The first African-American president and former First Lady returned to their former residences on Wednesday, September 7. The iconic couple attended the unveiling of their official White House portraits, a historic moment that warmed the hearts of thousands.
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Barack & Michelle Obama Return to White House Five Years After Moving
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As PEOPLE shared, President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, welcomed their friends back to their former home to present their official portraits. The ceremony took place in the East Room of the property. Although the Obamas moved out of the Presidential residence in 2017, their presence will remain on the walls of the mansion in a place chosen by the White House curator.
Artists Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung have the honor of drawing the dynamic political duo. The White House Historical Society presented their stunning portrait of the couple at the opening ceremony. Barack’s artwork captures the former president at his best, looking dapper in a black suit, gray shirt and matching gray tie. The 61-year-old completed the formal look with an American flag pin.
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The portrait features a stark white background that keeps the viewer focused only on the Honolulu native, who appears alive in the hyper-realistic painting. The father of two praised McCurdy’s talent after the launch. According to the former POTUS, he admires the artist’s work because the man always draws people exactly how they look without alternation. Despite Barack’s request for some touches, McCurdy stuck to his principles.
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The Affordable Care Act pioneer told viewers, “You’ll notice that he refuses to hide any of my gray hair, rejecting my requests to shrink my ears. He even forbids me from wearing a tan suit.” Meanwhile, Michelle’s portraits feature vibrant colors made from Sprung’s signature handmade paints. Like her husband’s painting, the former first lady’s artwork was created using reference photos taken inside the White House.
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Today, Barack and I returned to the White House to unveil our official portraits. It’s exciting to share the incredible artistry of Sharon Sprung and Robert McCurdy with the world—and to return to the place we’ve called home for eight years. pic.twitter.com/YF98lihqgy
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) September 8, 2022
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For the Grammy-winning portrait, the mother-of-two was painted sitting on a couch in the Red Room. The 58-year-old stunned in a blue gown designed with off-the-shoulder sleeves and a plunging bodice. Once again, Barack paid tribute to the artist for depicting everything he admired about his wife in his paintings. A former Illinois state senator said:
“I want to thank Sharon Sprung for capturing everything I love about Michelle. Her grace, her intelligence — and the fact that she’s fine.”
The words of the politician are not far from the truth, because his wife can be described as a woman of beauty, brain, and unexpected kindness. As a proud African-American, the famous lawyer honored her Black roots at the portrait ceremony by wearing her hair in braids. The braid was styled into a low bun with a side parting.
The Chicago native rocked this chic look in a gorgeous ankle-length Ombré dress designed in pink and red. The dress features a sheer bodice with a sweetheart neckline, a cinched waist, and a pleated bottom. Instead, Barack kept things simple with a fitted suit, a blue and white striped shirt, and a navy blue tie.
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Twitter Fans React Positively To Obamas Portrait Ceremony
On Thursday, September 8, Michelle updated it Twitter account with photos from the opening ceremony along with sweet messages about the event. The 58-year-old Democrat revealed that he had a great time showcasing Sprung and McCurdy’s “incredible artistry” to the world. But, the highlight of his day was returning to the place he called “home for eight years.”
Touched by the former first lady’s post, fans and famous public figures took to their Twitter pages to praise Obama, especially Michelle’s fashion choices. Eugene Daniels, a playbook author, and White House correspondent, recorded that the Chicago native’s braids would attract the attention of the black community in the US.
Fellow political commentator Joy-Ann Reid shared together similar sentiments. The host of “The ReidOut” expressed his deep love for Michelle’s hair and eyelashes.
German-born author Sophia A. Nelson, too praised politician’s hairstyle, while political strategist Ana Navarro remembered asked his late mother because of Obama’s picture. The photo shows Michelle holding her mother’s hand at the portrait ceremony while her adoring husband gazes lovingly at the couple.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
