The Clintons get framed

[Judi Lynn]

The Clintons get framed
National Portrait Gallery unveils images of former president, first lady


Michel Du Cille / Washington Post

Former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) with their portraits.

By Libby Copeland

Updated: 11:53 p.m. ET April 24, 2006
It seems a leap of faith to have one's portrait painted, to surrender one's own version of reality to someone else's -- particularly if one happens to be a politician. Good politicians, after all, are masters at managing how the world sees them.

So, last night, when the National Portrait Gallery unveiled portraits of Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), there was the former president, looking energetic and expressive, laughing or jutting out his lower lip, flanked by the portrait president, standing in the Oval Office, looking flat and tired. It turns out three-dimensionality suits Bill Clinton.
(snip/...)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12470599/from/RSS/

[alfredo]

1. The Hillary portrait looks interesting.

[tenshi816]

7. She looks good in the photo with Bill too.

In fact, she looks better than I've seen her in a while - sleek haircut, and her suit flatters her figure. Hillary's looking sharp.

[alfredo]

18. she's in battle mode. Fit, sharp and ready to rumble.

[ronnykmarshall]

27. I LOVE Hillary's hair like that.

She's even said it before.

Hillary can really work the 'doo!

[UrbScotty]

2. That thread title had me going.

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[BrightKnight]

3. cute couple

They obviously have a warm and healthy relationship.

[madrchsod]

4. he`s so fucking cool

and she`s-i hate to admit it-really cool also. the way he posed is so great compared to the guy in the cheap suit we have now.

earlier today there was a post about who was the abusive person laura or george. my answer was george and i backed it by the way they interact as a couple who have been married a long time and are my age...years of observing.so i said look at bill and hillary . i`m saving this picture for this morning to prove my point--bill and hillary no matter his or her faults are still very much in love.

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. Here's a nice one of the two of them

You get the feeling they still actually enjoy each other.

[AnneD]

25. Even when he was sleeping on the couch...

I didn't read his book, but he said that after everything came out, he slept on the couch. He said he was greatful because he knew that he still had a chance to to save his marriage. Looks like they are doing well. I can imagine them 20-30 years from now...still togather and happily reminiscing on what a great ride they had. This is the difference between DEM's (equal partners and mutual respect)and GOP's (unequal power sharing, defined roles)marriages. I'll leave it to you to decide which of the two are happier. Wish we had a picture of Laura and Dubya.

[ronnykmarshall]

30. They both look great.

Bill looks better than he did right after the surgery in 2004. He was looking TOO thin in the face for a while.

They really do look like they are still very much in love with each other.

[PaDUer]

35. They've worked as a team

from day one, college included..The R's slamed Hillary when they tried to ruin them w/ the scandal that, I believe, was a set up. The song "Stand by Your Man" was indeed what Hillary did, thus crushing the repukes..

But, guess who came out from the under the rock, the Stepford wife, when her hubby was getting trashed, but, to the repukes, that was ok, that she was in the same boat without the paddles. Then, momma told her she better get out in the limelight w/ the media to show their marriage and life is just ducky-oh yes, she even gave him some pretzels..lol..gee, maybe the old gal was so PO'd, that she gave him that shiner. But, you can bet Rove had her hitting the road so the media can cast and fall in love w/ her because the so called hub-pR ratings are so low..what slime balls they are!

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. Here's another nice pic of Hillary and Chelsea

What a nice girl she grew up to be.

[Proud_Democratt]

15. The Bush twins are typical Repubs

[ronnykmarshall]

31. Chelsea looks great.

Hillary's looks rather ..... dare I say it ...... "Presidential" in that portrait.

:hide:

[Up2Late]

5. God, what horrible portraits! I can tell form here that Bill's is awful...

...and Hillery's doesn't look much better.

Please, what did they do, paint it from a picture taken by the Dog? A 3/4 length shot is as wide as I would ever go.

[annabanana]

8. Her's is actually kind of iconic, framed by the gold panels

like that.. I'd like to see a better picture of both.

[NJCher]

9. yes, appears very casual

I don't think I care for it, either.

Hers isn't so bad, I don't think--kind of a sensitive, artistic approach.




Cher

[Heidi]

10. What specifically do you dislike about the Nelson Shanks portrait of Bill

Clinton?

The answer your question, Nelson Shanks paints primarily from life, and this portrait is based on many sittings with Bill Clinton in Shanks' New York studio.

[alphafemale]

17. I'll answer this. His crotch is the centerpoint of the painting. nt

[Heidi]

19. So, what's not to like?

:D

[CatWoman]

23. bwahahahahaha

:rofl:

[Adelante]

28. HAHAHA

Smooth. :D

[ismnotwasm]

29. Snort

:spray:

[ronnykmarshall]

32. Oh my!

:spray:

[woo me with science]

34. Way too perfect composition to photoshop Monica in there.

Bet it won't be long...

[Up2Late]

36. The artist DID leave enough room, didn't he?

We should take bets on how long it will be.

[daleo]

20. It looks like a full length portrait

So, the center of the body (the belt line) is bound to be near the center of the portrait. I don't think it has to be particularly symbolic (although some argument might be made about the red tie).

Besides, in compositions the center is less important than other parts of a painting. A principle known as the rule of thirds, for example, says that the intersection points of lines that divide the picture into thirds vertically and horizontally are generally the first place the eye goes to. Note that his face is in the upper right "rule of thirds" point.

[dysfunctional press]

22. the repugs made his crotch the centerpoint of his administration...

so it's kind of fitting.

[alphafemale]

24. I hope it's something that benign. And not some intentional slight. nt

[Up2Late]

26. From what I can see, I see little to like about it.

First, it set too far back. It looks like a family snapshot, made with an Insta-matic at a family holiday party.

It's a portrait of a GREAT President, for God sakes, GET CLOSER. This is going to hang in the National Gallery for Hundreds of years.

Second, button that coat and stand up straight (suck in that gut)...like a President posing for a Portrait that is going to hang in the National Gallery for Hundreds of years.

I don't know the painters work, but if I was a former president and that was my portrait, I'd be very disappointed, if not angry at the painter.

Now seeing another, closer shot of Hillery's portrait, it doesn't look nearly as bad as it looked in the original shot.

[Canuckistanian]

6. That's what I call good framing!

The last legally elected president of the United States. Seems like a different universe now, doesn't it?

[alphafemale]

13. Notice what is dead center on the portrait.

That had to be intentional.

And right over the fireplace?

Come on, now.

[dysfunctional press]

21. and the way the two portraits are arranged for the picture...

follow hillary's portrait's line of sight to see what she appears to be looking at...

[0007]

14. If ya thought the freepers we're in a world of hurt and

psychotic lately.......these.......these great paintings will made 'em raving lunatics.

[Kailassa]

16. They look far better in real life than in those paintings.

I don't believe the paintings do them justice at all.

[killerbush]

33. Why is his picture twice as big as hers???