Free Republic

September 3–October 30, 2022 Multi-City Tour Organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery The MFA to Offer Free Admission to the Exhibition on September 5, September 19, October 10 and October 30 BOSTON (June 9, 2022)—The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), presents the portraits of former President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama by artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, respectively, as part of The Obama Portraits Tour organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. The paintings will be on view in the Lois B. and Michael K. Torf Gallery from September 3 through October 30, 2022. To celebrate...

The official portrait is part of an old tradition perfected by Renaissance painters more than 500 years ago. The artists were generally painting powerful old men, who tended to be a bit ugly. To make up for what lacked in the sitter's physical beauty, the artist would emphasize the internal. A great painting of a king or pope tells you something about the subject's inner thoughts, his psyche. The image is more about what's going on inside his head rather than the outer trappings of his position or status. ... The Obama portraits are kind of shocking - not only...