New in PJ Media:
Since 1978, four paintings by that most American of artists, Norman Rockwell, have hung in the White House. Rockwell’s World War II-era “So You Want to See the President” series depicts a vanished America, including, among others, newspaper-reading photographers cooling their heels, waiting for “newsworthy fare”; a woman dressed in yellow and sitting primly and ramrod-straight, incongruously wearing a “Miss America” sash; and next to her, a slouching baldheaded fellow, camera at his feet. But no more: Politico reported Tuesday that these “priceless pieces of art have been removed from the White House and it’s not yet abundantly clear why.” Even better, they’ve been replaced by massive photos of everybody’s favorite pseudo-president, Old Joe Biden himself.
Politico is uncertain as to why the Rockwells are gone. It reports that “two people familiar with the matter said the family that owns the art wanted them back — and got its request granted sometime last year.” Politico was able to find out where the paintings came from. “Betty Monkman, who worked on the White House curatorial staff from 1967 until 2002 when she retired as its chief curator, told West Wing Playbook the sketches were lent by the descendants of Steve Early, who was Franklin Roosevelt’s press secretary. She said Rockwell gave the prints to Early.”
Politico didn’t have as much success in finding out exactly where the paintings went and why. No one seems interested in talking about why the paintings were removed from Biden’s White House: “West Wing Playbook made valiant efforts over the last few days to reach descendants of Early, and has reached out to the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, former Virginia Gov. George Allen (who’s from Earlysville, Va. — named after the Early family), and the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society (where Earlysville is located). But we did not get any fruitful responses. A request to the White House to pass along a message to the Early family also received no reply from the family.”
So why were the paintings taken down? No one knows for sure, but there is one obvious problem with the Rockwells from the perspective of Biden’s woke administration. Biden has repeatedly boasted about having a cabinet that “looks like America,” and these paintings are nothing like the image of the country that Biden’s handlers want to project. The Rockwell watercolor and black-and-white sketches have several strikes against them: all of the people depicted in them are white, none of them are transgendered, and several of them are smoking: clearly, this would never do for the Biden Woke House.
There is more. Read the rest here.
Westman says
Massive photos of Biden – like China and North Korea? A few more to be on the National Mall?
gravenimage says
+1
Kuffar says
The Supreme Leader had proclaimed the cult of personality… All hail El Supremo
Gregg G Brown says
Are there photos of the Joe pictures hanging in their place?
somehistory says
I read the headline yesterday, but did not read the article. This explains a lot as to “why” they were taken down.
Perhaps the family that owns them, doesn’t want them associated with this fraudulent gathering of criminals and their diabolical plans.
If the photos now represent what is coming, we may all be slaving over the fields of produce with loudspeakers booming out his rambling voice, telling us how great he is, and then, they’ll play k harris telling us how we have to “work together,” and that “working together” we can all “work together,” to cackle, cackle.
If it wasn’t true, it would be similar to that funny movie with Dick Van Dyke about a town giving up smoking. We could all laugh about it. Not much to laugh about with this.
Hoi Polloi says
Wonder when they’ll hang pictures of the grandchild they won’t acknowledge?
gravenimage says
White House Replaces Classic Norman Rockwell Paintings With ‘Jumbo Photos’ of… Joe Biden
…………………………….
Well, that says it all.
Perhaps these paintings were returned at the request of their owner–odd, if this is the case, though, that it was impossible for Politico to confirm this. As for the huge photos of Biden that replaced them, this is tacky at best and reminiscent of banana republics at worst.
somehistory says
Rockwell was referred to as America’s Painter years ago. He was said to capture the “culture” of America in his many illustrations of common people doing everyday things.
when a dictator seeks to make people forget how things were…better before he rose to power…he will destroy what he can and replace it with things that say how great he is and the people must just accept it, show their appreciation and bow to his superiority, or else.
gravenimage says
Somehistory, I am a great admirer of Norman Rockwell’s work. I have many books about him, and several prints of his work.
One of my favorite paintings of his is a scene in a rough dockside cafe, mostly frequented by working men. At a table by the window, an elderly lady and her probable young grandson, obviously travelling given their wicker luggage, say grace before their simple meal. The two young men sharing the table stare at this unusual occurrence–but with a look of respect as well as surprise:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51J6CrGwZkL._SX381_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
This is a brilliant and very subtle work–Rockwell was a great storyteller as well as a fine painter. But I love most of his work.
somehistory says
g, I have always liked his work. Had a calendar many years ago with one of his paintings depicted and one of the doctors I took my kids to see, had a print on his wall of a kid in a doctor’s office. I saw it quite often.
He had a way of capturing the feeling of the persons he painted, much as Vincent Van Gogh had. The people in the WH today, do not have appreciation for anything, much less, a simple way of life where people are allowed to make decisions and have some trust in those who rule over them. they are very destructive.
gravenimage says
+1
James Lincoln says
gravenimage,
I had a chance to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts a few years ago.
Well worth the visit.
gravenimage says
James, that’s wonderful! I would love to visit sometime. Rockwell also did a famous painting of Stockbridge, Massachusetts:
https://enjoytravellife.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Travel-Visit-The-Norman-Rockwell-Museum-in-Stockbridge-Massachusetts-US-Downtown.jpg
BexarKat says
The owner is the American people. Indeed, it will be pleasurable to see the paintings placed in their proper places in 2024
gravenimage says
BexarKat, the article above quotes someone saying that “the sketches were lent by the descendants of Steve Early, who was Franklin Roosevelt’s press secretary. She said Rockwell gave the prints to Early.”
Some art in the White House is indeed owned by the American people, some is on loan from private owners, and some is owned by the president and his family. I don’t know the exact provenance here.
gravenimage says
Here’s the one of the paintings mentioned in the article:
https://www.allposters.com/-sp/So-You-Want-to-See-the-President-B-November-13-1943-Posters_i16238739_.htm?AID=96280778&ProductTarget=16238739&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=PLA&gclid=CjwKCAjwiJqWBhBdEiwAtESPaAVT06qvlag-vmF7xsyhs-UIO-Gi7o7xT1FYaRSNH99Xt53wz3i8ghoCa60QAvD_BwE
BexarKat says
I imagine the jumbo photos of Mr. Biden were hung strategically to remind him of who he is…Mr. Biden.
Walter Sieruk says
This proves that Joe Biden is very self-centered and likewise in extremity conceited.
Worse yet, Biden is self-centered extremely conceited idiot.
For example, Biden If you’re paddling upstream in a canoe and a wheel falls, off how many pancakes fit in a doghouse.”
Another one of the many the fool statements, he also exclaimed “Imagine had the tobacco industry been immune to prostitute being sued, come on.”
Walter Sieruk says
Joe Biden is not only conceited but he’s also demented. So much so that he’s so very feeble- minded that even get an old saying right. For Biden exclaimed “Buy a man eat fish, the day teach man to a lifetime.”