The official portraits of former United States president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are in -- and they aren't like anything else in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. The 44th American president is seen sitting on a wooden armchair that seems to be floating amid dense foliage and flowers in a portrait created by Kehinde Wiley. Michelle, painted against a robin's egg blue background, rests her chin on one hand and stares at the viewer with a curious mix of confidence and vulnerability in a canvas painted by Amy Sherald. 



The artists, both in their 40s, are the first African-Americans to paint official portraits for the museum and both have dedicated their careers to showcasing people of colour in unique way.


Read what Obama said about Michelle's portrait.