Tuesday, February 19, 2013

The Jackie Portrait

One of my biggest gripes is the offical White House portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy. A rendering by artist Aaron Shikler, the portrait (in my opinion) does nothing to capture the essence of Jackie. For one thing, she looks to be wearing a nightgown--a high-necked, frilly nightgown. When did Jackie wear anything with a high neckline? For those familiar with Jackie photos and images, we can all appreciate how such snapshots capture her beauty and poise. The portrait, done in what looks like 'soft lighting', makes Jackie look older, and the painting tends to look unfinished. Surprisingly, Jackie was the one who commissioned Shikler, and I suppose she must've had final say on the project. But how she approve this picture to hang in the White House and represent her 'eternally', I'll never understand.

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