TIL JFK’s official presidential portrait looks like a zombie silently judging you from the afterlife, and it’s because it was only painted after his death. The artist’s inspiration was a photo of Ted Kennedy mourning his brother and Jackie chose that one immediately out of all the options, partially because they were both bored with the same generic stance every president has.
I’m not really getting the thoughtful, humble vibe she intended it to have, but I do really like it
I don’t get thoughtful or humble, but if you were to put his portrait next to that of any ten presidents that survived their term and said that one was assassinated in office I’d know instantly every time even if I didn’t know the answer. It looks mournful and representative of his being dead.
And I think it’s interesting to wonder what it would’ve been like had he lived. I suspect something closer to Obama’s, something full of life
Come on, at least use the real and awesome Obama portrait!
Isn’t this the official?
I suppose that could be? But I was just in the national portrait gallery in DC and in the presidents exhibit there was the one I linked. But you might still be right and maybe what I’m referring to isn’t official but instead just the Smithsonian one?
Definitely one of my favorite portraits. I just wish it was painted with the tan suit to trigger conservatives even more than it already did.
Lol agreed good idea
Ha, conservatives are bad at history, which is probably why they are trying to ban it ;) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_tan_suit_controversy#/media/File:President_Ronald_Reagan_shaking_hands_with_Arthur_Ashe.jpg
I got rejected by Smithsonian :(
Hot take: more of these guys should be locked up.
I mean, most of them are if you consider a coffin “locked up.”
Oh look, 43 war criminals, Jimmy Carter, and Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln was absofuckinglutely a war criminal. Now did his victims deserve it? Listen if anyone deserves war crimes it’s the confederacy. But yeah definitely did war crimes. Sherman’s march to the sea was the most based war crime there ever was.
It’s not a war crime if it’s against the British Empire.
Please amend “Slave Owners” to your list, ty.
Ya during those wars those presidents were totally nice to the native Americans
It’s not a war crime if you don’t declare war first taps wig
Hey! Don’t forget about East Timor!
Did Theodore Roosevelt do any war crimes? Like maybe with the rough riders? But Im drawing blanks.
The whole panana thing was p sketchy but since it wasn’t technically an American war it isn’t a war crime.
Also war crimes weren’t really “invented” until Nuremberg so in some sense no one committed war crimes until then. Somewhat more awkwardly the nazis tried at Nuremberg were being judged by laws that weren’t really codified until after they had committed them.
Imo war crimes isn’t really a good way of phrasing it bc unlike a nations legal code which is usually fairly black and white, war crimes are international and therefore a lot more subject to politics. I’m glad they were punished but I wish it hadn’t been execution in so many cases, and it has been called something like “acts unbecoming of a human”. Something nasty but definitely not related to the legal system.
Weird way to say 45 war criminals
I am genuinely curious how the white house history website and whatnot will handle it if any of these convictions go through. Will they mention it? Will they omit it?
tan suit
In the Southern bible belt they will probably either omit it entirely or downplay it, yes. Everywhere else no.
If only Obama’s was made with him in the tan suit.
I’m only here for it if he’s also wearing the bike helmet.
This is wonderful, but if anyone has a link to the one where every defendant except trump was made up as a DC comics supervillain (Trump hadn’t turned himself in yet when I saw it yesterday) I would really appreciate it. I can’t even remember what platform I saw it on, but it was glorious. It was so good it must be making the rounds but I have not seen it again.
Edits:
Artist is https://twitter.com/IamHappyToast and he’s updated it now lol
Happy toast from b3ta? He’s still got it
That mugshot is a commemorative coin that I would actually buy
I bought a bunch of silver last year, and Trump rounds (look like coins, but are just round bullion) were flying off the shelves. I kept my fool mouth shut every time I saw them. However, like you, if they made one with a Trump mugshot, I’d buy a tube of twenty five of them, and ask if they can produce a ten ounce bar with it on there.
Wow, government portraits no less
Damn, we’ve had some real shitty presidents.
Crazy to think the vast majority of the presidents are painted and then it shows the progression of our ability to capture high definition photos. Technology seems to be a recently exponential progression.
I think it’s kind of a bummer we’ve shifted away from painting. The painted portrait seems more regal and meaningful here.
Soo, stupid question, but don’t paintings require the subject to sit still for quite a while? Is is possible to take a picture and use that for the basis of the painting?
Unfortunately that’s impossible. Nobody can figure out why, but it just isn’t possible.
I believe almost all portrait paintings now are done with a photo
why does JFK look so sad?
Losing a chunk of your head generally does that.
(If you seriously want an answer, that’s his official White House portrait, painted that way specifically because his death)
He read the book. He knows what’s happening but cannot change the narrative.
Mistress #6 found out about Mistress #7
ha!
And only 2 are really smiling.
At least 3 are, you missed Ronald Reagan is smiling.
True, should have said “grinning”.
Am I dumb or is there one missing?
Grover Cleveland was president in two nonconsecutive terms, but he’s only pictured once.
Interesting, thanks!
Oh did Obama not get a proper painted portrait done? That’s kind of a shame.
He did yes, but it was not a traditional portrait. He’s in front of a bright green backdrop of vining plants while sitting in a chair. Admittedly it was an interesting composition but the actual painting work was subpar, unfortunately.
That looks like a street mural. Not bad album art, though. I don’t hate it, but I wish it was better.
Evidently he did, but I just ripped this off of an eBay listing for a poster, then added Trump and Biden.
Fair enough
