National Portrait Gallery USA

01/08/2024

Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935. As a young truck driver in 1953, Elvis paid $4 to record a song for his mother’s birthday. Sun Records—then the label of such other young talents as Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis—soon signed him, and his first record, “That’s All Right, Mama,” was an instant hit.⁣⁣⁣⁣
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By 1956, thanks in part to a series of sensational television appearances, he was crowned the “King of Rock & Roll,” with a string of recordings that included “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” and “Hound Dog.”⁣⁣
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Since his death, Presley has remained a prominent figure in popular culture. His Graceland mansion has become one of the most visited spots in the nation.⁣
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🖼: "Elvis Presley" by Ralph Wolfe Cowan, 1976-88. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of R.W. Cowan.
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01/07/2024

A trailblazing singer, Marian Anderson not only broke boundaries but also turned into a civil rights icon who overcame racism throughout her career, using her talent and success.
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When Anderson graced the stage of the Metropolitan Opera nearly seventy years ago on this day in 1955, she made history. Singing the part of Ulrica in “Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera,” she became the first Black performer to sing with the Metropolitan Opera in a leading role.⁣
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She is best remembered, however, for her gripping performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday in April 1939. Seventy-five thousand people gathered to hear her sing while countless others across the nation listened to the live radio broadcast. ⁣
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Because of her race, she had been prohibited from performing at other venues in Washington, D.C. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who had praised her “beautiful and moving voice,” intervened and facilitated Anderson’s outdoor concert. The recital became a watershed moment in the struggle against segregationist policies and discrimination.⁣
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🖼: "Marian Anderson" (detail and full view) by Laura Wheeler Waring, 1944. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of the Harmon Foundation. © Estate of Laura Wheeler Waring
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01/06/2024

Artists! There are twenty days left to submit your artwork to the 2025 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. ⁣⁣
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This triennial competition seeks to broaden the definition of portraiture. Selected artworks will go on view at the National Portrait Gallery as part of the exhibition, followed by a national tour. ⁣⁣
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⭐️ Submissions close on January 26, 2024 at midnight (MT). Submit your artwork for consideration at portraitcompetition.si.edu⁣⁣
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Have questions? Send us an email at [email protected]

01/05/2024

Today is 🦚 While we don't have birds we DO have portraits of people AS birds. ⁣⁣⁣
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These portraits were created in 1851 by Max Rosenthal who copied them after Henry Louis Stephen's original works:⁣⁣⁣
(1) "Milliner Bird" is a portrait of Minnie Doyle⁣⁣⁣
(2) "Humming Bird" is a portrait of Congressman Thomas B. Florence⁣
(3) "King Bird" is a portrait of Robert P. King (🐥) and Alexander Baird (🐝), who ran a print shop together
(4) "Catorn's Warbler" is a portrait of singer Kate Horn⁣
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Henry L. Stephen's original drawings appeared in his satirical book, "The Comic Natural History of the Human Race." Published in Philadelphia in 1851, the book highlighted politicians, entertainers, and other public figures of the city and beyond.

01/04/2024

On , we want to share the story behind this photograph of Helen Keller. ⁣

Born in Alabama in 1880, Keller became blind and deaf after an illness that doctors then called "brain fever" (likely scarlet fever). Under the tutelage of Anne Sullivan, Keller learned to express herself, graduated from Radcliffe College, and wrote a best-selling autobiography⁣⁣.
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This photograph appeared as the frontispiece for her article in "Century Magazine" in January, 1905. Entitled “A Chat about the Hand,” the piece focused on how Keller used her sense of touch to understand and communicate with her world. ⁣⁣
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“Paradise,” she declared in the first paragraph, “is attained by touch; for in touch all is love and intelligence.” Underscoring the importance of touch for Keller is the book written in braille on her lap. 📖🌹⁣
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📸: "Helen Adams Keller" by Charles Whitman, 1904. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

01/03/2024

What do you do when you have a book full of amazing silhouettes… and arsenic?

William Bache created a book of silhouettes as a traveling portrait artist from 1803 to 1812. His album lived, untouched, in the National Portrait Gallery’s collection for over twenty years.

That was until the Getty Paper Project and Portrait Gallery worked to fully digitize the album last year. Laced with arsenic, the album required special precautions and care.

We are excited to share this bonus episode for our PORTRAITS podcast listeners: “The Toxic Book of Faces.” The episode comes to us from our friends at the Sidedoor podcast, hosted by Lizzie Peabody. She brings us the story of the book, the man who created it, and the web of overlapping stories tucked inside.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts or at npg.si.edu/podcasts

01/03/2024

Anna May Wong was the first Chinese American actress to become a major box-office attraction. ⁣
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She was born in Los Angeles, California in 1905. As a child, she began visiting the movie sets that started to spring up as the film industry shifted its production from New York to California. She combined her English name, “Anna May,” with her Chinese name, “Wong Liu Tsong,” to create her stage name. ⁣
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Her role opposite Marlene Dietrich in “Shanghai Express” (1932) made her an international star. Despite this, the U.S. film industry relegated her to minor parts in a series of movies featuring unsympathetic portrayals of Asian characters. Eventually, she decided to leave Hollywood for Europe, where she finally received leading film and stage roles. ⁣
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Happy birthday Anna May Wong! 🥂🎉 ⁣
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📸: "Anna May Wong" by George Hurrell, 1938 (printed 1981). National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of David R. Davis, II. © Profiles in History.

01/02/2024

This Sci-Fi Day, Live Long and Prosper 🖖 ⁣⁣In 1966, George Takei became the first Asian American to play a major, non-stereotyped character on an American television series when he was cast as astrophysicist-turned-helmsman Hikaru Sulu on Star Trek.⁣
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Takei rode to fame along with the crew of the Starship Enterprise in the short-lived but immensely popular television series. He appeared in fifty-one of the seventy-nine episodes that aired during Star Trek’s three seasons on NBC (1966–69). He reprised the role of Sulu again in six Star Trek feature films released between 1979 and 1991.⁣⁣
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📸: "George Takei" (detail) by an unidentified artist, 1966. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of an anonymous donor. ⁣⁣
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12/31/2023

It's the last day of 2023! ✨ What's your New Year's look? 🎩⁣

Carl Van Vechten captured this photograph of Chinese American actress Anna May Wong in 1932. Wong's outfit was inspired by her friend and co-star Marlene Dietrich's signature look of of a tuxedo suit and a top hat. The two starred together in "Shanghai Express" (1932). ⁣

Wong was considered the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood. Her first big time role was at seventeen in the 1922 silent film, "The Toll of the Sea."⁣

📸: "Anna May Wong" (detail) by Carl Van Vechten, 1932. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. © Carl Van Vechten Trust. ⁣
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12/30/2023

Talk about seeing double! This illustration of the Kogod Courtyard by .sketches is picture perfect, even down to the poinsettias. 🏛️🌳✨

Have a sketch from your visit to the Portrait Gallery? Share them with us using and tag us so we can see them!

✍️: .sketches

12/29/2023

This photograph of Padre José Torres Palomo is on view in the exhibition, "1898: U.S. Imperial Vision and Revisions." ⁣⁣
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Padre José Torres Palomo was born in Guam in 1836 when it was under Spanish rule. He was an important representative of CHamoru and Guamanian people and was the first CHamoru Roman Catholic priest. ⁣⁣
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Known locally as Pale’ Enko’, he witnessed Guam change hands from Spain to the United States and led his fellow islanders to ensure a fair rule. Fluent in CHamoru, Spanish, Carolinian, Latin, English, and French, he functioned as a diplomat for Guam during its transition of colonial authority. ⁣⁣
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He introduced William Edwin Safford (1859–1926), Guam’s first lieutenant-governor, to the manak’kilo, the upper-class mestizos (people of Spanish and indigenous descent) of Hagåtña, and assisted Safford in compiling a CHamoru dictionary. ⁣⁣

Explore this exhibition online at 1898exhibition.si.edu or see it in person before it closes on February 25, 2024.
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📸: “Padre José Torres Palomo” (detail) by Unidentified Artist, date unknown. Courtesy of the Richard F. Taitano Micronesia Area Collection Research Center.

12/28/2023

Maxwell Anderson was known as one of the most prolific and popular playwrights of his generation despite not trying his hand at drama until he was thirty-five.⁣⁣
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A main theme running through Anderson’s work was the perpetual struggle against inhumane and dehumanizing forces. Even with the gravity of that message, he also exhibited a wonderful gift for comedy. His satirical fantasy of 1936, “High Tor,” brought him his second Drama Critics’ Circle Award.⁣⁣
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This Time-cover photograph of 1934 marked the opening of “Valley Forge,” Anderson’s play about the winter encampment of Washington’s army in 1778. In its accompanying story, Time declared that although Anderson might not be America’s best playwright, he definitely had his strengths. “When the Anderson line is successful,” the magazine noted, “it is like the Notre Dame line. It has power and beauty of execution.”⁣⁣
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📸: “Maxwell Anderson” by Vandamm Studio, 1934. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Time magazine. © The New York Public Library. ⁣⁣
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12/27/2023

During World War II, Marlene Dietrich spent a total of eighteen months in Europe.
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For Dietrich’s service during the war, two American generals independently nominated her for the Medal of Freedom, which was awarded to her in 1947. Dietrich also received the French equivalent, la Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur, that year. ⁣⁣
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She valued these recognitions above any acting citations. Happy birthday, Marlene Dietrich. 🎉⁣⁣
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📸: "Marlene Dietrich" by George Hurrell, c. 1935. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Acquired in part through the generosity of an anonymous donor. Usage conditions apply. ⁣

12/26/2023

Al Capone, called “Scarface,” was the most notorious gangster of the 1920s. ⁣⁣This photograph was taken in 1925 by the New York City police after Capone was apprehended in connection with a shooting. He was released a week later and the charges were dropped. ⁣⁣⁣
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Unlike many gangsters, Capone didn’t shy away from the spotlight. His flamboyant custom-made suits, expensive ci**rs, and armor-plated Cadillac played into the public fascination with crime figures. ⁣⁣⁣With his dominating personality and violent temper, he became a leader among Chicago’s gangsters during the Prohibition Era when the illegal sale of alcohol was an extremely lucrative business. ⁣⁣⁣
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Six years after photo was taken, Capone was arrested again in 1931. This time, however, his criminal career was brought to an end when he was convicted of tax income evasion. ⁣⁣
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(Image Credits)⁣⁣⁣
1. “Al Capone” (detail) by an unidentified artist, 1925. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.⁣ ⁣⁣

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12/26/2023

Can you list all 7 principles of Kwanzaa?

The “Nguzo Saba” or as it translates from Swahili to English, “The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa,” is a value system and set of principles which outline the mission statement and intentions of Kwanzaa. From December 26 to January 1, a different principle is celebrated each day, highlighting African-centered themes and traditions.

The Nguzo Saba are listed as:

🔴 Umoja (Unity)
⚫ Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
🟢 Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
🔴 Ujamaa (Cooperative economics)
⚫ Nia (purpose)
🟢 Kuumba (creativity)
🔴 Imani (faith)

During Kwanzaa someone will informally ask, “Habari Gani?” or “What's happening?” in Swahili throughout the day. Someone will respond with the principle for the day, which today is “Umoja” which translates into English as “Unity”.

To learn more about Kwanzaa’s history, cultural expressions, and to find fun activities for new families & children, as well as more information on the 7 principles, join our virtual Kwanzaa celebration: nmaahc.si.edu/kwanzaa

📸 Pinback button celebrating the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

12/25/2023

Happy holidays from the National Portrait Gallery! The museum is closed, today, on December 25. ⁣⁣❄️

The Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery will reopen on Dec. 26 with regular hours (11:30am - 7pm).

Explore exhibitions and enjoy the Kogod Courtyard, which is decorated for the season by the Smithsonian Gardens team. ⁣✨
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Who will you be bringing to the museum with you this holiday season? ⁣⁣
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📸: Virginia Thaxton

12/24/2023

Happy birthday to actress Ava Gardner. 🎂 ⁣⁣She was born in 1922 in Grabtown, a small community in Johnston County, North Carolina. The youngest of seven, her parents were farmers and, after their barn burned down, they ran boarding houses. ⁣⁣
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Gardner was studying to be a secretary when her photographer brother-in-law sent pictures of her to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). After calling her in for a screen test, she signed a seven-year contract with MGM for $50 per week at eighteen years old. ⁣⁣
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She reached stardom with her performance in “The Killers” (1946). After this film, she was cast in more leading roles. Her acting career includes films like “One touch of Venus” (1948), “Mogambo” (1953), and “The Barefoot Contessa” (1954). ⁣⁣
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Reflecting on her life in her autobiography, “Ava: My Story,” Gardner said: ⁣”If I had my life to live over again, I’d live it exactly the same way. Maybe a few changes here and there, but nothing special. Because the truth is, honey, I’ve enjoyed my life. I’ve had a hell of a good time.”⁣ ✨⁣
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📸: “Ava Gardner” (detail) by Philippe Halsman, 1954. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of George R. Rinhart. © Philippe Halsman Archive () ⁣⁣
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12/23/2023

“Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree for me” 🎁🎶 Eartha Kitt released “Santa Baby” seventy years ago in 1953. The song quickly became a Christmas classic. ⁣⁣⁣
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With a voice like a sultry purr, she claimed countless fans, including Orson Welles, who called her “the most exciting woman in the world.” ⁣⁣⁣
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Kitt got her start in the entertainment industry as a teenager with Katherine Dunham’s dance troupe. After this, she embarked on an international career as a cabaret singer and actor. ⁣Her singing style and provocative stage persona made her a top nightclub attraction throughout the ‘50s. ⁣
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⁣Kitt performed on Broadway, in films, and on television. ⁣Her career came to a pause, however, in 1968 after she voiced her opposition to the Vietnam War during a White House luncheon hosted by Lady Bird Johnson. She was blacklisted professionally for this.⁣⁣⁣
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Her career was revived in the ‘70s and she was cast in “Timbuktu!,” a Broadway musical by Luther Davis. Kitt continued to reach across generations with her voice work, voicing Yzma in Disney’s film series, “The Emperor’s New Groove.” 🦙💜 ⁣⁣⁣
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📸: “Eartha Kitt” (detail) by Philippe Halsman, 1954. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of George R. Rinhart. © Philippe Halsman Archive
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12/22/2023

Lady Bird Johnson was born in 1912 as Claudia Alta Taylor in Karnack, Texas. 🌷 She served as first lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 during her husband Lydon B. Johnson’s presidency. ⁣⁣

She stepped into this role unexpectedly. Two hours after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, her husband was sworn in aboard Air Force One, making him the 36th president of the United States. ⁣⁣

The following year, her husband ran for a full four-year term. She led a solo campaign train trip referred to as the "Lady Bird Special." During this remarkable whistle-stop tour, she gave forty-seven speeches in eight states from Virginia to Louisiana. ⁣⁣
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As first lady, Lady Bird Johnson brought to fruition the 1965 Highway Beautification Act. This initiative incorporated historic site preservation, natural resource conservation, and environmental protection. ⁣⁣For her successful efforts, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1988.⁣⁣

📸: “Lady Bird Johnson” by Dennis Fagan, 1986 (printed 2009). National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Jean Marie Fagan. ©1986 Dennis C. Fagan.

12/22/2023

Born on this day in 1954, author Sandra Cisneros became nationally known in 1984 for her coming-of-age novel, The House on Mango Street. While writing the book, she drew upon her experience as the daughter of a working-class Mexican American family in Chicago.

In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded Cisneros the National Medal of the Arts. Cisneros has written 12 books, founded two nonprofits supporting writers, and partnered with our National Museum of American History to create altars to mark Día de los Mu***os.

Learn more about other Latinas you should know: https://s.si.edu/41tZgr8

📷: © 2011 Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

Image credit: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Catherine and Ingrid Pino Duran

12/21/2023

Today is the first day of winter! ❄️⛸️ Photographer John G. Zimmerman captured this photo of Peggy Fleming on the ice in 1968 in Grenoble, France as she prepared for the Winter Olympic Games. ⁣⁣⁣

He took the photo on February 5 and five days later, on February 10, she won a gold medal for the U.S. in figure skating with her solo. She was the only athlete to bring home a gold medal for the U.S. during the Winter Games. ⁣⁣⁣

This photograph appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Winter Olympics edition, which celebrated Fleming’s victory. Published on February 19, 1968, the cover was titled “U.S. Olympic Champion Peggy Fleming.” ⁣⁣⁣

📸: Peggy Fleming by John G. Zimmerman, 1968 (printed 2018). National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the John G. Zimmerman Archive. © John G. Zimmerman Archive. ⁣⁣⁣
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12/20/2023

Actress Cicely Tyson was born in 1924.
Learn more about her life in this video. This video was created as part of our exhibition showcasing photos from Brian Lanker's series "I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America" published in 1989.

12/19/2023

A luminous beauty and a gifted actress, Dolores del Río rocketed to Hollywood stardom within a year of her arrival from Mexico in 1925. ⁣⁣
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After minor roles in several films, del Río established herself as a major box-office draw with her performance as a French barmaid in the World War I drama “What Price Glory?”—one of the top films of 1926.⁣⁣
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Although the American movie industry counted her among its first Latina stars, del Rio resisted Hollywood’s efforts to typecast her as a south-of-the-border siren during her silent film career. With the introduction of sound pictures, however, her accent made it easier to consign her to stereotypical roles. ⁣⁣
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In 1942, she returned to Mexico and embarked on a rewarding new career in Spanish-language cinema that would earn her four Silver Ariels, the Mexican film industry’s highest award. ⭐️⁣⁣
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📸: “Dolores del Río” by Benjamin Strauss and Homer Peyton, c. 1927. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Acquired through the generosity of the Honorable Anthony Beilenson in honor of his wife Dolores. ⁣⁣
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12/17/2023

The Smithsonian Gardens team has added some extra sparkle to the Kogod Courtyard this holiday season with poinsettias and lights. ✨⁣⁣
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The National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery are open from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday, except December 25. ⁣⁣
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12/16/2023

What a week it’s been! This artwork was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, with a mission in mind to add more portraits of living sitters by contemporary artists into the collection. A big congratulations to artist Shawn Michael Warren for painting this near life-sized portrait! 🎉🙌

12/14/2023

12/14/2023

Oprah Winfrey joined artist Shawn Michael Warren at the National Portrait Gallery to reveal her portrait, which was commissioned for the museum’s collection. ⁣
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As a groundbreaking television host, author, and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey exemplifies American tenets of individual achievement. In 1986, she rose to fame when her daytime talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” was nationally syndicated. ⁣
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In twenty-five seasons, she has interviewed over 37,000 guests from all walks of life. Her ability to connect with diverse audiences helped the program make television history. ⁣
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As a child, artist Shawn Michael Warren grew up watching and admiring Winfrey on television. In his near life-size painting of her, he depicts her in a purple taffeta gown, a reference to Winfrey’s ongoing interest in Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Novel, “The Color Purple.” ⁣
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📸: Photo by © Tony Powell
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🖼️ : “Oprah Winfrey” by Shawn Michael Warren, 2023. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Acquired through the generosity of Tommie L. Pegues and Donald A. Capoccia; Taylor and Wemimo Abbey; Anonymous; Deon Jones and Cameron J. Ross; Lisa Opoku and Loki Muthu; Mack Wilbourn; Charles Young and Andrea Wishom Young. ⁣

Oprah standing with this newly commissioned portrait that joins the Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection.