Current Portrait
Reviews
Artist: Robert Alexander Anderson
Darien, Connecticut.
Subject: President George W. Bush
The Yale Club, New York
 his
distinguished portrait was created at the invitation of the
President, and was based on life sittings at the President's
ranch in Crawford, Texas. Given the extraordinary and auspicious
subject, the artist's portrayal is remarkable for its naturalness
and aura of friendly informality. This effect is achieved
by the facial expression, the unaffected and down-to-earth
pose, the simple domestic setting, and the presence of the
pet.
We are all able to easily declare the likeness perfect, the
facial expression being one familiar to all Americans. Portrait
artists studying the composition will note the careful balance
of dark and light areas, the balance of areas of warm color
with areas of cool and the careful use of decorating patterns.
A master touch is the large unusual dark shape filling the
upper right corner of the composition, which drives forward
the figure of the President, and adds a gravity to the aura
of the picture. Note also the very important placement of
the dark shape of the furniture piece just behind the President—this shape reinforces and stabilizes the figure, and
balances the previously mentioned large dark on the right.
The execution (we have not seen the original) is simple and
straightforward, not overworked, yet nowhere slighted. The
expressive hands are masterfully drawn and rendered. J.H.S.
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