National Portrait Gallery

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It's the First Photo of the 'First' First Lady

National Portrait Gallery acquires 1846 daguerreotype

(Newser) - The earliest photograph of a US president is an 1843 daguerreotype of John Quincy Adams that's in the possession of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. It will now be joined by the oldest known photograph of a first lady—the woman who inspired the use of the term...

This Painting Allegedly Made Mary Lincoln Faint

Life-size painting is in National Portrait Galley after many decades of obscurity

(Newser) - A painting of Abraham Lincoln so lifelike it was said to have made Mary Lincoln faint when she first set eyes on it at an exhibition in 1876 is now on display at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. The 9-foot painting shows Lincoln at his full 6-foot-4 height,...

Portraits of the Obamas Revealed in DC

'That's pretty sharp,' former president says of Kehinde Wiley's likeness of him

(Newser) - The National Portrait Gallery has unveiled portraits of former President Obama and Michelle Obama. Barack Obama's portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley, an artist best known for his vibrant, large-scale paintings of African-Americans. For Michelle Obama's portrait, the gallery commissioned Baltimore-based artist Amy Sherald, first-prize winner of the...

Portraits of Obamas Will Be a 1st for National Portrait Gallery

Smithsonian hires black artists to paint presidential portraits for 1st time

(Newser) - For the first time ever, the Smithsonian has hired black artists to paint the president and first lady for its National Portrait Gallery, the Wall Street Journal reports. Kehinde Wiley will paint Barack Obama, who requested him specifically. Wiley is known for juxtaposing his subjects—often young black men in...

Shakespeare May Not Have Looked Like This

Portrait cleaning could alter the Bard's look in a big way

(Newser) - When you picture William Shakespeare, the image that likely comes to mind is the Chandos Portrait—the most famous portrait of the Bard and the only one known to have been painted during his lifetime, reports Smithsonian . But that doesn't mean it looks exactly like him, at least in...

Artist Hid 'Monica's Dress' in Official Clinton Portrait

It hangs in the National Portrait Gallery

(Newser) - Nelson Shanks' portrait of Bill Clinton is in the National Portrait Gallery—and in a new interview with the Philadelphia Daily News , the artist reveals the reason the Clintons, he says, want it removed. The former president is "probably the most famous liar of all time," Shanks says,...

Duchess Kate Gets First Official Portrait

It's hanging in London's National Portrait Gallery

(Newser) - Kate Middleton not only turned 31 week, she got to see her first official painted portrait, reports Today.com . Artist Paul Emsley says he depicted Kate smiling because she wanted to be portrayed as her "natural self," not her "official self." The duchess of Cambridge, for...

Smithsonian Could Lose Funding Over Jesus Video

Warhol Foundation wants video restored

(Newser) - The Smithsonian Institution could lose some of its funding over the uproar that ensued after the National Portrait Gallery removed a controversial video. The video by David Wojnarowicz, featuring ants crawling on a crucifix, was pulled after complaints by the Catholic League and some House Republicans. The Andy Warhol Foundation,...

Smithsonian Exhibit Uproar Shows Homophobia's OK
Smithsonian Exhibit Uproar Shows Homophobia's OK
frank rich
Dec 12, 2010 9:41 AM CST

Smithsonian Exhibit Uproar Shows Homophobia's OK

National Portrait Gallery in throes of old 'culture wars'

(Newser) - The Smithsonian’s removal of a video that showed ants crawling on a crucifix amounts to Washington “gay bashing,” writes Frank Rich in the New York Times . Gay artist David Wojnarowicz's artwork wasn’t taken down because it offended Christians—that was just a “perfunctory cover for...

Gallery Pulls Jesus Video After Cantor, Boehner Object

Smithsonian-run museum pressured over 'sacrilegious' image

(Newser) - Bowing to pressure from top Republicans John Boehner and Eric Cantor, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery has removed artwork containing a 4-minute video showing ants crawling on a crucifix, CNS News reports. Cantor had demanded the artwork be "pulled," calling it "an outrageous use of taxpayer money...

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