The portraits of Michelle and Barack Obama finally unveiled at the White House | NOW

In a celebratory ceremony, the official portraits of Michelle and Barack Obama were unveiled at the White House on Wednesday. For the first time since 2012, paintings of a former presidential couple have returned to the Washington State residence. Traditionally, the next US president does, but Donald Trump never hosted the ceremony for his predecessor Obama.

“Barack and Michelle, welcome home,” President Joe Biden said at the ceremony. He called it “lucky for the United States” that Obama is the country’s president.

Michelle Obama’s portrait was painted by Sharon Sprung. The former first lady is pictured in a light blue dress, sitting on a red sofa. The New York Times writes that it took Sprung nine months to complete the portrait. It was then stored for six years due to the late ceremony.

Barack Obama is portrayed by Robert McCurdy in a dark suit in front of a white background. The former president called himself a “difficult subject” and thanked McCurdy for the very realistic portrait “in which no gray hair goes unnoticed”.

Michelle Obama adopted a serious tone in a speech. She said “these traditions play a crucial role in a democracy”. According The Washington Post the comment was a “clear jab” at Trump.

Usually, the unveiling of the White House portraits takes place in the third year of the new president’s term. It is not yet known whether a ceremony around a portrait of Trump and his wife Melania will take place in 2024.