The Obama Portraits


Book Description

Unveiling the unconventional : Kehinde Wiley's portrait of Barack Obama / Taína Caragol -- "Radical empathy" : Amy Sherald's portrait of Michelle Obama / Dorothy Moss -- The Obama portraits, in art history and beyond / Richard J. Powell -- The Obama portraits and the National Portrait Gallery as a site of secular pilgrimage / Kim Sajet -- The presentation of the Obama portraits : a transcript of the unveiling ceremony.




Visionary


Book Description

Published on the occasion of an exhibition (April 24, 2020 through January 18, 2021) that celebrates a major gift of portraits to the National Portrait Gallery. The book traces the life of Ian M. Cumming who, with his wife Annette P. Cumming, commissioned portraits of several prominent artists, activists, scientists, businessmen, and other thought leaders.




First Ladies of the United States


Book Description

A gorgeous publication that reveals the historical importance of first ladies through portraiture. Each first lady has brought her own priorities and flair to the position that has never been officially defined. They have served as hostesses, trendsetters, activists, and political players. First Ladies of the United States features 84 portraits of the nation's first ladies, as varied in style and representation as the individual women they depict. From watercolors and oil paintings to engravings and photographs, this book celebrates the legacy of first ladies throughout history. First ladies are some of the most scrutinized public figures in the country, praised or criticized on everything from their fashion to their level of political involvement. There's no better way to explore their visibility and lasting impact than with First Ladies of the United States, which places remarkable portraits alongside an insightful essay and lively entries that illuminate the history of the women who have shaped the White House.







Capital Portraits


Book Description

This book presents little-known artworks from important Washington-area private collections. These portraits by major artists date from the mid-eighteenth century to the present and speak to the many compelling ways that paintings and sculpture capture human likenesses and personalities.




Black Out


Book Description

"National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. in association with Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford".




Then and Now


Book Description




American Cool


Book Description

What does it mean when we say someone is cool? This luminous collection of portraits and film stills sheds new light on the term, its origins, and its evolution--with some surprising and provocative results. An extensive selection of one hundred chronologically arranged portraits, with biographical information about each subject, profiles major eras and movements of the past decades, each with its own brand of coolness. Exploring cultural icons, this volume encourages readers to find new meaning and depth in the idea of American cool.