Every US president's and first lady's official portraits

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June 26, 2020
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Every U.S. president's and first lady's official portraits

Every U.S. president has their likeness immortalized on the walls of the White House. While a picture is worth a thousand words, the stories behind some of their official portraits tell the story of America.

From George Washington to Donald Trump, compiled a list of every U.S. president's official portrait, as well as those of first ladies and hostesses, using information from the and independent research.

The artists that were commissioned ranged from close personal friends to world-renowned artists. Though some paintings that were considered head and shoulders above the rest, like Herbert Abrams's depiction of Jimmy Carter, not every official portrait session went so smoothly. Presidents and both rejected first attempts at their official portraits, while in 1967, President Lyndon Johnson called artist Peter Hurd's first portrayal of him "the ugliest thing I ever saw." Artist Elizabeth Shoumatoff would craft Johnson's official portrait a year later.

Johnson was Shoumatoff's second attempt at a presidential portrait, with her first attempt two decades earlier representing a pivotal moment in American history. While sitting for Shoumatoff at the "Little White House" in Georgia on April 12, 1945, the country's only four-term president died after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. Frank Salisbury later painted the official portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt, while

Along with each slide, information about the portrait, the artist, as well as its personal and public reception are noted. The presidents, first ladies, and hostesses are listed in chronological order. Hostesses are included on this list because a family member of the president (a sister, daughter, sister-in-law, etc.) sometimes played a bigger role in the presidency than a spouse did.

Read on to discover every U.S. president and first lady's official portrait, from Presidents Washington to Trump and First Ladies Martha to Melania.

President: George Washington

- Years active: 1789鈥1797

President George Washington鈥檚 8-foot portrait, painted by Gilbert Stuart, hangs not just on the White House walls, but is also one of the most reproduced images of all time. A bust-length representation has graced the face of $1 bill since 1869, . The iconic first presidential portrait almost burned in flames during the War of 1812, , who risked her life to rescue the painting.

First Lady: Martha Washington

- Years active: 1789鈥1797

First Lady Martha Dandridge Custis Washington鈥檚 portrait, aglow in white and maroon, depicts the first president鈥檚 love standing stoically aside an oval-backed chair. However, ; she married him after being widowed by wealthy planter Daniel Parke Custis. It was her esteemed social status that helped her husband George win the presidency, making the couple the inaugural pacesetters for the new republic's leaders.

President: John Adams

- Years active: 1797鈥1801

The portrait of second U.S. President John Adams, one of America鈥檚 Founding Fathers, was duplicated from an original depiction of him when he was vice president under President George Washington in 1792鈥93. Painted in oil by John Trumbull on a 30 鈪 x 24-inch canvas, the portrait exudes the seriousness of the Harvard graduate, one-term president, and American Revolution leader. to reside in the White House after its construction in 1800.

 

First Lady: Abigail Adams

- Years active: 1797鈥1801

First Lady Abigail Adams was no stranger to the executive branch, as the wife to President John Adams when he was vice president to President George Washington. Her friendship with then , enabling her to christen the White House with d茅cor and entertainment as the first lady to reside there. , the first lady is remembered as the strong woman behind the great man.

President: Thomas Jefferson

- Years active: 1801鈥1809

Rembrandt Peale painted President Thomas Jefferson's portrait on a 23 鈪 x 19 录-inch oil canvas a year before Jefferson led the country in 1800. The famed artist sat President Jefferson down again, painting him a second time in the White House when he completed his first term in 1805. that since President Jefferson accomplished a landslide reelection, he felt more relaxed in sitting, posing "for this formal portrait in a somewhat unconventional manner with his hair not dressed and covering his red coat with a large, fur-lined cape."

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First Lady: Martha Jefferson

- Years active: 1801鈥1809

First Lady Martha Jefferson never enjoyed the glory and honor of her title, Out of her seven pregnancies, only two daughters survived past early adolescence. Their daughter Martha, , would stand in for her mother as the lady of the White House from 1802鈥03 and once more from 1805鈥06.

President: James Madison

- Years active: 1809鈥1817

Two-term President James Madison had his official portrait completed a year before exiting the White House in 1816. The simple and stern bust-length depiction, painted in oil by John Vanderlyn on a 26 x 22 (3/16)-inch canvas, . President Madison served during the War of 1812, which prompted the 1814 British , which became engulfed in flames.

First Lady: Dolley Madison

- Years active: 1809鈥1817

knew what it was like to run the White House before officially living in it, assisting President Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 daughter, who was the hostess since he served as a widowed leader. often showed her lower-cut dresses that she was known for sporting along with other elaborate clothing. When the British attacked the White House during the War of 1812, First Lady Dolley Madison risked her life to save President George Washington鈥檚 portrait.

President: James Monroe

- Years active: 1817鈥1825

Unlike some early leaders, President James Monroe sat for his official White House portrait, , during his administration in 1819. The 29 鈪 x 24 鈪-inch oil on canvas reveals the right side of the leader鈥檚 face and less of the left. Gilbert Stuart, who painted President George Washington, and Rembrandt Peale, who composed President Thomas Jefferson.

First Lady: Elizabeth Monroe

- Years active: 1817鈥1825

by not associating closely with other diplomat wives due to her ill health and . Her desire to stay distant caused strife between President James Monroe and some elected officials; , staying true to her aloofness.

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President: John Quincy Adams

- Years active: 1825-1829

Sitting afront red curtains on a rose velvet chair, the sixth U.S. President John Quincy Adams, son to the second U.S. President John Adams, had his portrait completed before becoming America鈥檚 leader. He was the after he served as commander-in-chief, later collapsing on the Capitol floor from a stroke in 1848 while arguing against the Mexican-American War. He died two days later. The White House portrait was composed in 1818 by George Peter Alexander Healy, a reputable portraitist of the time.

First Lady: Louisa Adams

- Years active: 1825鈥1829

The official White House portrait of the first foreign-born . It was accepted . The oil painting completed by portraitist Gilbert Stuart, famous for other presidential portraits, is on a 25 x 35-inch canvas.

President: Andrew Jackson

- Years active: 1829鈥1837

The portrait of the seventh U.S. President Andrew Jackson placed there by historian Walter Russell. , who studied under famed political painter John Trumball, painted the noble likeness of President Jackson in 1835. , with Earl painting family portraits as far back as 1817 in Tennessee, and eventually marrying one of President Jackson and First Lady Rachel鈥檚 nieces.

First Lady: Rachel Jackson

- Years active: N/A

First Lady Rachel Jackson became a target of her husband's political rivals, specifically President John Quincy Adams, as a charge of adultery against her and President Andrew Jackson. Due to the scandal, the first lady fell into depression. She lost a son to illness, and eventually died of a heart attack that President Jackson would later blame on political rivals. Though no artist name accompanies the official White House portrait of the First Lady Rachel, her niece鈥檚 husband, Ralph E.W. Earl, painted President Jackson鈥檚 official portrait and many other family pictures.

Hostess: Emily Donelson

- Years active: 1829鈥1836

was the niece of Rachel Donelson Jackson, the late wife of President Andrew Jackson. Not only did she govern the White House from 1829鈥1834 at the age of 21, but she also mothered four children, three of which she bore in the Washington estate. Married to A.J. Donelson, the president's private secretary, , passing off her familial duty to Sarah Yorke Jackson, wife of the president's adopted nephew, after the U.S. scandal known as the 

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President: Martin Van Buren

- Years active: 1837鈥1841

President Martin Van Buren鈥檚 official White House portrait, composed 17 years after he left the White House, was painted by , whom the White House Historical Association calls 鈥渙ne of the most popular and prolific portraitists of the mid-nineteenth century.鈥 The self-taught painter, who illustrated in 1860, painted a 62 陆 x 47 鈪-inch oil on canvas of the president standing stoically aside a table in 1858, two years after Healy migrated to America from Europe.

First Lady: Hannah Van Buren

- Years active: N/A

was a close cousin to her husband, President Martin Van Buren, growing up together in New York State; however, she never stepped foot in the White House, dying 18 years before he was elected. Little is known about First Lady Hannah, according to the White House Historical Association, which notes she was called 鈥渁n ornament of Christian faith.鈥 Her stately position would be filled by White House Hostess Angelica Van Buren, who married one of the president鈥檚 four sons after being introduced to him by Dolley Madison.

Hostess: Angelica Van Buren

- Years active: 1838鈥1841

As a daughter-in-law to President Martin Van Buren, became the de facto first lady since the leader鈥檚 wife died almost two decades before he was elected. Andrew Van Buren, the president鈥檚 son, acted as his private secretary, while his well-educated South Carolinian wife, who was the youngest White House hostess, kept the Washington estate in order. She even bolstered President Van Buren鈥檚 reputation and beauty depicted in the light and dark illustration of her, adorned in feathers and pearls.

President: William Henry Harrison

- Years active: 1841

President William Henry Harrison had his official White House portrait painted years before his election by James Read Lambdin, , who also composed the likeness of Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, and James A. Garfield. After being commissioned to paint influential political leaders, become the director for the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and a professor. depicts the military veteran and president, who died of pneumonia after only 32 days in office, making him the shortest-serving U.S. leader.

First Lady: Anna Harrison

- Years active: 1841

Ironically, First Lady Anna Harrison objected to the election of her husband, President William Harrison, who died only 31 days after assuming office. The first lady, who was detained in North Bend, Ohio, due to illness herself, would not even have enough time to move to the Washington estate before her husband's death. Her official White House painting, like that of her husband, is unnamed, and according to y, "although only one portrait of her is extant, others may have been made."

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Hostess: Jane Harrison

- Years active: 1841

De facto First Lady Jane Harrison served with President William Harrison, her father-in-law, the first month of his presidency until he died on day 31. Since the president鈥檚 wife, Anna, was too ill to travel to Washington with him, Hostess Jane filled in for her until she could make the journey that she would never wind up taking. and the official White House portrait, which depicts her in a black-and-white dress covered with a red shawl.

President: John Tyler

- Years active: 1841鈥1845

Like many official White House paintings, the portrait of the 10th U.S. President John Tyler was composed in 1859 long after he was the commander-in-chief. Famed Boston-born painter George Peter Alexander Healy produced the 62 x 47 鈪-inch oil on canvas . During his tenure as a portraitist, Healy was also commissioned to paint religious icons and royalty, such as Pope Pius IX and Queen Elizabeth of Romania.

First Lady: Letitia Tyler

- Years active: 1841鈥1842

First Lady Letitia Tyler would die in the White House in 1842, women with this sad distinction, including First Lady Caroline Harrison in 1892 and First Lady Ellen Wilson in 1914. The White House Historical Association credits the official 鈥渉eirloom鈥 White House portrait to John Tyler Griffin, the great-great-grandson to the president and his wife. Due to her poor health, First Lady Letitia was often confined to a second floor in the Washington estate, with her daughter-in-law Priscilla assuming many hostess duties of the White House.

First Lady: Julia Tyler

- Years active: 1844鈥1845

The second wife of President John Tyler, whom he married after the death of his first wife, First Lady Julia, was , when she was in her mid-20s. Descending from a wealthy New York family and called 鈥淭he Rose of Long Island,鈥 First Lady Julia would become a widow to President John Tyler in 1863, which was a severe blow to her, . Along with the portrait of the first lady, Italian-American artist Anelli is famed for his painting 鈥淭he End of World,鈥 which was lost and never found.

President: James K. Polk

- Years active: 1845鈥1849

by George Peter Alexander Healy on a 62 陆 x 47 鈪 canvas captures the 11th U.S. president staring off stoically, dressed in black with clasped hands. It was painted nine years after his death in 1858. Healy was a prolific painter of the time, who composed other U.S. presidents including Martin Van Buren and Abraham Lincoln. He  whom he grew up watching create pictures of her journey in the West Indian Islands. He was 16 when he picked up his first paintbrush.

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First Lady: Sarah Polk

- Years active: 1845鈥1849

Esteemed for her formal education and political savvy, was very involved in her husband President James K. Polk鈥檚 administration. The official White House portrait of First Lady Sarah by artist George Dury was painted in 1883 from an 1846 depiction of her by George Peter Alexander Healy, who also painted President Polk鈥檚 portait. Migrating from the Kingdom of Bavaria, Dury would settle down in Tennessee and eventually paint Robert E. Lee and President Andrew Johnson.

President: Zachary Taylor

- Years active: 1849鈥1850

was painted one year before he entered office in 1858 by artist Joseph H. Bush. The oil on canvas depicts the president clad in military uniform, signifying his many battle victories, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War, which branded him an American hero. President Taylor鈥檚 untimely death two years into his administration promoted Vice President Millard Fillmore to commander-in-chief.

First Lady: Margaret Taylor

- Years active: 1849鈥1850

While 鈥渘o certain likeness鈥 of First Lady Margaret Taylor exists, the 1903 sketch of her credited to the Bureau of National Literature and Art acts as the official White House portrait, Avoiding all public and political occasions, First Lady Taylor shared her time with friends, family, and church members, leaving White House hostess duties to her youngest daughter Mary Elizabeth Taylor Bliss; she would serve in the Washington estate for two years before her father鈥檚 sudden death.

President: Millard Fillmore

- Years active: 1850鈥1853

was just another powerful political leader painted by portraitist George Peter Alexander Healy. The 94 鈪 x 58-inch oil work depicts President Fillmore in 1857, four years after the former vice president stepped in as commander-in-chief for President Zachary Taylor, who died in office a year into his term. Healy portrayed President Fillmore standing sternly with his hand on his hip in front of an elegant set of curtains and chair, a familiar backdrop used by the portraitist.

First Lady: Abigail Powers Fillmore

- Years active: 1850鈥1853

depicted the wife of the 13th president with long curls and a white bonnet. First Lady Abigail, who in ill health continued to act as a teacher while serving in the White House, bestowed many of her official duties to her daughter Mary Abigail. Meanwhile, she helped create the White House library in the Yellow Oval Room, .

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President: Franklin Pierce

- Years active: 1853鈥1857

President Franklin would be the 14th U.S. leader and one of many painted by portraitist George Peter Alexander Healy. The oil on canvas sized 62 3/16 x 47 鈪 was painted a year after President Pierce served in 1858, common among many paintings of U.S. leaders. , Healy did not compose President Pierce in military attire; instead, he characterized him in a formal black suit.

First Lady: Jane Pierce

- Years active: 1853鈥1857

, a famed steel-plate engraver and lithographer of political and military society. The depiction of First Lady Pierce seemingly reflects her personality as a pious woman who suffered greatly due to the death of her three sons, one of which was killed in a train accident before the inauguration of her husband, whom she discouraged from running for office.

President: James Buchanan

- Years active: 1857鈥1861

The original oil-on-canvas was rendered by artist John Henry Brown in 1851 before Buchanan took office. created his own portrait of the country鈥檚 only bachelor president in 1902. Both depictions show Buchanan wearing his covering his neck.

First Lady: Harriet Lane

- Years active: 1857鈥1861

Niece and ward to lifetime bachelor President James Buchanan, became the official White House hostess for her uncle during his administration. While the photographer of the black-and-white photo of First Lady Harriet in a full-length button-up dress is unknown, its addition to the collection is credited to the Library of Congress. ,鈥 by the Smithsonian Institute for bestowing her considerable art collection, the White House hostess also founded an adolescent invalid home at John Hopkins Hospital.

President: Abraham Lincoln

- Years active: 1861鈥1865

The official White House painting of President Abraham Lincoln by prolific portraitist George Peter Alexander Healy was completed in 1869, four years after his assassination.The artist and muse were not strangers, as President Lincoln sat for Healy in 1864. Healy would use President Lincoln's forward-sitting pose in his later work "," a depiction of the iconic Civil War council that took place on the River Queen steamboat.

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First Lady: Mary Todd Lincoln

- Years active: 1861鈥1865

painted by her niece Katherine Helm, shows her adorned in flowers from head to dress. After 17 years of overwhelming grief and depression from her husband's assassination, Lincoln died at her sister's home, where she and the president had married 40 years earlier.

President: Andrew Johnson

- Years active: 1865鈥1869

The official posthumous White House painting of 17th President Andrew Jackson by is one of the few political portraits the Ohio native brushed. The 1880 picture was painted five years after President Johnson's death in 1875. President Johnson's face appears out of blackness on the 30 鈪 x 25 鈪 canvas, casting President Lincoln's successor in a serious, stoic manner.

First Lady: Eliza Johnson

- Years active: 1865鈥1869

, etched by John Chester Buttre in 1883, depicted her thoughtfully, dressed in a white button-up collar and bonnet. The steel-engraver and lithographer also etched First Lady Jane Pierce鈥檚 official White House portrait, who is also shown somberly. did not enjoy entertaining, only hosting a formal political dinner when necessary, and passing off her official White House duties to her daughter, Hostess Martha Johnson Patterson.

Hostess: Martha Johnson Patterson

- Years active: 1865鈥1869

President Andrew Johnson's daughter Martha Johnson Patterson was the de facto first lady during her father's administration. Her mother, Eliza, secluded herself on the second floor of the White House, preferring intimate family gatherings rather than large public affairs. Her simple black-and-white portrait, illustrated by an unknown artist, depicts the Tennessee country girl, who brought two cows to the White House, with her hair wrapped up and dressed in a high collar.

President: Ulysses S. Grant

- Years active: 1869鈥1877

The official White House portrait, painted by Henry Ulke in 1875, portrays President Ulysses S. Grant sitting in a red velvet chair, relaxed and staring off. , opened a studio in Washington D.C. on Pennsylvania Ave., eventually depicting high-profile politicians and notable scientists.

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First Lady: Julia Grant

- Years active: 1869鈥1877

Mathew Brady, a renowned Civil War photographer, took the picture that stands as First Lady Brady, called the was the first to document a war at his own personal expense. Grant is buried in New York City鈥檚 Grant鈥檚 Tomb, next to her husband.

President: Rutherford B. Hayes

- Years active: 1877鈥1881

Daniel Huntington composed  in 1884, which led to his commission for Chester A. Arthur鈥檚 portrait in 1885. A prominent member of early in his career, Huntington turned to portraiture and produced over 1,000 works of art.

First Lady: Lucy Hayes

- Years active: 1877鈥1881

First Lady Lucy Hayes, similarly to her husband, was painted by Daniel Huntington for her official White House portrait. Hayes helped complete the presidential and first lady portrait catalog, Huntington was the subject of the in New York鈥檚 art scene.

President: James A. Garfield

- Years active: 1881

Calvin Curtis painted James A. Garfield鈥檚 38 x 30鈪-inch in 1881. The portrait was during Garfield鈥檚 short tenure. Garfield served just four months in office before he was at a Washington D.C. railway station.

First Lady: Lucretia Garfield

- Years active: 1881

Civil War photographer Mathew Brady took the Brady's work is seen nearly every day by most Americans, as his was used for the $5 bill. A member of the International Photography Hall of Fame, Brady was the

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President: Chester A. Arthur

- Years active: 1881鈥1885

Artist Daniel Huntington captured the during the final year of his administration in 1885. Huntington was a renowned New York artist who belonged to the best known for their landscapes. Upon turning to portraiture later in his career, Huntington painted notable figures like poet William Cullen Bryant, and presidents Martin Van Buren and

First Lady: Ellen Arthur

- Years active: 1881

First Lady was taken between 1857 and 1870, according to the Library of Congress. Arthur shortly after her husband was elected vice president, and one year before the assassination of President James Garfield.

Hostess: Mary Arthur McElroy

- Years active: 1881鈥1885

President Chester Arthur never remarried upon his wife鈥檚 death, but his sister, Mary Arthur McElroy, took over hostess duties for the remainder of his presidency. Renowned engraver and publisher John Sartain created the for her official portrait. Sartain was a  and his publication, 鈥淪artain鈥檚 Union Magazine of Literature and Art,鈥 was the first to publish 鈥淭he Bells鈥 in 1849.

President: Grover Cleveland

- Years active: 1885鈥1889/1893鈥1897

President Stephen Grover Cleveland, America鈥檚 only president to serve two non-consecutive terms, had his 53 戮 x 42 鈪-inch oil on canvas portrait painted by. Much of Johnson's work focused on Native American communities and well-known leaders from various tribes. Cleveland, also the only president to be, lost the presidency to Benjamin Harrison in 1888 before defeating Harrison and returning to the White House in 1893.

Hostess: Rose Cleveland

- Years active: 1885鈥1886

Rose Cleveland fulfilled the hostess role for her presidential brother for one year before he wed Frances Folsom in June 1886. She held the role of first lady for the before pursuing a career in literature.

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First Lady: Frances Cleveland

- Years active: 1886鈥1889, 1893鈥1897

Anders Leonard Zorn captured the official portrait of the nation鈥檚 in 1889. Frances Folsom was the daughter of Grover Cleveland鈥檚 former law partner, assuming the role of first lady at 21 years old following a Aside from hosting weekly parties for the social elite, Cleveland was known for holding

President: Benjamin Harrison

- Years active: 1889鈥1893

The Benjamin Harrison served a single term between Grover Cleveland's presidencies. Artist Eastman Johnson captured two years after his White House departure in 1895. The Indiana-born Harrison was a Civil War hero, with his regiment instrumental in capturing Atlanta from the Confederacy.

First Lady: Caroline Harrison

- Years active: 1889鈥1892

A music teacher and activist prior to serving as first lady, was done in 1880 by Adolphe Yvon. She and persuaded Johns Hopkins University to begin admitting women through her fundraising efforts. A noted artist, Harrison鈥檚 vibrant portrait encapsulates her love of color and flowers.

President: William McKinley

- Years active: 1897鈥1901

Artist Harriet A.S. Murphy captured the 5 x 3-foot oil posthumously in 1902. McKinley was shot in 1901 at the Pan-American exhibition in Buffalo, New York and died eight days later. McKinley was president during the Spanish-American War, which resulted in the U.S. gaining control of

First Lady: Ida McKinley

- Years active: 1897鈥1901

First Lady Ida McKinley's portrait shows her at her favorite spot on the The privacy allowed McKinley, who suffered from epilepsy, to escape the public eye. She is responsible for introducing music and entertainment after  and was instrumental in the advancement of the Salvation Army in the United States.

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President: Theodore Roosevelt

- Years active: 1901鈥1909

The wasn鈥檛 an easy one, with the president and artist John Singer Sargent butting heads repeatedly in 1903. Roosevelt had already destroyed his first portrait by Theobald Chartran, claiming the artist made him look like a 鈥渕ewing cat.鈥 After heated exchanges, Sargent depicted Roosevelt as angry to help animate the portrait.

First Lady: Edith Roosevelt

- Years active: 1901鈥1909

Unlike her husband, First Lady Edith Roosevelt kept her portrait by in 1902. Captured in full formal wear, complete with a hat and cane in the garden, Roosevelt was responsible for major construction at the White House. In adapting the residence to suit her large family, her renovations resulted in the and her husband coining the term 鈥淲hite House.鈥

President: William Howard Taft

- Years active: 1909鈥1913

Anders Leonard Zorn captured the 27th president鈥檚 in the White House鈥檚 Blue Room. recreated the work in 1936 using oil on a 50 x 30-inch canvas, six years after Taft鈥檚 death and 23 years following his presidency. A lawyer by trade, Taft would serve as chief justice of the Supreme Court from 1921 until shortly before his death in March 1930.

First Lady: Helen Taft

- Years active: 1909鈥1913

Helen Herron Taft was painted in 1910 by Karl B.A. Kronstad, despite the just two months after her husband鈥檚 inauguration in 1909. Styled in a flowing gown while seated on a bench on the White House grounds, Taft oversaw the in 1912.

President: Woodrow Wilson

- Years active: 1913鈥1921

American artist Franklin Graham Cootes using oil on a 50 x 40-inch canvas in 1936. Cootes was known mostly for his with his work frequently appearing in The Saturday Evening Post, Vogue, and Ladies' Home Journal. Cootes shows Wilson sitting in a wooden chair holding a book, a nod to the

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First Lady: Ellen Wilson

- Years active: 1913鈥1914

President Ellen Louise Axson, succumbed to Bright鈥檚 disease just one year into his first term. Her official portrait stands as a photograph . The daughter of slave owners, she is considered one of the first first ladies to use the office for social causes, lobbying for better housing and services among Washington鈥檚 Black communities.

First Lady: Edith Wilson

- Years active: 1915鈥1921

Swiss-born impressionist Adolfo Muller-Ury, who had previously done works of notable figures like in 1903, painted Edith Wilson鈥檚 official portrait. Wilson is considered among the essentially assuming the presidency after Woodrow Wilson鈥檚 stroke in 1919. The portrait of a stately Edith is on display at the Woodrow Wilson House in Washington D.C.

President: Warren G. Harding

- Years active: 1921鈥1923

Renowned British painter Edmund Hodgson Smart put oil to canvas for the Best known as a portraitist, Smart had previously painted such notable world leaders as King Edward VII of Britain, France鈥檚 Marshal Foch, and General John Pershing. Smart鈥檚 58 鈪 x 37 鈪-inch portrayal came in June 1922, one year before of a heart attack in San Francisco.

First Lady: Florence Harding

- Years active: 1921鈥1923

Hungarian-born artist Flp Lszl painted the in 1921 from a sketch he drew of the first lady while visiting the president. A famed portraitist, Lazl 鈥 real name 鈥 was touring Washington D.C. to paint various dignitaries when he created the oil painting. The first lady was so fond of the portrait, she distributed prints to the White House staff.

President: Calvin Coolidge

- Years active: 1923鈥1929

Called by Time Magazine in 1948, Charles Hopkinson added President Calvin Coolidge to his collection in 1932. Hopkinson, known for his watercolor landscapes and portraits, was commissioned for over 350 portraits from 1920 to 1950, including the Rockefellers and 45 former Harvard presidents. The Harvard grad's first paid portrait came in 1897, when he was commissioned to paint a young E.E. Cummings.

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First Lady: Grace Coolidge

- Years active: 1923鈥1929

Howard Chandler Christy鈥檚 standing next to her white collie, Rob Roy, still hangs in the White House鈥檚 China Room. Christy, who began capturing famous dignitaries later in his career, was best known as an illustrator, creating patriotic WWI posters and which became the symbol of the ideal 鈥淣ew Woman.鈥 His most notable work, the 20 x 30-foot resides in the U.S. Capitol building鈥檚 east grand stairwell of the House.

President: Herbert Hoover

- Years active: 1929鈥1933

Boston native Elmer Wesley Greene painted in 1956, 23 years after he left office. The 50 鈪 x 40 鈪-inch oil painting depicts Hoover seated in a chair, legs crossed, next to a globe. Greene also created like Pope Pius XII, Cardinal Spellman, and for颅mer Florida Governor LeRoy Collins.

First Lady: Lou Hoover

- Years active: 1929鈥1933

Artist crafted his portrait of First Lady Lou Hoover in 1950 from a likeness by . Mrs. Hoover served two stints as president of The Girl Scouts of America and was the at Stanford University when she met her future husband.

President: Franklin D. Roosevelt

- Years active: 1933鈥1945

The White House recognizes two portraits of America鈥檚 longest-serving president, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died while sitting for on April 12, 1945. Shoumatoff would not finish her portrait for two decades, completing the work from memory in 1966. In the interim, finished his 50 录 x 40 鈪-inch portrait in 1947.

First Lady: Eleanor Roosevelt

- Years active: 1933鈥1945

painted a portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt in 1949 from his New York studio, although it wouldn't become her official picture until 1966. First Lady Lady Bird Johnson held a reception to unveil the portrait, which shows above other depictions of her knitting, thinking, and holding her wedding ring. Chandor was considered one of the era's top artists, with and Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt displayed in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.

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President: Harry S. Truman

- Years active: 1945鈥1953

, created by in 1947, shows him seated stoically in a chair looking directly at the viewer. Kempton, who was the official White House artist, painted the 50 x 40 录-inch portrait over the course of five sessions in the Cabinet Room. Kempton鈥檚 portrait would be used in Truman鈥檚 reelection campaign, as well as the basis of a postage stamp in 1983 and U.S. coin in 1985 commemorating Truman鈥檚 100th birthday.

First Lady: Elizabeth Truman

- Years active: 1945鈥1953

Fourteen years after leaving the White House, First Lady Elizabeth 鈥淏ess鈥 Truman sat for a The official portrait is of the first lady through the years, and she also captured multiple renderings of the president, and the entire Truman family. Washington D.C.鈥檚 Corcoran gallery held an exhibition of Kempton鈥檚 work in 1949, drawing more visitors than any other living artist.

President: Dwight D. Eisenhower

- Years active: 1953鈥1961

James Anthony Wills was a self-taught artist with no formal training when he painted the official White House Wills, who was noted for his ability to capture the likeness of a subject (particularly in hands),  including Nixon and Truman.

First Lady: Mamie Eisenhower

- Years active: 1953鈥1961

Artist Thomas Edgar Stephens captured in 1959, showing the first Lady formally dressed, complete with a matching pink clutch and pearls. Stephens was an established portraitist, having previously created likenesses of and President Dwight Eisenhower. In 1948, Stephens painted his while her husband was president of Columbia University.

President: John F. Kennedy

- Years active: 1961鈥1963

Aaron Shikler's 50 x 34-inch has hung in the East Room of the White House since 1971. Painted in 1970, seven years after JFK's assasination, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian, and Brooklyn Museum. He would go on to paint two first ladies, and his portrait of Ronald Reagan, although unofficial, was used by Time Magazine for its Man of the Year cover in 1981.

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First Lady: Jacqueline Kennedy

- Years active: 1961鈥1963

Aaron Shikler completed at the same time as her husband's in 1970. The oil on canvas rendering hangs next to President Kennedy in the East Room of the White House. Shikler was commissioned to produce a number of including Barbara Walters, Diana Ross, and Giorgio Armani.

President: Lyndon B. Johnson

- Years active: 1963鈥1969

Elizabeth Shoumatoff created the official of President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. Shoumatoff is best known for her unfinished rendering of Franklin Roosevelt, who suffered a brain hemorrhage while sitting for his portrait in 1945. The Russian-American painter crafted in her career, including renderings of the DuPonts, Mellons, and Fricks.

First Lady: Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson

- Years active: 1963鈥1969

Elizabeth Shoumatoff captured First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson in 1968 as well, releasing a before the Lady Bird Johnson actively promoted a number of beautification projects, and was the first presidential wife to have a press secretary and chief of staff. Educated at the University of Texas, Johnson was a self-made millionaire.

President: Richard M. Nixon

- Years active: 1969鈥1974

painted by James Anthony Wills in 1984, hangs in the of the White House. Nixon, who resigned office amid the Watergate scandal in 1974, served as vice president under Dwight Eisenhower, whose official portrait was also done by Wills.

First Lady: Patricia Nixon

- Years active: 1969鈥1974

who learned to paint left-handed after polio immobilized her right hand as a child, crafted the in 1978. Wyeth came from a family of artists, and had painted a number of dignitaries, including  (her portrait was the basis of Time Magazine's 1964 Man of the Year cover). Among her other notable works, Wyeth for Time in 1963.

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President: Gerald R. Ford

- Years active: 1974鈥1977

The official seen holding his pipe, was painted by and was unveiled in May 1978. Kinstler was a premier comic book artist early in his career before turning to portraits. He painted a who鈥檚 who of American culture, from John Wayne and Paul Newman to eight American presidents. With over 2,000 portraits on his resume, Kinstler was awarded the Smithsonian's top honor, the Copley Medal, in 1999.

First Lady: Betty Ford

- Years active: 1974鈥1977

Cuban artist Felix de Cossio captured in 1977. De Cossio, who depicted the first lady seated in a Louis XV chair in front of a bouquet of flowers. The first lady鈥檚 portrait went more smoothly than her husband鈥檚, who rejected a

President: Jimmy Carter

- Years active: 1977鈥1981

considered one of the top artists in his field, crafted in 1982. Unveiled on the State Floor without fanfare at Carter鈥檚 request, the 38 x 32-inch portrait is one of more than 400 with Abrams鈥檚 signature. White House curator Clement Conger, who led the search for Carter鈥檚 portraitist, called Abrams the best he鈥檇 seen.

First Lady: Rosalynn Carter

- Years active: 1977鈥1981

Boston-based artist George Augusta captured in 1984. Among his many portraits over a 60-year career, of former Chief Justice Warren Burger hangs in the Supreme Court Gallery. Carter, along with her husband, received the

President: Ronald Reagan

- Years active: 1981鈥1989

Accomplished artist Everett Raymond Kinstler completed the 50鈪 x 40鈪-inch in 1991. Kinstler was well-known from his work as a comic book artist before turning to portraiture, and is also credited with President Gerald Ford's official picture. Among his 2,000-plus portraits are renderings of John D. Rockefeller, Peter O'Toole, and eight U.S. presidents.

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First Lady: Nancy Reagan

- Years active: 1981鈥1989

Artist Aaron Shikler had of First Lady Nancy Reagan standing in a red dress in 1984, before he repeated the feat for her Shikler is also responsible for crafting portraits of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. His portrait of is among the most recognizable in the Senate, although Mansfield was against the idea: 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 gone, I want to be forgotten.鈥

President: George H.W. Bush

- Years active: 1989鈥1993

was so  that he hired artist Herbert Abrams for his own. Some of Abrams鈥檚 400 portraits hang at the Pentagon, U.S. Capitol, West Point, and the Treasury Department鈥攁long with the requisite museums and galleries. The White House unveiling in 1995 made Abrams the first artist to cross the aisle, with official portraits of both a Democratic and a Republican president.

First Lady: Barbara Bush

- Years active: 1989鈥1993

Herbert Abrams painted the first official portrait of First Lady Barbara Bush, which was  though in 2004. is visible throughout the country, with sculptures of Ronald Reagan and Rosa Parks in the nation鈥檚 capital, Neil Armstrong at Indiana鈥檚 Purdue University, and 鈥淔reedom鈥檚 Charge鈥 in Dallas. He also crafted the official portrait for the at Rome鈥檚 St. Peter鈥檚 Cathedral.

President: William J. Clinton

- Years active: 1993鈥2001

Simmie Knox鈥檚 2002 rendering of was the first presidential portrait by an African-American artist. Knox was an alongside childhood friend Hank Aaron before a severe eye injury steered him toward painting as a way to rehabilitate his eye. Knox鈥檚 many portraits of African-American icons include Muhammad Ali, Frederick Douglass, and, of course, .

First Lady: Hillary Clinton

- Years active: 1993鈥2001

Simmie Knox also painted Hillary Clinton's official portrait in 2002, depicting the first lady  and standing next to a copy of her book, "It Takes a Village." The portrait is on display in the Clinton and humanity at the official White House unveiling on June 14, 2004.

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President: George W. Bush

- Years active: 2001鈥2009

An in his own right, President George W. Bush鈥檚 official portrait was completed by in 2011. Sanden, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Portrait Artists in 1994, was the longtime art director for the Reverend Billy Graham before he moved into portraiture. The painting was with Bush's father, former president George H.W. Bush, in attendance.

First Lady: Laura Bush

- Years active: 2001鈥2009

John Howard Sanden also painted  which shows her standing in the which she helped refurbish. Sanden has written and has painted  former Senate Majority Leader as well as his former employer, among others.

President: Barack Obama

- Years active: 2009鈥2017

President Barack Obama鈥檚 official White House portrait鈥攑ainted by , a Black artist known for his meticulously designed depictions of Black subjects with historical themes or cultural references鈥攈angs in the Smithsonian鈥檚 National Portrait Gallery but has in what had been a four-decade long tradition of ceremonies. A Pete Souza in the Oval Office currently stands in its place. President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration in May 2020.

First Lady: Michelle Obama

- Years active: 2009鈥2017

Similarly to her presidential husband, First Lady Michelle Obama鈥檚 official White House portrait has yet to be officially unveiled in the White House. A currently stands in its place. The in May 2020 they would not return to the White House for an unveiling until President Donald Trump has left office. Artist Amy Sherald completed the  for the Smithsonian鈥檚 National Portrait Gallery; the painting shows the former first lady donning a dress under Michelle Smith鈥檚 label (complete with a  that functions as a nod to the African-American design of the Gee's Bend Community in Alabama) with Obama's hand resting pensively under her chin.

President: Donald J. Trump

- Years active: 2017鈥損resent

Shealah Craighead took the photograph that currently stands as An official painting won't be revealed until the next administration, with the releasing the official photo in October 2017. A painting of is on loan to the White House Historical Association.

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First Lady: Melania Trump

- Years active: 2017鈥損resent

Former model and current First Lady Melania Trump鈥檚 official portrait has yet to be revealed, with her standing in its place. Melania Trump, who was born in Slovenia, is the first since Louisa Catherine Adams, wife to sixth president John Quincy Adams.

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