The White House is many things: an office, a stage for history, a landmark. A new book argues it’s also a museum, and a significant one. “Art for the White House” by art historian Leslie Greene Bowman explores the executive mansion’s collection, which Bowman says is right on par with the great museums of Washington, D.C. The collection began with a full-length portrait of George Washington that entered the house before any furniture did, and it stayed fairly small until Jacqueline Kennedy expanded it with landscapes and portraits of the nation’s people and history.
Since then, every presidential administration has added to the collection, piece by piece. Bowman, who served on the Committee for the Preservation of the White House under four presidents, describes the art as “a wonderful ambassador for our civilization and our culture.” If you’re an arts lover on the Suncoast, think of it as a national gallery hiding in plain sight. The Ringling draws us to Sarasota for great art, and Washington has its own collection tucked inside the most recognizable house in the country.
You don’t need to know anyone to see it. There are in-person tours, a virtual walk-through, a public space called The People’s House, and of course Bowman’s book for the armchair visitor. With snowbird season warming up and plenty of us heading to D.C. or planning to, it’s worth knowing what’s hanging on those walls. Which White House artwork would you most want to see in person? Let us know on our Facebook page.
