Explained: Why has there been a delay in unveiling the Obama portraits at the White House?

There he was, standing against a white backdrop with a little grin on his face and his hands in his pockets. And there she was, sitting gracefully on a red sofa, wearing a light blue gown that complimented the coral orange backdrop. The Obamas have returned to the White House.

Life-like portraits of former United States President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama were unveiled on Wednesday by the couple. The event, which was hosted by President Joe Biden and his wife Jill, marked the comeback of an old Washington tradition that was last celebrated 10 years ago.

When future generations see these portraits by Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung in the White House, I hope they get a better, honest sense of who Michelle and I were. And I hope they leave with a deeper understanding that if we could make it, they can do remarkable things, too. pic.twitter.com/3Eo1WNr31b

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 7, 2022

“Barack and Michelle, welcome home,” said Joe Biden, who served as the US vice-president under Obama for eight years.

Let’s take a closer look at why the portraits were unveiled more than five years after Obama left office.

Why were the portraits unveiled now?

Typically, a former president returns for the unveiling ceremony during the tenure of his successor. However, the Obamas did not have any ceremony while Donald Trump was in office.

According to a report by Los Angeles Times, Trump’s criticism of Obama got in his way of hosting any presidential ceremony for his predecessor. Therefore, Joe Biden scheduled an event for his former boss.

According to The Washington Post, the break from a long-standing tradition came as no surprise for a leader who has broken various other presidential norms.

What happened at Wednesday’s ceremony?

Before Wednesday, Barack Obama had only visited the White House once in April for an event on the Affordable Care Act. And it was Michelle Obama’s first visit since their family moved out after her husband completed his term in 2017.

The Obama administration officials like former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, former senior adviser David Axelrod, former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and former US attorney general Eric Holder also attended the ceremony.

Following Biden’s speech, the Obamas stepped up to the front of the East Room of the White House to unveil their portraits.

According to The Washington Post, Obama said, “And when future generations walk these halls and look up at these portraits, I hope they get a better, honest sense of who Michelle and I were.”

Michelle Obama said in a rousing speech, “It is still a bit odd for me to stand in this historic space, see this big, beautiful painting staring back at me,” she said, noting that, growing up, she thought that a “girl like me … was never supposed to be up there next to Jacqueline Kennedy. … And she definitely wasn’t supposed to serve as the first lady.”

The Bidens also hosted a private lunch for the Obama couple and Michelle’s mother Marian Robinson, who was also present at the ceremony, reports CNN.

Barack Obama’s portrait is now hanging in the Grand Foyer at the base of the main White House staircase while Michelle’s portrait is hanging one floor below.

Who made these portraits?

The assignment was given to two artists, Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung who made the former president and first lady’s portraits respectively.

According to NPR, McCurdy has made portraits of the Dalai Lama, American author Toni Morrison, Nobel-winning Columbian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and former South African president and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. The artist is best known for his life-like oil paintings that almost look like photographs.

Sprung began working as an artist at the young age of 19 and was behind the portraits of former First Ladies Jacqueline Kennedy and Nancy Reagan. She was also commissioned to make the portrait of former President John Kennedy.

Both artists discussed the approach they took to paint the couple. In the portrait, Michelle is painted wearing a formal blue dress and is seated on a sofa in the Red Room.

Sprung said, “I wanted people to pass by the painting and recognise her, or be more curious about her, or to read more about her, but to get her.” She added that the process to 18 months.

In Obama’s painting, he’s standing in the centre of the canvas, dressed in a black suit with a grey tie. While describing the portrait McCurdy said, “The subject ultimately for me was the idea of the gaze — two people looking directly at each other with nothing else to load the narrative. The painting is not telling the story of Barack Obama. It’s telling the story of the relationship of the viewer with this particular person. And that’s a two-way street.”

Appreciating both the artists’ work, the former President said, “These portraits have a special significance. It was important to find the right people to paint them.”

A non-profit organisation called The White House Historical Association has been funding these paintings and portraits since the 1960s.

What’s the history behind painting these portraits?

The tradition of getting portraits of the presidents and first ladies began during the 1960s under John Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline Kennedy, according to The Washington Post.

Kennedy’s portraits were unveiled in 1971. While Richard M Nixon and his wife Pat’s paintings were made public in 1981.

In 1989, President George HW Bush hosted a ceremony for Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy for their official White House portrait unveiling.

Similarly, Bill Clinton held a ceremony for his predecessor Bush’s portrait unveiling in 1995.

In 2004, President George W Bush hosted Clinton and his wife Hillary for their portrait unveiling ceremony.

Finally, before yesterday’s ceremony, the Obamas hosted George W Bush to unveil his official portrait at the White House in 2012.

What about the Trumps?

Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association, told CNN, that the organisation is in the “beginning stages” of the portrait-making processes for former President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump.

However, it is not clear whether or not Joe Biden would invite the Trumps to their portrait unveiling ceremony if at all they are completed during his administration, said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

With inputs from agencies

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.