National Portrait Gallery Unveils Portraits Of Barack and Michelle Obama

WASHINGTON — The National Portrait Gallery is unveiling portraits of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.

The portraits were unveiled at a national Portrait Gallery event today. Watch the Obamas’ remarks in the player above.

Barack Obama’s portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley — an artist best known for his vibrant, large-scale paintings of African-Americans. For Michelle Obama’s portrait, the gallery commissioned Baltimore-based artist Amy Sherald, first-prize winner of the Portrait Gallery’s 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.

Obama's official portrait

The official portrait of former President Barack Obama was unveiled at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Michelle Obama's official portrait

The official portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama was unveiled at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

The paintings were being unveiled Monday at the gallery, which is part of the Smithsonian group of museums. The gallery has a complete collection of presidential portraits.

PBS NewsHour will update this story as it develops.

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