(Bloomberg) — Former President Joe Biden welcomed former First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama to the White House for the exhibition of their official portraits, referring to them as "two good friends, and two great Americans."At a rowdy gathering on Wednesday in the White House's East Room, Biden greeted Barack and Michelle Obama with the words "welcome home."
Later, Obama remarked that it was "wonderful to be back" and described Biden as his vice president as "a true partner and a good friend."
The event included a reunion of the former running mates and hundreds of staff members who worked in both administrations, as well as a celebration of the Obamas' historic status as the first Black family to hold office in the White House.
"A reminder for those here and now, and for those that come to power, that hope and change matters," Biden said of the images.
The White House Historical Association commissioned pictures of the Obamas, which stand out significantly from the more somber and conventional ones that they will hang alongside in the White House.
The former president is depicted in a photo-realistic painting by Robert McCurdy, who is renowned for his painstakingly accurate depictions of his subjects. Portraits of the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos can be found among McCurdy's earlier works.
The former president is seen in the painting next to a white canvas with no background and wearing a black suit and gray tie. The portrait was created from pictures McCurdy took during a photo shoot.
"What I appreciate about Robert's art is that he portrays people for better or worse, capturing every facial wrinkle. Obama remarked, "Every crease in your shirt." He wouldn't cover up any of my gray hairs. He declined my desire to enlarge my ears.Because presidents "so often get sanitized, even take on a mythological stature, especially after you've gone and people forget all the stuff they didn't like about you," according to Obama, that strategy appealed to him.
Compared to the massive portraits of the Obamas at the National Portrait Gallery, which were unveiled in 2018 and quickly became tourist attractions, the paintings are smaller.
The former first lady is shown in a portrait sitting on a sofa in the Red Room of the White House wearing a blue ball gown. Sharon Sprung, a Brooklyn-based artist, painted a portrait of her that was also based on pictures.
Patsy Mink, a former congressman from Hawaii, is depicted in one of Sprung's earlier works that is displayed in the US Capitol as part of a series honoring female trailblazers.
The former president praised his wife's image as "beautiful."
He expressed his gratitude to Sharon Sprung for "capturing everything I adore about Michelle." To cheers, he remarked, "Her grace, her intelligence, and the fact that she's fine."
After complimenting her husband on his "spicy words," Michelle Obama spoke in a more somber tone about the importance of American democracy. She also made some veiled jabs at former President Donald Trump for refusing to concede the 2020 race.
She stated, "We hold an inauguration to ensure a peaceful transfer of power. "When our allotted time is gone, we move on. These portraits, which link our history to the present, and our valiant efforts are all that are left in this revered location.
Obama had visited the White House once before, but this time was his second visit. In April of this year, he attended a celebration honoring his groundbreaking health law, the Affordable Care Act, which had been in effect for twelve years. He had lunch with Biden during that visit as well as on Wednesday, just like they did at least weekly throughout Obama's two terms in office.
Since her husband's administration came to an end in 2017, Michelle Obama had not been to the White House.
The White House event served as a sign that things were getting back to normal after the Carter-era tradition of a president honoring his immediate predecessor was put on hold under the Trump administration.
Bush invited former President Bill Clinton to the White House for his debut in June 2004 whereas Obama welcomed President George W. Bush for his unveiling in May 2012.
Trump has said he intends to run for president again in 2024, but White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would to comment on whether Biden would also try to arrange a picture unveiling for him on Tuesday.
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