Michelle Cardenas
After exploring several museums in Washington D.C., it was time to stop by the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). This museum is well known for housing the National Portrait Gallery and its collection of presidential portraits, while also having an impressive collection of works by both established and emerging artists.
Upon entering the museum, we were immediately greeted by the works of renowned artist Gilbert Stuart. Stuart is mostly known for his presidential portraits, including his famous depiction of George Washington found on the dollar bill.
Additionally, the museum featured pieces by other notable artists such as Thomas Sully, who did the famous work of Andrew Jackson…
…and Norman Rockwell, who softened Richard Nixon in his official portrait.
A standout highlight of SAAM is Amy Sherald’s remarkable portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama. Sherald’s portrayal of Mrs. Obama was intriguing. She captured the persona of the former First Lady but also challenged traditional portraiture.
Other notable portraits include Kehinde Wiley’s depiction of Barack Obama, Peter Hurd’s portrait of LBJ, Chuck Close’s complex mosaic of Bill Clinton; and Elaine de Kooning’s atypical portrait of Kennedy . It was wonderful to see how different artists envisioned our past and present presidents in a painting.
And, of course, we would be remiss if we did mention seeing a bust of “our very own” Sam Houston!
But the Museum does not exclusively reflect portraits of presidents and other notables. They are an American Art Museum as well, and I was able to see a work by Jean-Michel Basquiat, a personal favorite of mine, whose work I admired only online before visiting the museum. We were also fortunate enough to reinforce our knowledge and recognition of Alexander Calder.
We saw Edward Hopper works…
…a work by one of Professor Yawn’s favorites, Thomas Hart Benton…
…and pieces by artists as diverse as Grandma Moses, Georgia O’Keeffe, Fredric Remington, Samuel Morse, and Luis Jimenez.
One of the pieces we saw was by John Rogers, and his work is also owned by the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library.
We also saw a piece by Sam Houston alum James Surls…
SAAM’s diverse collection reflects all the changes of American life and its history. Through these portraits and artworks we gained a deeper understanding of our history while connecting it to art.
Whether we were in awe of presidential portraits, or discovering new favorites among the museum’s vast collection, or encountering iconic works by beloved artists, we sure enjoyed our time at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 