Barack and Michelle Obama Return to White House to Unveil Official Portraits
Barack and Michelle Obama paid their first joint visit to the White House since Obama’s departure from office in 2017 on Wednesday to unveil their official portraits.
The Obamas, along with President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Obama administration employees, attended the unveiling ceremony in the East Room of the White House. The White House Historical Association ordered the pictures, which will remain on display in the structure for many years.
“There are few people I have known with more integrity, more decency and more courage than Barack Obama,” Biden said during the ceremony. “Nothing could have prepared more for being president of the United States than being by your side for eight years.”
Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung, respectively, painted portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama. The 44th president is depicted in the earlier work standing in front of a white background wearing a black suit and a gray tie, his hands in his pockets.
The former First Lady was depicted sitting on a sofa in the Red Room while donning a light blue outfit. Both photos, according to NPR, were based on images that were taken nearby the White House.
“These portraits have a special significance…it was important to find the right people to paint them,” the former president explained. He also said, “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. And I hope they leave with a deeper understanding that if we could make it here, maybe they can, too. They can do remarkable things, too.”
As he complimented Sprung for capturing Michelle’s “grace, her intelligence—and the fact that she’s fine,” he also made the audience chuckle.
The long-standing custom of the White House picture presentation was put on hold during the Trump administration. It last happened in 2012, when Obama presided over the ceremony honoring George W. and Laura Bush.
“Traditions like this matter—not just for those of us who hold these positions, but for everyone participating in and watching our democracy,” Michelle said. “You see the people that made their voices heard with their vote. And once our time is up, we move on. And all that remains in this hallowed place are our good efforts, and these portraits.”
