Obama official portraits: Barack jokes about tan suit and Michelle jabs Trump at painting unveiling

Former president Barack Obama returned to the White House on Wednesday for the unveiling of his and Michelle Obama’s official portraits, offering strong words of praise and support for the man who served as his Vice President for eight years, President Joe Biden.

Andrew Feinberg watched the unveiling and speeches.

The American artist whom former President Barack Obama selected to paint his official White House portrait says the “stripped down” style of his works helps create an “encounter” between the person in the painting and the person looking at it.

Robert McCurdy likes to present his subjects without any facial expression and standing against a white background, which is how America’s 44th and first Black president will be seen for posterity, in a black suit and gray tie, when his portrait is finally revealed on Wednesday.

The former first lady chose artist Sharon Sprung to do her portrait. She is depicted seated on a sofa in the Red Room, wearing a formal light blue dress.

President Barack Obama, dressed in a black suit with a grey tie, stands prominently at the center of the canvas. The photorealistic portrait was painted entirely from photographs that were taken by the artist, Robert McCurdy, during a short photo session. It is his preference to work from images rather than sketches completed during sittings.

Robert McCurdy (b.1952) spends at least a year on each of his photorealist portraits. His meticulously rendered works capture every minute detail, down to the fibers on his subjects’ clothing. The stark white backgrounds of his portraits allow the viewer to establish a relationship with the subject; the focus shifts from the celebrity status of the individual to the viewer’s direct response to that individual as a human being. The composition also allows the viewer to establish their own meaning and interaction.

McCurdy’s commissions include many notable subjects; Toni Morrison, Jane Goodall, Muhammad Ali, and Neil Armstrong are among his sitters.

First Lady Michelle Obama wears a formal blue dress and is seated on a sofa in the Red Room. Her portrait was also painted entirely from photographs that were taken by artist Sharon Sprung in various locations on the State Floor of the White House.

Sharon Sprung (b.1953) has taught at both the Art Students League of New York and the National Academy School for the past 30 years. Her paintings and portraits have been exhibited since the late 1970s, including many one-person shows in New York City. Through her work on the small details of her subjects, such as their eyes, nose, or lips, she gets to know her sitters.

Her paintings are jewel-like in their color palettes, a credit that she gives to her use of Vasari handmade paint. By methodically manipulating the layers of paint, she works to mimic the complexity of real life in her portrait compositions.’

Former First Lady Michelle Obama has tweeted out her thanks to artist Sharon Sprung who painted her, describing her as a “brilliant artist who joins a small, but mighty group of women who have painted an official White House portrait”.

She also posted a video about the creative process.

Former first lady Michelle Obama had a thinly-veiled dig at Donald Trump during powerful remarks at the unveiling of her official White House portrait on Wednesday.

Speaking about the significance of the moment and the importance of “participating in and watching our democracy” she referred to the “peaceful transition of power” in a clear reference to the final months of the Trump presidency.

She further said, that those in power work and serve “for as long as we can, as long as the people choose to keep us here,” adding: “once our time is up, we move on”.

Read more of the former first lady’s remarks:

During his remarks, former President Barack Obama joked that artist Robert McCurdy wouldn’t depict him in a tan suit — a reference to a “scandal” of his second term when he gave a press conference on a military response to ISIS in a tan-coloured suit.

Portraits of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, and first lady Michelle Obama were finally be unveiled today at the White House after their presentation was blocked by his successor in the Oval Office, Donald Trump.

Joe Sommerlad explains why:

The American artist whom former President Barack Obama selected to paint his official White House portrait says the “stripped down” style of his works helps create an “encounter” between the person in the painting and the person looking at it.

Robert McCurdy likes to present his subjects without any facial expression and standing against a white background, which is how America’s 44th and first Black president will be seen for posterity, in a black suit and gray tie, when his portrait is finally revealed on Wednesday.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden invited Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama back to the White House to unveil their official portraits. It will be Mrs. Obama’s first visit since Obama’s presidency ended in January 2017. Obama visited in April to help celebrate the anniversary of the major health care law he signed.

The former first lady chose artist Sharon Sprung to do her portrait. She is depicted seated on a sofa in the Red Room, wearing a formal light blue dress.