Art in the White House

Gallery

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Preparations are made for the reframing and hanging of the White House portraits of George and Martha Washington in the East Room in October 2004. The Washingtons portrait's long life in the White House began in the State Dining Room. For many years it was in the Red Room. In 1873 it was moved to the East Room, and in 1902 it was moved back to the Red Room. First Lady Lou Hoover moved it from the Red Room to the East Room in 1929, where it has remained.
White House Historical Association
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A marble bust of President Martin Van Buren was created in 1840 by renowned sculptor Hiram Powers. Powers originally modeled the bust in 1836, before moving to Florence, Italy, where artisans created marble replicas of Powers' clay original. The bust remained in the Van Buren family until 1889, when one of Van Burens' grandsons bequeathed it to the White House. Powers depicts Van Buren in a toga, a Neoclassical tradition intended to connect American politicians to ancient Greek democracy. Van Buren served as president from March 4, 1837 until March 4, 1841.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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An oil on canvas painting of Angelica Singleton Van Buren was completed by Henry Inman in 1842. Inman had emerged as one of the top portrait specialists in the 1830s. Angelica was married to Abraham Van Buren, the son of President Martin Van Buren. She filled the role of First Lady during the Van Buren administration because Hannah Van Buren, the wife of President Van Buren, had passed away 18 years prior.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Watch Meeting - Dec. 31st 1862 - Waiting for the Hour, 1863
A painting by W.T. Carlton, also known as William Tolman Carlton, captures the moments before the Emancipation Proclamation took effect at midnight on Thursday, January 1, 1863. The original painting was a gift to President Abraham Lincoln in July 1864 and left the White House with First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln after his assassination. Its whereabouts are now unknown. The current version in the White House collection is likely Carlton's first study and is not signed or dated and was acquired during the Nixon administration.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Union, 1869
A painting which also features a companion piece Liberty, by Italian-born artist Constantino Brumidi. After Brumidi completed The Apotheosis of Washington in the United States Capitol Rotunda in 1866, President Ulysses S. Grant commissioned the artist to create two paintings for display in the renovated Entrance Hall of the White House. Both were mounted in the ceiling and represent the post-Civil War resurgence and indivisibility of the Union. After being removed during the Benjamin Harrison administration, they were returned to the White House following rediscovery in 1978. Brumidi would continue his work in the Capitol until his death in 1880.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Fruit in a Chinese Export Basket, 1822
A still life painting of fruit in a porcelain basket set upon a wooden tabletop that was completed by James Peale 1822. Peale's signature and date are painted on the cartouche of the basket, an unusual touch. While Peale was a versatile artist he is especially well-known for his still lifes, two of which are in the White House Collection, the other being "Grapes and Apples." Peale's still lifes often feature close-up features of the subjects painted in rich detail, in this case the fruit being nearly at eye-level and almost life size. Peale's older brother, Charles Willson Peale, also has a painting in the White House Collection, as does his nephew, Rubens.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Three-Master American Barque, ca. 1830-1840
A seascape of a three-masted American ship, or barque, that is attributed to W.J. Bennett, also known as William James Bennett. Dark clouds, high seas, and full sails suggest a stormy day as the ship navigates around a number of smaller vessels. Bennett was a British-born painter active in America and was a member of the National Academy of Design in New York City.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Lighter Relieving a Steamboat Aground, 1847
A painting by George Caleb Bingham, who was known for his depictions of the Missouri River and surrounding country. In this painting, seven men float on a raft full of cargo hoping to lighten the load of the steamer that has run aground on the distant horizon.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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The Three Tetons, 1895
An oil painting by Thomas Moran of the Three Tetons, which are located in Wyoming. The foreground of the painting is full of dark greens and blues depicting evergreen trees and a quiet lake, while the brightly lit Tetons hover above in the upper half of the canvas. The area was established as Grand Teton National Park in 1929. Although born in Britain, Moran is considered an important American artist for his paintings of the western wilderness, especially Yosemite Valley. Three of Moran's western landscapes are in the White House Collection.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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The Bronco Buster, modeled 1895, cast ca.1903
A model of a bronze sculpture of a man taming a bronco by Frederic Remington, often referred to as Frederic Sackrider Remington. Completed in 1895, this particular statue was most likely cast around 1903 by the Roman Bronze Works. It is based on a sketch Remington had previously done for Harper's Weekly, for an article written by future president Theodore Roosevelt. Remington and Roosevelt became close friends during this period. Remington was a prolific painter of the American West and he focused primarily on subjects such as cowboys, American Indians, and the military. Three Remington pieces are in the White House Collection.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Young Mother and Two Children, 1908
A portrait of a mother holding two children by renowned American Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt, sometimes referred to as Mary Stevenson Cassatt. The little boy sits on the mother's lap while an older girl leans against her mother's other side. Cassatt was a native of Pennsylvania but moved to Paris and spent much of her life there, where she worked closely with Edgar Degas and others. She is known for her focus on female subjects in her art, particularly mothers and children, as in this painting.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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The Mosquito Net, 1912
A painting by renowned artist John Singer Sargent depicts a young woman reclining in bed under a protective mosquito net. The black net stands in stark contrast to the rest of the painting's lighter tones. Marion Alice (Polly) Barnard, the daughter of a friend, was the model for the painting, which was part of Sargent's private works until his death. Sargent was American but achieved international fame as a portrait painter during his lifetime.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City, ca. 1885
A painting of a windy beach with rising, sandy dunes by African-American landscape painter Henry Ossawa Tanner. It is the first painting by an African-American artist acquired for the White House Collection. The painting looks out from the beach towards the ocean, though only small waves cresting on the horizon and two far off sailboats are visible. The dunes and shore take up the majority of the canvas and Tanner actually mixed sand into his pigments to better capture the rough texture. Tanner, whose father was an African Methodist Episcopal Church minister and whose mother had been born into slavery and escaped, was born in Pennsylvania. In 1891 he moved to France to escape racism and the limitations imposed on his race in the United States.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Butterfly, 1893
A painting by Albert Bierstadt, who was among the Hudson River School artists of the 19th century. Bierstadt was renowned for his depictions of the American West; however, this painting strays from Bierstadt's usual romantic landscapes, several of which are also in the White House Collection. The painting is of a butterfly, created by brushing pigments on a piece of paper, folding the paper, and then stroking a palette knife on the other side of the fold. A bright, colorful butterfly takes shape when unfolded and with drawn antennae. Bierstadt made numerous, quick paintings like this butterfly for acquaintances he met. Each of his butterfly paintings are unique due to how they were created.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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The Avenue in the Rain, 1917
A painting of American flags on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan by one of the most prominent American Impressionists of the early 20th century, Frederick Childe Hassam (known to many as Childe Hassam). The painting depicts both flags hanging on Fifth Avenue as well as reflections of the flags in water following a rainstorm. The Avenue in the Rain is one of 30 flag paintings of his that coincided with World War I. Fifth Avenue in New York City was frequently decorated with American flags at the time, as the United States debated entry into the war. This piece was completed in February of 1917, barely two months before Congress declared war on Germany on April 6th. Six Hassam pieces are in the White House Collection.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Brooklyn Bridge, Winter, ca. 1920-1930
A painting of the Brooklyn Bridge in winter by Guy C. Wiggins, an American Impressionist who often painted New York City and its five boroughs. Wiggins' painting captures a narrow, snowy, cityscape of the Brooklyn Bridge looming high over its Brooklyn neighborhood with views of the East River and Manhattan in the distance. The White House Historical Association provided partial funding for its donation to the White House Collection.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Fishing Boats: Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, California, ca. 1923-1933
A painting of two fishing boats docked at the Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, California by Lillie May Nicholson. Fishermen are seen working on the boats and on the docks. Nicholson was an Impressionist painter who lived on the coast and was known for painting watercolors of the coastline and landscapes surrounding Monterey. Two of her landscapes are in the White House Collection.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Timmy (Tiny Tim), 1929
A bronze figurine by Laura Gardin Fraser, sometimes referred to as Laura Fraser, of one of President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge's many pets, Timmy (Tiny Tim). Fraser was an American sculptor but also successfully designed artwork for coins. She was married to sculptor James Earle Fraser.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy admires "House on the Marne" with Philippa Calan, granddaughter of the donor Charles A. Loeser in the Green Room on June 28, 1961. Loeser bequeathed eight paintings of Post-Impressionist Paul Cézanne to the White House after his death in 1928. This photograph is credited to White House photographer, Robert Knudsen.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
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House on the Marne, 1888-1890
A landscape of a white house on the Marne River is by Post-Impressionist Paul Cézanne. The Marne River runs east and southeast of Paris, France and was a frequent subject of Cézanne's. This painting is one of eight Cézannes bequeathed by Charles A. Loeser after his death in 1928 to the President of the United States and all his future successors. Though prolific during his lifetime, Cézanne's art did not receive much recognition or acclaim until after his death, when his influence was cited by younger artists such as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso who moved away from the Impressionist style into new and different modes of painting.
White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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First Lady Lady Bird Johnson delivers remarks to over 250 guests at the unveiling of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's portrait in the East Room of the White House on February 4, 1966. Mrs. Johnson spearheaded efforts to acquire the portrait and it was purchased by the White House Historical Association for the White House Collection. The portrait was painted by Douglas Chandor. Eleanor Roosevelt first sat for the portrait in Chandor's New York studio in 1949.
White House Historical Association
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Guests in the Cross Hall of the White House view the newly displayed portrait of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt by Douglas Chandor. The portrait was unveiled during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on February 4, 1966.
White House Historical Association
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The Family Dining Room in 2015, during the Barack Obama administration. The Family Dining Room is located on the State Floor of the White House. During their residence in the Executive Mansion, the Obamas oversaw the 2015 refurbishing of the dining room, incorporating modern art and design into the room. Among the selected pieces of work are the paintings "Early Bloomer [Anagram (a Pun)]" by Robert Rauschenberg on the west wall and "Resurrection" by Alma Thomas on the north wall. The wool rug was adapted from a pictorial weaving called "Black, White, and Gray" by Anni Albers.
White House Historical Association
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First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at a reception celebrating 20th century art in the White House on October 14, 2016. The event took place in the East Room of the White House and included remarks from White House curator William G. Allman. The event brought college art history and fine arts students to the Executive Mansion to participate in a workshop with representatives of the White House Historical Association, the White House Office of the Curator, and the Committee for Preservation of the White House. In addition to the reception, a panel was held in the Family Dining Room, a room decorated with 20th century art during the Barack Obama administration.
White House Historical Association

About this Gallery

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.

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Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection

The White House Collection and the Atlantic World Jennifer L. Anderson, Mahogany: The Costs of Luxury in Early America (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012). Vernon C. Stoneman, John and Thomas Seymour, Cabinetmakers in Boston, 1794-1816 (Boston, MA: Special Publications, 1959). Sarah Fling, “Sugar, Slavery, and the Washington China,” White House Historical Association, https://www.whitehousehistory.org/sugar-slavery-and-the-washington-china.Hannah Boettcher and Ronald W. F
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Conservation of the White House Collection

Care of any museum collection includes the conservation of objects to correct or stabilize deterioration from age or exhibition. Although the White House is an accredited historic house museum, it does not provide the traditional exhibition setting of objects under glass or behind ropes at all times. As the official residence of the president of the United States, objects from
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection

Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection: The Fight for Emancipation

This exhibit explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection: The White House Collection and the Atlantic World

This exhibit explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection: Enslaved Artisans

This exhibit explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection: Slavery at the White House

This exhibit explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Collection
Preservation of the White House

In the 1960s, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy oversaw the task of restoring the White House interiors and thus founded the White House Historical Association to enhance the understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the Executive Mansion. As a part of our mission, the Association provides financial support for acquisitions, refurbishing projects, and preservation initiatives of the White House, which involves collaboration
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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, a long-standing tradition of the White House Collection. Recent presidents and first ladies typically select their respective artists before leaving the White House and approve the portraits before their formal presentation to the public and induction into the collection. The
Collection
An Artist Visits the White House Past

From the beginning of its construction in 1792, until the 1902 renovation that shaped the modern identity and functions of the interior of the White House, the fourteen paintings of this series examine the history of a national icon. Through meticulous research and tireless attention to detail, numerous sources inspired the brush of Peter Waddell to create a vision of the White
Collection
The Kennedys and the Arts

President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s advocacy for the arts endures as a vital part of their White House legacy. From 1961 to 1963, the White House became a focal point for the arts and cultural engagement. The Kennedys hosted numerous concerts and performances and infused the Executive Mansion and the country with the same vitality, youth, and id
Collection
A Tour of the White House

In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy resolved to make the White House a “living museum” by restoring the historic integrity of the public rooms and displaying the very best of American artwork, furniture, and décor. In order to fulfill her vision, Mrs. Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association, a private, non-profit organization created in partnership with the National Park Servi