I'm not crazy about them. I don't like the stark white background, and while Michelle's is nice, I don't think it looks like her. Barack's just looks like a picture taken by a camera. Two different artists, two different styles.

I saw the ceremony on the evening news. I don't care for hers. It just looks goofy and the face is not appropriate to the real-life face.

Maybe I am getting too old, but I don't like professional men with their hands in their pockets. Not appropriate for a portrait like this, nor in person for a person with standing such as what he has.

I saw them on Twitter earlier today, and I don't like either one of them.

I like both - they seem very modern to me. I like the colors, and almost casualness of her pose and the directness of his. He said he chose that artist for his portrait for that reason.

I can imagine them in juxtaposition with the portraits of former presidents.

These look too much like they're trying for a magazine cover. Attractive people but so what? Nothing to tie either of them to what they actually did. I'm disappointed in the artist's lack of imagination.

I like the portrait of Barack, but am less enthusiastic about Michelle's as I don't think it looks like her nor does it capture her personality. I much prefer the earlier portraits.

Have yall taken a peek at the George W. and Laura Bush portraits for comparison? Gack!! These things are a success if the person looks human.

It's about time considering it was supposed to be done years ago...

You can watch the Obamas' remarks at the unveiling ceremony here:

https://youtu.be/5GcjnM9VVEA

Former First Lady Obama's words were moving, IMO. She got a bit emotional at the end.

Annie, blame it on the pandemic.

I could not get onboard at all with the earlier ones, so in my view these were an improvement. However when I looked more closely I felt the same about his, that the background of white was all wrong. Hers was just unflattering. Her dress wasn’t appropriate, although it was a beautiful dress and color, she didnt look her best self and appeared rather condescending.

I think they are spot on portraits. They are like air brushed photos.

I don't like Mrs. Obama's. I simply don't like the technique - looks flat, and amateurish, like what I would see at a high school exhibit. I would have preferred a more formal dress as well - I mean one that doesn't look like a cocktail dress.

I like Pres. Obama's portrait much more, but also wish his pose wasn't quite so casual. There is something to be said for trying to show their personalities, but show them within their roles with the dignity of President and First Lady.

carolb, thank you for sharing the video. I found it very moving-just lovely. I miss them, and watching this brought tears to my eyes, nostalgic for The Times Before. I love both portraits, they are modern and beautiful, like their subjects. President Obama’s captures him perfectly.
And the fact that this didn’t happen during TFG’s occupancy clearly had nothing to do with the pandemic.

I also got almost teary seeing this beloved couple. I think I like the Smithsonian ones better. He is more handsome than his portrait showed and I am not crazy about the stark white background. I'm not familiar with how the other presidents' portraits were framed, but I thought these were in stark contrast with each other. I wasn't crazy about Michelle's because it really didn't look a lot like her. The face was too thin. But the whole ceremony was delightful and the Obamas really loved their staff and vice versa. I'm quite sure they were happy to have the Bidens host the event rather than the one who snubbed them. That would have been ugly.

I'm so happy they didn't have this special event ruined by tfg in the same room and that the Bidens were able to welcome and host them. They are just such a lovely couple and stellar human beings.

Yes, i like both of them. they are a modern, couple. They chose to be captured as they are - he looks very handsome with a white background showing off a stylish suit and has a very approchable stance. She is dressed in a lovely dress. She chose not to have a big smile and looks engaged in what is in front of her. i think her husband loved her look and knows this look. If you like them, I think you will remember the great entertainment they had at the White House and their positive gifts of time and energy they gave to the public. Politics aside.

Ditto

I thought Michelle’s missed. It reminds me of work I have seen done by some very talented high school or college students. I liked Barack’s. It was a good likeness, with clean lines, and spoke to his directness, focus and simplicity. Quite modern in its treatment. Now if you want to see a crazy official portrait, look at California governor Jerry Brown’s portrait.

I like them both better than the Smithsonian ones, but neither of these hit the right note for me. I'm especially unhappy that the pieces don't coordinate well with each other when one thing that's so apparent is how happy they are together, and I would want that to be reflected in the art.

Hers looks like a glamour shot. That’s ok, I guess, but I wouldn’t have chosen that style for an official portrait. She didn’t act the ”Glamour Queen” when they were in the White House. She seemed more like a Working First Lady.

Here is the link to prior first family portraits. White House Portraits

Thanks, graywings.

A few years ago the National Portrait Gallery in DC had a special exhibit of their presidential collection plus some of the official WH portraits. That painting of JFK is quite powerful in person. Jackie Kennedy's portrait is, on the other hand, a travesty. She was such a beautiful, elegant woman and the artist made her look like Morticia Addams.

The portrait of Michelle Obama sings Paul Gauguin.

I would love to hear the exchanges between the artists and their subjects.

Robert McCurdy did a good job painting Barack, not so on his wife. Can't wait for Donald and Melania's official white house portraits, and know I'll become Teary as a tingle runs down my legs. When he wins again we'll be blessed with two official portraits of the couple, so nice.

Robert McCurdy did a good job painting Barack, not so on his wife.

Michelle's portrait was painted by Sharon Sprung. McCurdy is a photorealist, while clearly Sprung is not.

@petalique well said. I kept thinking it was Warholesque but when I read your post I thought you captured it.

They're nice portraits but they seem too too casual.

I love the portraits in the Smithsonian. These are not 'formal' just dead, and poor representations to boot. A *portrait* is supposed to capture the subject, not project a photographic likeness, and the one of the first lady doesn't even do that. Boo! Hiss!

Like jim, I dislike seeing any man photographed, painted, or IRL standing around with his hand(s) in his pockets. It reminds me of a crude man I 'd like to forget who would make a filthy comment involving a boyhood without any toys -- something you can't 'un-hear'.

The Previous Occupant is why this unveiling was delayed -- yet another example of his insecure and boorish behavior.

I really like his, I do not like hers at all. But I love them (the Obama's). ;)

I just looked at the official portraits of previous first lady's and most are shown in some type of evening formal wear although not all.

From the Smithsonian's website, here's some info on Barack Obama's first portrait.

https://npg.si.edu/Barack_Obama

I was unaware of the significance of the various flowers in the painting. And I didn't realize private donors gift these portraits to the Smithsonian. In this case, a long paragraph of donors.

And here's info on Michelle's:

https://npg.si.edu/Michelle_Obama

We had it so good.

And so did Iran, yep the good old days.

I like them both. They portray two very different people which I like. I think Michelle Obama looks like she's having fun in her dress. Barack Obama looks very approachable to me.

I don't like the portrayal of Michelle. She looks too cool and too formal. I considered her to be a warm personality and would have preferred to see this side of her portrayed. I miss them both terribly as our former First Family.

A close look at her portrait shows an expression I consider wise and a little bit amused. The gaze is very direct - she's looking the viewer straight in the eye.

P.S. Wanted to share this text of an email from the Obama Foundation that I received today (Sep. 9). Some of the words were in the address he gave at the unveiling...

"Today, Michelle and I returned to the White House together for the first time since leaving office, to join President and Dr. Biden in unveiling our official portraits.

These portraits have a special significance, because they will hang in the White House alongside portraits of other presidents and first ladies dating back to George and Martha Washington. So it was important to find the right people to paint them.

I’m so pleased with the work that Sharon Sprung did to capture everything I love about Michelle, while Robert McCurdy took on a more difficult subject and did a fantastic job with mine.

Presidents often get airbrushed, even take on a mythical status—especially after you’re gone and people forget all the stuff they didn’t like about you. But what you realize sitting behind that desk, and what I want people to remember about Michelle and me, is that presidents and first ladies are human beings, just like everyone else.

I’ve always described the presidency as a relay race. You take the baton from someone, run your leg as hard as you can, then hand it off to someone else. The portraits hanging in the White House chronicle the runners in that race—each of us tasked with trying to bring the country we love closer to its highest aspirations.

When future generations walk through the White House and look 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, they can do remarkable things too.

–Barack"

I’d looked forward to this event for a long time. The portraits are fine. If they like them, i like them.

The pics are fine just as are the others which proceeded them, the obvious pettiness of their delayed presentation - not so much.

sheilajoyce_gw, thanks for mentioning Jerry Brown's portrait. That's hilarious!

I think more of the pics than I do the Obama's themselves and I do not like the pictures not the there delay in presenting them which goes to show the overall lack of respect for the country and the office as a whole. But then again.........................

@Zalco/bring back Sophie! ”We had it so good” I pray for more such times. We need true leaders with strength of character, integrity, principles and morals. This, Regardless of Party!

I was hoping Barack would wear the light tan suit that caused such criticism. It made him look young and stylish. I guess I would have liked Michelle in something less formal but she looked beautiful.

Miss them. They brought a youthful vibe to the Presidency.

Certainly better than the 'couple' who followed them.

Jane

meh

@ Jane: in Pres. Obama's remarks at the unveiling, he joked about the artist talking him out of wearing a tan suit for the portrait 😄

For the majority of US history, there have been just two major parties. No party has held onto the presidency for long, change is part of the intended balancing mechanism. It's only recently that childish immaturity has emerged in how each side publicly views the other. It's been fueled in part by having a leader (for fortunately a short time) of limited knowledge and no more than adolescent sensibilities. Whose supporters, unfortunately, have emulated his inept conduct.

It will pass. Not soon enough.

we had a few good years between 2 sets of bad ones. i don't care for either painting but then i didn't care for either of them. his looks more like him, hers doesn't look like her.