White House Art

by Former Curator, Rex Scouten

Pride of the American Nation, the White House collection of fine arts, owes its existence to the scores of individuals and organizations that have nurtured and supported it. They have been diverse in outlook, taste and purpose, but their vision and generosity have given coherence to the collection as a whole.

All the Presidents and First Ladies, including even the Washingtons, though they never occupied the Executive Mansion, have in one way or another made significant contributions. Portrait of President George Washington by Gilbert Stuart. Gilbert Stuart's idealized portrait of the first President (at right), cornerstone of the collection, both inspires us and evokes calm assurance of national community.

First Ladies of recent decades deserve great credit for much of the art featured in this collection on-line. Jacqueline Kennedy set the goal of collecting works by the country's finest artists. Lady Bird Johnson enthusiastically continued that pursuit. Patricia Nixon's efforts added 18 portraits to Presidents and First Ladies.

Elizabeth Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Hillary Rodham Clinton also have taken a special interest in the history of the mansion. Mrs. Clinton initiated eight exhibitions of twentieth century American sculpture during her term. Each recent First Lady has worked tirelessly to encourage contributions of funds and gifts of art.

They, and the collection itself, have been immeasurably helped by former curators of the White House--Lorraine Pearce, William Elder, James Ketchum, and Clement Conger--and by the present curator, Betty Monkman, and other members of the curatorial staff. From the care of the White House paintings to the authentication of new acquisitions, these experts have implemented professional standards worthy of the best museums.

Exceptional contributions of time, knowledge, and personal resources on the collection's behalf have come from three men: the late James W. Fosburgh, an original member of Mrs. Kennedy's Fine Arts Committee for the White House; Robert L McNeill, Jr., a longtime member of the Committee for the Preservation of the White House; and the late Dr. Melvin Payne, Chairman of the Board of the National Geographic Society, which cooperated with the White House Historical Association in the publication of the book upon which this on-line collection is based and other books about the presidential residence. The Association, chartered in 1961, has been a major benefactor, making possible the acquisition of dozens of works of art. Today it continues to "enhance understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the Executive Mansion."

The Cabinet

The tradition of the Cabinet dates back to the beginnings of the Presidency itself. Established in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, the Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office.

The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments — the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General.

President Obama at Cabinet meeting April 20, 2009 at the White House. 
White House Photo by Pete Souza

In order of succession to the Presidency:

Vice President of the United States 
Joseph R. Biden

Department of State 
Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton 
  
Department of the Treasury 
Secretary Timothy F. Geithner 
 
 Department of Defense 
Secretary Robert M. Gates 
 
  
Department of Justice 
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. 
 
 Department of the Interior 
Secretary Kenneth L. Salazar 
 
 Department of Agriculture 
Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack 
 
 Department of Commerce 
Secretary Gary F. Locke 
 
 Department of Labor 
Secretary Hilda L. Solis 
 Department of Health and Human Services 
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius 
Department of Housing and Urban Development 
Secretary Shaun L.S. Donovan 
Department of Transportation 
Secretary Ray LaHood 
Department of Energy 
Secretary Steven Chu 
Department of Education 
Secretary Arne Duncan 
Department of Veterans Affairs 
Secretary Eric K. Shinseki 
Department of Homeland Security 
Secretary Janet A. Napolitano

The following positions have the status of Cabinet-rank: 
 White House Interim Chief of Staff 
Bill Daley

Environmental Protection Agency 
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson 
Office of Management & Budget 
Jacob J. Lew, Director 
United States Trade Representative 
Ambassador Ronald Kirk 
United States Ambassador to the United Nations 
Ambassador Susan Rice 
Council of Economic Advisers 
Chairman Austan Goolsbee 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 

List of Presidents of the United States

"Presidents of the United States" and "US Presidents" redirect here. For the American Rock band, see The Presidents of the United States of America (band). For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation).

The White House, the president's official residence and center of the administration

Under the U.S. Constitution, the President of the United States is the head of state and the head of government of the United States. As chief of the executive branch and head of the federal government as a whole, the presidency is the highest political office in the United States by influence and recognition. The president is also the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces. The president is indirectly elected to a four-year term by an Electoral College (or by the House of Representatives should the Electoral College fail to award an absolute majority of votes to any person). Since the ratification of the Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1951, no person may be elected to the office of the president more than twice. Also, no person who served more than two years of a term to which someone else was elected may be elected more than once.^[1] Upon death, resignation, or removal from office of an incumbent president, the Vice President assumes the office.

About the list

This list includes only those persons who were sworn into office as president following the ratification of the United States Constitution, which took effect on March 4, 1789. For American leaders before this ratification, see President of the Continental Congress.^[2] The list does not include any Acting Presidents under the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

There have been forty-three people sworn into office, and forty-four presidencies, due to the fact that Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms and is counted chronologically as both the twenty-second and the twenty-fourth president. Of the individuals elected as president, four died in office of natural causes (William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Warren G. Harding, and Franklin D. Roosevelt), one resigned (Richard Nixon), and four were assassinated (Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy). The first president was George Washington, who was inaugurated in 1789 after a unanimous Electoral College vote. William Henry Harrison spent the shortest time in office at 31 days in 1841. At over twelve years, Franklin D. Roosevelt spent the longest time in office, and is the only president to serve more than two terms; he died shortly into his fourth term in 1945. The current president is Barack Obama; he assumed the office on January 20, 2009, and is the first president of African-American descent. He is also the first president born outside the contiguous United States, having been born in Hawaii.

List of presidents

Parties      

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