The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (2024)

This is a pretty standard White House photo, the sort of image you have probably noticed dozens of times since President Biden took office a little more than 100 days ago, from newspaper photographs to shots on cable news networks.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (1)

Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times

But look just past the president and notice the bust of Robert F. Kennedy behind him.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (2)

Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times

Kennedy crops up a lot these days, observing the scene here a few weeks ago

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (3)

Doug Mills/The New York Times

and nosing in here,

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (4)

Andrew Harnik/Associated Press

as Winston Churchill did during the Trump administration,

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (5)

Doug Mills/The New York Times

and as Abraham Lincoln did during the Obama administration.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (6)

Doug Mills/The New York Times

You will see the bust over and over because of its particular placement next to the fireplace, behind the chair where the president sits during many meetings. Biden has long cited R.F.K. as one of his political heroes, and sees his evolution from a hard-nosed attorney general into a liberal icon as a sign of the capacity to grow.

But it is only one of the highly symbolic pieces of newly installed art that now saturate the images that come out of the White House.

The art in the Oval Office is ever-present, carefully chosen and deliberately placed

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (7)

Samuel Corum/Getty Images

adding historical weight,

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (8)

Al Drago for The New York Times

silently commenting on the moment,

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (9)

Everett Collection/Alamy

the present, now more than ever, in constant tension with the past.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (10)

Amr Alfiky/The New York Times

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (11)

What if the paintings and sculptures could talk? What if they already do?

Indeed, the paintings and the sculptures that are displayed in the Oval Office represent the choices of each American president — subtle and not so subtle signals every administration sends about its values and view of history.

And so although the Oval Office is perhaps not often thought of as an ultra-high-profile rotating exhibition space, in one narrow sense, that is exactly what it is.

“The Oval Office decoration often reflects a president’s view of history and the nature of his hopes for the future,” said Jon Meacham, the presidential biographer whom Biden asked to advise on art for the Oval Office.

“Presidents have a unique place, not only as an object of the historical imagination, but as an architect of it. And so to catalog and take a look around the virtual attic of the Oval Office through the years tells you a lot about what presidents value — not only the stories they are interested in, but the stories they are writing themselves.”

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (12)

Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times

Presidential and art historians say that already, Biden’s approach to art appears distinct from his predecessors. In terms of sheer volume, he has included more sculptures and paintings than other recent presidents, in part, experts say, because he is trying to signal his support for an array of causes: labor, science, the importance of compromise and more.

Look at Biden’s fireplace wall:

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (13)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (14)

F.D.R.

Washington

Hamilton

Jefferson

Lincoln

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (15)

F.D.R.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (16)

Washington

Lincoln

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (17)

Hamilton

Jefferson

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (18)

M.L.K.

R.F.K.

Most presidents hang only one or two portraits in this space.

Most presidents hang only one or two portraits in this space.

He put up five.

He put up five.

And unlike most of his predecessors, he chose to give the most prominent space above the fireplace to a large portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt, like Biden, came to power at a moment of crisis — a point Biden underscored during his address to a joint session of Congress last week. And Biden has largely embraced F.D.R.’s New Deal spirit, signing a $1.9 trillion Covid relief package and outlining a similarly big, ambitious and expensive infrastructure plan.

And unlike most of his predecessors, he chose to give the most prominent space above the fireplace to a large portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt, like Biden, came to power at a moment of crisis — a point Biden underscored during his address to a joint session of Congress last week. And Biden has largely embraced F.D.R.’s New Deal spirit, signing a $1.9 trillion Covid relief package and outlining a similarly big, ambitious and expensive infrastructure plan.

George Washington usually gets the prime spot above the fireplace, but in the Biden administration, his portrait has been moved off-center. Lincoln hangs below him.

George Washington usually gets the prime spot above the fireplace, but in the Biden administration, his portrait has been moved off-center. Lincoln hangs below him.

And on the other side of the fireplace, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton — two men whose political conflicts became unlikely fodder for a hit Broadway musical — are paired together to underscore that argument and division are perennial.

And on the other side of the fireplace, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton — two men whose political conflicts became unlikely fodder for a hit Broadway musical — are paired together to underscore that argument and division are perennial.

Busts of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and R.F.K. sit below the framed wall art. Their juxtaposition commemorates their legacies, but also shows how people can change: As attorney general, R.F.K. authorized wiretaps of King, but later became one of his allies.

Busts of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and R.F.K. sit below the framed wall art. Their juxtaposition commemorates their legacies, but also shows how people can change: As attorney general, R.F.K. authorized wiretaps of King, but later became one of his allies.

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (19)

Most presidents hang only one or two portraits in this space.

Most presidents hang only one or two portraits in this space.

He put up five.

He put up five.

And unlike most of his predecessors, he chose to give the most prominent space above the fireplace to a large portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

And unlike most of his predecessors, he chose to give the most prominent space above the fireplace to a large portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

George Washington usually gets the spot above the fireplace, but in the Biden administration, his portrait has been moved off-center. Lincoln hangs below him.

George Washington usually gets the spot above the fireplace, but in the Biden administration, his portrait has been moved off-center. Lincoln hangs below him.

And on the other side of the fireplace, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton — two men whose political conflicts have become much more widely understood in recent years — are paired together to underscore the need for unity even between those with differing opinions.

And on the other side of the fireplace, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton — two men whose political conflicts have become much more widely understood in recent years — are paired together to underscore the need for unity even between those with differing opinions.

Busts of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and R.F.K. sit below the framed wall art.

Busts of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and R.F.K. sit below the framed wall art.

Their juxtaposition commemorates their legacies, but also shows how people can change: As attorney general, R.F.K. authorized wiretaps of King, but later became one of his allies.

Their juxtaposition commemorates their legacies, but also shows how people can change: As attorney general, R.F.K. authorized wiretaps of King, but later became one of his allies.

Moving to the other side of the Oval Office …

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (20)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (21)

Lincoln

Truman

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (23)

Franklin

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (24)

Cesar

Chavez

flanking the Resolute Desk …

flanking the Resolute Desk …

Biden has displayed a bust of Lincoln and another of Harry S. Truman.

Biden has displayed a bust of Lincoln and another of Harry S. Truman.

He has also hung a 1917 painting of flag-decorated Fifth Avenue by the artist Childe Hassam, a work that also hung in the office during the Obama and Clinton administrations.

He has also hung a 1917 painting of flag-decorated Fifth Avenue by the artist Childe Hassam, a work that also hung in the office during the Obama and Clinton administrations.

And he has given precious wall space to a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, chosen to honor science and reason. Gone entirely is Andrew Jackson — a favorite of Donald J. Trump.

And he has given precious wall space to a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, chosen to honor science and reason. Gone entirely is Andrew Jackson — a favorite of Donald J. Trump.

Centered directly behind Biden’s head is a bust of the labor leader Cesar Chavez.

Centered directly behind Biden’s head is a bust of the labor leader Cesar Chavez.

Doug Mills/The New York Times

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (25)

flanking the Resolute Desk …

flanking the Resolute Desk …

Biden has displayed a bust of Lincoln …

Biden has displayed a bust of Lincoln …

and another of Harry S. Truman.

and another of Harry S. Truman.

He has also hung a 1917 painting of flag-decorated Fifth Avenue by the artist Childe Hassam, a work that also hung in the office during the Obama and Clinton administrations.

He has also hung a 1917 painting of flag-decorated Fifth Avenue by the artist Childe Hassam, a work that also hung in the office during the Obama and Clinton administrations.

And he has given precious wall space to a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, chosen to honor science and reason. Gone entirely is Andrew Jackson — a favorite of Donald J. Trump.

And he has given precious wall space to a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, chosen to honor science and reason. Gone entirely is Andrew Jackson — a favorite of Donald J. Trump.

Centered directly behind Biden’s head is a bust of the labor leader Cesar Chavez.

Centered directly behind Biden’s head is a bust of the labor leader Cesar Chavez.

Biden’s office contains at least seven busts of key figures, an unusually high number. They include women, people of color and civil rights champions.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (26)

Truman

Rosa Parks

M.L.K.

R.F.K.

Lincoln

Eleanor

Roosevelt

Chavez

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (27)

Truman

Rosa

Parks

M.L.K.

R.F.K.

Lincoln

Eleanor

Roosevelt

Chavez

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (28)

Truman

Rosa Parks

M.L.K.

R.F.K.

Lincoln

Eleanor

Roosevelt

Chavez

Taken together, the sculptures represent a diverse and inclusive cross-section of America and its history.

The bust of King was put on view during the Obama administration. The Biden administration has added sculptures of Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks and Chavez. And White House curators believe those artworks are among the first of women and people of color to be displayed in the Oval Office.

No painted works by artists of color have been prominently displayed in the Oval Office over the last six decades, according to curators. No female painters, with the exception of Elizabeth Shoumatoff who painted a portrait of F.D.R., have ever had their work displayed prominently in the room.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (29)

It was in the 1960s that Jacqueline Kennedy, as first lady, began the transformation of the White House into a sort of grand, living museum. She created the White House Historical Association, hired the first White House curator and established various committees to assist with preserving art. As a result, the White House now has its own art collection, which presidents often tap when it is time to redecorate.

The Oval Office itself is not very large — around 800 square feet. There are a few places where art traditionally resides.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (30)

M.L.K.

bust

R.F.K.

bust

Fireplace

President’s

seat

Typical spots

for art

Desk

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (31)

R.F.K.

bust

M.L.K.

bust

Typical

spots

for art

President’s

seat

Fireplace

Desk

The president can request items from federally funded art institutions including the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum — or really any other museum that is willing to lend.

Yet the collection of paintings that have hung on the walls of the Oval Office since the Kennedy administration is remarkably small — only about 43 different works (and one photograph) spanning 60 years:

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (32)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (33)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (34)

List of artworks: White House curator's office

Most of the paintings have been portraits of founding-father types and other figures from American history such as Washington, Franklin, Lincoln and Jackson:

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (35)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (36)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (37)

There were also landscapes:

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (38)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (39)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (40)

And there was a photograph of Earth, hung during the Nixon administration.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (41)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (42)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (43)

Astronauts from the Apollo 8 mission gave Richard M. Nixon the photograph, and he had it reframed so it would become “something more suitable” for the Oval Office. He hung the photo to the right of his desk. But it was later replaced with a painting of the White House.

At times, the Oval Office has been more functional and homey than it is today. Franklin Roosevelt, who had the office moved to its present location, barely had room to work on his desk because it was covered with tchotchkes. John F. Kennedy kept a coconut shell on his desk as a paperweight to remind him of the time he was stranded at sea during World War II.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (44)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (45)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (46)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (47)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (48)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (49)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (50)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (51)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (52)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (53)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (54)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (55)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (56)

As we take you back in time, keep your eye on the spot above the fireplace —

As we take you back in time, keep your eye on the spot above the fireplace —

President Biden,

President Biden,

Donald J. Trump,

Donald J. Trump,

Barack Obama,

Barack Obama,

George W. Bush,

George W. Bush,

Bill Clinton,

Bill Clinton,

George H.W. Bush,

George H.W. Bush,

Ronald Reagan,

Ronald Reagan,

Jimmy Carter,

Jimmy Carter,

Gerald Ford,

Gerald Ford,

Richard M. Nixon,

Richard M. Nixon,

Lyndon B. Johnson,

Lyndon B. Johnson,

and John F. Kennedy.

and John F. Kennedy.

You may have noticed many of the same landscapes and portraits appearing over and over. Or that Kennedy changed tack, filling his office with seascapes and naval scenes. (Go back and scroll fast. It’s kind of fun.)

Biden’s selection of Roosevelt to hang in the prominent spot above the fireplace is a break from nine consecutive administrations that picked a Washington portrait:

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (57)

G.H.W. Bush

Reagan

Biden

Trump

Obama

G.W. Bush

Clinton

Carter

Ford

Nixon

Johnson

Kennedy

F.D.R.

Washington

F.D.R.

Ships

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (58)

G. H.W. Bush

Biden

Trump

Obama

G. W. Bush

Clinton

F.D.R.

Washington

Reagan

Carter

Ford

Nixon

Johnson

Kennedy

Washington

F.D.R.

Ships

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (59)

Biden

Trump

Obama

G. W. Bush

F.D.R.

Washington

G. H.W. Bush

Clinton

Carter

Reagan

Washington

Ford

Nixon

Johnson

Washington

F.D.R.

Kennedy

Ships

Trump’s decorative choices reflected his admiration for Jackson — a president Trump embraced as a populist leader even as some Democrats distanced themselves from him.

Obama sought to modernize his home and office, bringing in a California decorator to freshen the spaces and borrowing paintings from the Whitney Museum of American Art.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (60)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (61)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (62)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (63)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (64)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (65)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (66)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (67)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (68)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (69)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (70)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (71)

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (72)

On the other side of the office, watch the spots to the right and left of the desk.

On the other side of the office, watch the spots to the right and left of the desk.

Kennedy,

Kennedy,

Johnson,

Johnson,

Nixon,

Nixon,

Ford,

Ford,

Carter,

Carter,

Reagan,

Reagan,

George H.W. Bush,

George H.W. Bush,

Clinton,

Clinton,

George W. Bush,

George W. Bush,

Obama,

Obama,

Trump,

Trump,

and Biden.

and Biden.

Did you notice anything different in that last photo of Biden’s Oval Office?

Look again.

Where is the Chavez bust? The White House moved it onto a pedestal early on in the administration. It’s on the right in this photo:

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (73)

Doug Mills/The New York Times

The change means the bust isn’t quite as prominent as it was at first.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (74)

Doug Mills/The New York Times

But it won’t look as distracting in pictures.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (75)

Doug Mills/The New York Times

Artworks

Biden administration

Charles Alston, “Martin Luther King, Jr.” (1970)/National Portrait Gallery

Anonymous artist after Jean-Baptiste Greuze, “Benjamin Franklin” (19th century)/National Gallery of Art

Anonymous artist after Victor Lamkay, “Eleanor Roosevelt” (c. 1993)/White House Collection

Robert Berks, “Robert F. Kennedy” (1968)/National Portrait Gallery

George Cooke, “City of Washington From Beyond the Navy Yard” (1833)/White House Collection

Childe Hassam, “The Avenue in the Rain” (1917)/White House Collection

George P.A. Healy, “Thomas Jefferson” (c. 1842-1860)/National Gallery of Art

Allan Houser, “Swift Messenger” (1990)/National Museum of the American Indian

Charles Keck, “Harry Truman” (1947)/White House Collection

Artis Lane, “Rosa Parks” (1990)/National Portrait Gallery

Augustus Saint-Gaudens, “Abraham Lincoln” (c. 1923)/White House Collection

George Henry Story, “Abraham Lincoln” (c. 1915)/White House Collection

Gilbert Stuart, “George Washington” (c. 1805)/White House Collection

Frank O. Salisbury, “Franklin Delano Roosevelt” (1947)/White House Collection

Paul A. Suarez, “Caesar Chavez” (1996)/Cesar Chavez Foundation

John Trumbull, “Alexander Hamilton” (c.1805)/White House Collection

Unknown artist, “Daniel Webster” (mid-19th century)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Desk image: Doug Mills/The New York Times

Trump administration

Joseph Siffred Duplessis, “Benjamin Franklin” (c. 1785)/National Portrait Gallery

Asher B. Durand, “Andrew Jackson” (1835)/United States Naval Academy Museum

Ralph E.W. Earl, “Andrew Jackson” (c.1835)/White House Collection

George P.A. Healy, “Thomas Jefferson” (c.1842-1860)/National Gallery of Art

Andrew Melrose, “New York Harbor and the Battery” (c.1887)/White House Collection

Rembrandt Peale, “Thomas Jefferson” (1800)/White House Collection

Rembrandt Peale, “George Washington” (c.1823)/White House Collection

George Henry Story, “Abraham Lincoln” (c.1915)/White House Collection

John Trumbull, “Alexander Hamilton” (c.1805)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Desk image: Carlos Barria/Reuters

Obama administration

Childe Hassam, “The Avenue in the Rain” (1917)/White House Collection

Edward Hopper, “Burly Cobb’s House, South Truro” (1930-33)/Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper and Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Whitney Museum of American Art

Edward Hopper, “Cobb’s Barns, South Truro” (1930-33)/Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper and Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Whitney Museum of American Art

Thomas Moran, “The Three Tetons” (c. 1895)/White House Collection

Rembrandt Peale, “George Washington” (c. 1823)/White House Collection

Norman Rockwell, “Working on the Statue of Liberty”/Copyright SEPS, via Curtis Licensing

George Henry Story, “Abraham Lincoln” (c. 1915)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: Doug Mills/The New York Times

Desk image: White House Historical Association

George W. Bush administration

William Henry David Koerner, “A Charge to Keep” (1929)

Tom Lea, “Rio Grande” (1954)/El Paso Museum of Art

Julian Onderdonk, “Near San Antonio” (no date)/San Antonio Museum of Art

Julian Onderdonk, “Chili Queens at the Alamo” (no date)/Witte Museum

Julian Onderdonk, “Cactus Flowers” (no date)/Witte Museum

Rembrandt Peale, “George Washington” (c.1823)/White House Collection

George Henry Story, “Abraham Lincoln” (c.1915)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum

Desk image: White House Historical Association

Clinton administration

George Cooke, “City of Washington From Beyond the Navy Yard” (1833)/White House Collection

Childe Hassam, “The Avenue in the Rain” (1917)/White House Collection

Thomas Moran, “The Three Tetons” (c.1895)/White House Collection

Rembrandt Peale, “George Washington” (c.1823)/White House Collection

Norman Rockwell, “Working on the Statue of Liberty”/Copyright SEPS, via Curtis Licensing

Thomas Sully, “Andrew Jackson” (c.1824)/National Gallery of Art

Unknown artist after William Henry Bartlett, “The President’s House” (c.1836-37)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: White House Historical Association

Desk image: Dirck Halstead/The LIFE Images Collection, via Getty Images

George H.W. Bush administration

Frederic E. Church, “Rutland Falls, Vermont” (1848)/White House Collection

George Cooke, “City of Washington From Beyond the Navy Yard” (1833)/White House Collection

Thomas Moran, “The Three Tetons” (c.1895)/White House Collection

Charles Willson Peale, “Benjamin Henry Latrobe” (c. 1804)/White House Collection

Rembrandt Peale, “George Washington” (c.1823)/White House Collection

Thomas Sully, “Andrew Jackson” (c.1824)/National Gallery of Art

Unknown artist after William Henry Bartlett, “The President's House” (c.1836-37)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

Desk image: Susan Biddle/White House and The LIFE Picture Collection, via Getty Images

Reagan administration

George Cooke, “City of Washington From Beyond the Navy Yard” (1833)/White House Collection

Sanford Gifford, “Seventh Regiment Encampment” (1861)/Union League Club of New York

Victor De Grailly (attributed), “Eastport and Passamaquoddy Bay” (1845)/White House Collection

Charles Willson Peale, “George Washington” (1776)/White House Collection

Thomas Sully, “Andrew Jackson” (c.1824)/National Gallery of Art

A. Wordsworth Thompson, “Passing the Outpost” (1881)/Union League Club of New York

Unknown artist after William Henry Bartlett, “The President's House” (c.1836-37)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: White House Historical Association

Desk image: Ronald Reagan Library

Carter administration

George Cooke, “City of Washington From Beyond the Navy Yard” (1833)/White House Collection

Victor De Grailly (attributed) “Eastport and Passamaquoddy Bay” (1845)/White House Collection

Jean-Baptiste Greuze (attributed), “Benjamin Franklin” (1782)/Department of State

Charles Willson Peale, “George Washington” (1776)/White House Collection

Thomas Sully, “Andrew Jackson” (c.1824)/National Gallery of Art

A. Wordsworth Thompson, “Passing the Outpost” (1881)/Union League Club of New York

Unknown artist after William Henry Bartlett, “The President’s House” (c.1836-37)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: Everett Collection/Alamy

Desk image: Jimmy Carter Library

Ford administration

Albert Bierstadt, “Old Faithful” (c. 1881)/White House Collection

Victor De Grailly (attributed), “Eastport and Passamaquoddy Bay” (1845)/White House Collection

Jean-Baptiste Greuze (attributed), “Benjamin Franklin” (1782)/Department of State

Charles Willson Peale, “Benjamin Franklin” (1785)/Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Charles Willson Peale, “George Washington” (1776)/White House Collection

A. Wordsworth Thompson, “Passing the Outpost” (1881)/Union League Club of New York

Unknown artist after William Henry Bartlett, “The President's House” (c.1836-37)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: White House Historical Association

Desk image: White House Historical Association

Nixon administration

Bill Anders, “Earthrise” (1968)/NASA

Charles Willson Peale, “George Washington” (1776)/White House Collection

Gilbert Stuart, “George Washington” (c.1803/1805)/National Gallery of Art

Unknown artist after William Henry Bartlett, “The President’s House” (c.1836-37)/White House Collection

Fireplace image: White House Historical Association

Desk image: Bettmann/Getty Images

Johnson administration

George Healy, “Henry Clay” (c. 1845)/National Portrait Gallery

Elizabeth Shoumatoff, “Franklin D. Roosevelt” (1966)/White House Collection

Gilbert Stuart, “George Washington” (c.1803/1805)/National Gallery of Art

Thomas Sully, “Andrew Jackson” (c.1824)/National Gallery of Art

Fireplace image: LBJ Presidential Library

Desk image: LBJ Presidential Library

Kennedy administration

Thomas Birch, “USS Constitution vs. Guerriere”/Navy Department, via Canadian War Museum

Thomas Birch, “USS United States vs. HMS Macedonia” (c. 1813)/Philadelphia Maritime Museum

George Catlin, “Buffalo Bull, Grazing on the Prairie” (1832-1833)/Smithsonian American Art Museum

George Catlin, “Buffalo Hunt under Wolf-skin Masks” (1832-1833)/Smithsonian American Art Museum

Robert Salmon, “Boston Harbor” (1843)/Corcoran Gallery of Art

Dominic Serres, “Engagement Between the Serapis, Captain Pearson and the Countess of Scarborough, Captain Percy with Paul Jones and Two American Frigates off Flamborough Head (USS Bonhomme Richard)” (late 18th century)/Corcoran Gallery of Art

Fireplace image: White House Historical Association

Desk image: Robert Knudsen/John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

Note: We've done our best to be comprehensive, interviewing art historians and presidential scholars, reviewing hundreds of images and checking our lists with the White House and its curator’s office. But artworks come and go, and it’s possible we’ve missed a piece or two.

The Art in the Oval Office Tells a Story. Here’s How to See It. (Published 2021) (2024)

FAQs

What does the Oval Office symbolize? ›

With no one standing at the head or foot of the room, everyone was an equal distance from the president. The circle became a symbol of democracy, and Washington likely envisioned the oval Blue Room as the ideal place to host a levee.

Show Me More ›
Whose paintings are in the Oval Office? ›

Most presidents have hung a portrait of George Washington – usually the Rembrandt Peale "Porthole" portrait or the Charles Willson Peale three-quarter-length portrait – over the mantel at the north end of the room. A portrait of Andrew Jackson by Thomas Sully hung in the offices of Lyndon B.

See More ›
What is an example of art that tells a story? ›

An example of religious narrative art is Raphael's "The Expulsion of Heliodorus From the Temple," which depicts the story of God expelling Heliodorus. An example of historical narrative art is Eugene Delacroix's "Entry of the Crusaders Into Constantinople," which depicts the victory of the Crusaders.

Learn More ›
Is the Oval Office really oval? ›

The Oval Office was different from the office of President Theodore Roosevelt, who built the West Wing in 1902. Roosevelt's office was rectangular. Taft relocated the office and changed its shape to oval, like the Blue Room in the White House. Preferences for oval rooms date to the time of George Washington.

See More ›
What is the imagery and symbolism in the oval portrait? ›

What does the oval portrait symbolize? The 'Oval Portrait' symbolizes an art observer, an art historian, and an art critic without these being actual characters. The characters of a painter and a muse are also brought to life through the narrator's imagination.

Know More ›
What is the symbolism in the Oval Lady? ›

The young woman and subject of the oval portrait embodies the tragedy of the story and represents the concepts of innocence, devotion, and sacrifice. When the young lady first meets her future husband she is full of life and happiness, and symbolizes the beauty of life itself.

Get More Info ›
Did the painter love his wife in The Oval Portrait? ›

The narrator learns that the young woman in the painting was as happy a person as she was beautiful and that she had fallen in love with and married the painter. But it was a difficult match. The painter was a self-serious artist who loved his art more than anything else in life.

Show Me More ›
What is the flag painting in the Oval Office? ›

The Avenue in the Rain is a 1917 oil painting by the American Impressionist painter Childe Hassam. It depicts Fifth Avenue in New York City in the rain, draped with U.S. flags. The painting is one of six works by Hassam in the permanent art collection of the White House in Washington, D.C.

Learn More ›
What are the busts in the Oval Office? ›

Placed on the mantle and other shelving are now busts of Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, and Robert Kennedy.

Discover More ›
What is the purpose of art that tells a story? ›

Narrative Art tells a story.

It uses the power of the visual image to ignite imaginations, evoke emotions and capture universal cultural truths and aspirations. What distinguishes Narrative Art from other genres is its ability to narrate a story across diverse cultures, preserving it for future generations.

Read On ›

Why does art tell our story? ›

Art can be a powerful tool for storytelling because it allows us to communicate complex ideas and emotions in a way that words cannot. Art can tell stories in different ways, depending on the medium used. For example, a painting can tell a story through color, composition, and brushstrokes.

Get More Info ›
Does all art tell a story? ›

Some art does not have a story that wants to be told. Art can be less about lives, things and history, and more about color, line and shape. To impose a story onto a brilliant red, or a coy arc, can do a disservice to the work.

See More ›
What desk does Joe Biden use? ›

The first desk used in the Oval Office was the Theodore Roosevelt desk. The desk currently in use by Joe Biden is the Resolute desk. Of the six desks that have occupied the Oval Office, the Resolute has spent the longest time in the room, having been used by eight presidents.

Learn More Now ›
Why doesn t the Oval Office have a door? ›

The Oval Office has two major doors, three windows and two more window/doors and the two concealed doors. There was simply a lot going on and including two more elaborate doors would have spoiled the clarity of the design.

Discover More Details ›
Is the Resolute desk still in the Oval Office? ›

Since then, the Resolute Desk has been used by every president in the Oval Office, although President George H.W Bush only used it for five months before switching to a different desk. It was returned during the Bill Clinton administration and has remained there ever since.

Know More ›
Where did the desk in the Oval Office come from? ›

This double pedestal partners' desk, usually called the "Resolute desk", was made from the oak timbers of the British ship H.M.S. Resolute as a gift to President Rutherford B. Hayes from Queen Victoria in 1880. It has been used by every president since Hayes, excepting Presidents Johnson, Nixon, and Ford, 1964-1977.

Know More ›
Why is the Oval Office in the West Wing? ›

By establishing the Oval Office in the center of the West Wing, the president was able to work more closely with his staff. As a result 20th Century presidents became more involved in the operations of government. A fire broke out in the West Wing on Christmas Eve 1929 during the Herbert Hoover administration.

Know More ›
Does the Oval Office change with each president? ›

The Oval Office changes with each Administration, as each President brings personal mementos and favorite furniture or artwork, and each makes selections from the White House art collection. President Clinton chose to use the Resolute Desk, made from the timbers of the British ship, the HMS Resolute.

Learn More Now ›
What are the seven powers of the presidency? ›

The Constitution explicitly assigns the president the power to sign or veto legislation, command the armed forces, ask for the written opinion of their Cabinet, convene or adjourn Congress, grant reprieves and pardons, and receive ambassadors.

Find Out More ›
Top Articles
Easy onion soup recipe | Jamie Oliver recipes
Jamie Oliver's best vegetarian Christmas recipes
1242 Serene Drive, Erie, CO 80516 | Compass
City Treasurer - Erie, PA
Latest Posts
Book Character Costumes for Teachers: Celebrating Reading and Creativity • DepEd Tambayan
The best Jamie Oliver Christmas recipes
Article information

Author: Eusebia Nader

Last Updated:

Views: 6208

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Eusebia Nader

Birthday: 1994-11-11

Address: Apt. 721 977 Ebert Meadows, Jereville, GA 73618-6603

Phone: +2316203969400

Job: International Farming Consultant

Hobby: Reading, Photography, Shooting, Singing, Magic, Kayaking, Mushroom hunting

Introduction: My name is Eusebia Nader, I am a encouraging, brainy, lively, nice, famous, healthy, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.