Collection Presidential and First Lady Portraits
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies,...
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The collection of fine art at the White House has evolved and grown over time. The collection began with mostly presidential portraits, commissioned or purchased by Congress, or donated by presidential descendants. In the era before photography, some presidents invited painters to set up studios in the White House to record significant events and paint their likeness. In the late nineteenth century, a few landscape paintings were acquired for the White House, but not until the John F. Kennedy administration was the first curator hired and protocol developed for maintaining and adding to the collections. Since that time, it has grown exponentially under the guidance of a professional curatorial staff and now includes more than 500 works of art, selected for their historical and cultural significance.
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies,...
President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s advocacy for the arts endures as a vital part of th...
For two hundred years, Decatur House has stood as a near neighbor to the White House across Lafayette Square. Stewart...
As part of the White House Historical Association’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2021, the Next-Gen Leaders (NGL) initiative was announced. Th...
Congress has always been tasked with appropriating funds for the care, repair, refurnishing and maintenance of the White House and...
The White House Historical Associationcommissions the official White House Christmas ornament each year. This is the 36th ornamentin the series...
January 14, 1964: State Dinner for Italian President Antonio Segni was hosted by President Lyndon Baines Johnson. Featured entertainment included Robert Merrill...
Bill BarkerVeteran historical actor-interpreter Bill Barker is widely recognized as the nation’s foremost interpreter of Thomas Jefferson. After portraying Th...
The 2023 White House History Teacher Institute is open to all K-12 educators and will be offered in both in-person and...
James Archer AbbottJames Archer Abbott currently serves as the Executive Director of the Lewes Historical Society in Lewes, Delaware. A...
Simmie Knox
JAMES ARCHER ABBOTT is the Executive Director of the Lewes Historical Society in Lewes, Delaware. His publications include JANSEN, JANSEN...