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,...
Main Content
David Martin; 1767; Oil on canvas on panel, 50 x 40 inches.
The portrait of Benjamin Franklin was commissioned by Robert Alexander, of the firm of William Alexander & Sons, Edinburgh. The impressive beribboned document held by Franklin in the portrait is not a treaty or an Act of Parliament, but one of Alexander's deeds! The other books and pamphlets suggest the learned evidence brought in support of a wise man's decision. The bust of Isaac Newton, whose gaze is directed toward Franklin, invokes the greatest English voice of Reason. The portrait nonetheless sits squarely in the broader tradition of Enlightenment. The pressure of the thumb against the chin expresses the pressure of concentrated thought (the painting has sometimes been called the 'thumb portrait'), and the refracted light of Franklin's spectacles on his cheek furthers the effect.
Kloss, William, et al. Art in the White House: A Nation's Pride. Washington, D.C.: The White House Historical Association, 2008.
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies,...
The collection of fine art at the White House has evolved and grown over time. The collection began with mostly...
For two hundred years, Decatur House has stood as a near neighbor to the White House across Lafayette Square. Stewart...
President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s advocacy for the arts endures as a vital part of th...
The White House Collection and the Atlantic World Jennifer L. Anderson, Mahogany: The Costs of Luxury in Early America (Cambridge,...
The 2023 White House History Teacher Institute is open to all K-12 educators and will be offered in both in-person and...
October 1, 20209:00-9:15amWelcome and Overview Stewart D. McLaurin, President, White House Historical AssociationFrederick J. Ryan Jr., Chairman, Board of Directors,...
As part of the White House Historical Association’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2021, the Next-Gen Leaders (NGL) initiative was announced. Th...
January 14, 1964: State Dinner for Italian President Antonio Segni was hosted by President Lyndon Baines Johnson. Featured entertainment included Robert Merrill...
Congress has always been tasked with appropriating funds for the care, repair, refurnishing and maintenance of the White House and...
Jim AdamsJim Adams has been gardening in Washington, D.C., for over 25 years. His D.C. career began at the...
James Archer AbbottJames Archer Abbott currently serves as the Executive Director of the Lewes Historical Society in Lewes, Delaware. A...