulate Robert McCurdy for tackling a far more difficult topic than mine and doing an excellent job with mine.”
The portrait of the former president depicts him in a black suit with a gray tie, in a highly realistic depiction based on images taken by McCurdy. Mrs. Obama’s image depicts her in a blue dress seated on a crimson sofa in the Red Room. Her picture is also composed entirely of photographs taken by Sprung.
“To me, today is about more than just what has transpired,” Mrs. Obama remarked. “It’s also about potential outcomes. Due to the fact that a girl like me was never meant to be alongside Jacqueline Kennedy and Dolley Madison. She was never intended to reside in this residence, and she was never intended to serve as first lady.”
McCurdy stated that the “marathon” took him approximately 18 months, while Sprung stated that she worked exclusively on Michelle Obama’s photo for eight to ten months. Both painters created works with the audience in mind.
Sprung remarked in a video about the creative process, “I wanted people to pass by the painting and identify her, or be more intrigued about her, or read more about her, but get her.”
McCurdy stated in a video that the composition of a painting is totally about the observer.
Sprung explained in the film that painting is a journey.
Sprung stated, “I don’t know how my paintings will turn out.” At this point in my career as a painter, I have sufficient trust in myself to consistently follow my intuition.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden host former U.S. President Barack Obama and former first woman Michelle Obama on September 7, 2022, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S.A. EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / REUTERS
Presidents normally invite their predecessors to the White House to present their formal portraits, but former President Trump broke with custom by refusing to invite the Obamas back to the White House during his administration. In 2012, Barack and Michelle Obama hosted former president George W. Bush and his wife Laura at the White House.
Upon leaving office, former presidents and first lady often have two official portraits completed. One set is shown at the National Portrait Gallery, while the other is added to the White House Historical Association’s collection for exhibition in the White House. In 2018, the National Portrait Gallery completed the Obamas’ portraits.