commentary index

George W. Bush Robert Alexander Anderson. The Yale Club, New York. Robert Alexander Anderson, in his Yale Club portrayal of President George W. Bush, gives us an intimate view of an approachable, friendly man by using the interior of the President's home in Crawford, Texas, and an easygoing, informal pose. However, the President is attired in a dark business suit which contrasts handsomely with the at-home setting. Both head and hands are rendered with consummate skill. Click portrait to enlarge. page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

These nine examples, covering more than a century from 1899 through 2004, illustrate the continuing desire of Presidential portraitists to present their illustrious subjects as appealing human beings, rather than as historic wielders of power, with an end result sharply differing from the early beginnings of this genre.

John Howard Sanden
New York