Official portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama unveiled at White House
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on Wednesday unveiled the official portraits of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama during a White House ceremony.
The Obamas joined the Bidens in the East Room for the reveal of the portraits, which were acquired and commissioned by the White House Historical Association. Barack Obama’s portrait was painted by Robert McCurdy, and Michelle Obama’s portrait was painted by Sharon Sprung. Both were painted from photographs taken by the respective artists.
“Jill and I have been waiting to host events at the White House for a long time coming out of the pandemic, and it’s fitting that we can do that now by unveiling the portraits of two great friends, two great Americans,” Biden said at the ceremony.
Barack Obama’s portrait features the former president standing at the center of the canvas wearing a black suit with a gray tie. McCurdy is known for his photorealist portraits and stark white backgrounds, having painted notable subjects such as Toni Morrison and Muhammad Ali.
Michelle Obama’s portrait features the former first lady seated on a sofa in the Red Room of the White House, wearing a formal blue dress. The portrait is reminiscent of Sprung’s other paintings that typically feature a jewel-like color palette.
Biden opened his speech at Wednesday’s ceremony with praise for the Obamas and their legacy, calling Barack Obama "one of the most consequential presidents in our history” and Michelle Obama “one of the most consequential first ladies.”
Obama returned the praise for Biden in his speech just after the portraits were unveiled, calling him “a man who became a true partner and a good friend.”
“Joe, it is now America’s good fortune to have you as president,” Obama said. “You have guided us through some perilous times. You’ve built on and gone beyond the work we all did together.”
The portrait unveiling is a decadeslong tradition, going back to 1978 when President Jimmy Carter invited his immediate predecessor, Gerald Ford, back to the White House. The Obama unveiling event would have traditionally been held during the Trump presidency, but Donald Trump refused to hold the event.
When asked whether Biden would invite the man he’s called a danger to democracy, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre punted in the press briefing on Tuesday.
“We defer those questions to the White House Historical Association,” she said. “They lead the process on official portraits for both presidents and their spouses.”