In 1943, Shoumatoff was told by her friend and client Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd, who was also the President's mistress:
"You should really paint the President. He has such a remarkable face. There is no painting of him that gives his true expression. I think you could do a wonderful portrait, and he would be such an interesting person to paint! Would you do a portrait of him if it was arranged?"[1]
Rutherfurd would go on to make the arrangements, with Shoumatoff agreeing to sit in for two days within two weeks' time. She said of the agreement: "I was trapped into something I had neither wished for nor planned."[1] She went on to talk about not being able to turn down the honor of being selected for a presidential commission.[1]
Paintingedit
The last photograph of Franklin D. Roosevelt, taken by Nicholas Robbins at the Little White House in Warm Springs, April 11, 1945. Roosevelt died the following day.
Elizabeth Shoumatoff had begun working on the portrait of the president around noon on April 12, 1945. Roosevelt was being served lunch when he said "I have a terrific headache." He then slumped forward in his chair, unconscious, and was carried into his bedroom. The president's attending cardiologist, Dr. Howard Bruenn, diagnosed a massive cerebral hemorrhage. Roosevelt never regained consciousness and died at 3:35 p.m. that day. Shoumatoff never finished the portrait.
The unfinished portrait hangs at Roosevelt's former health and relaxation retreat in Warm Springs, Georgia, known as the Little White House.[2]
Later, Shoumatoff decided to finish the portrait in Roosevelt's memory. She painted a new painting based on memory. One difference is that the tie that was red in the original is blue in the finished painting. All other aspects are completely identical. The finished portrait resides in the Legacy Exhibit beside the original at the Little White House Historic Site in Warm Springs.[3]
Referencesedit
^ abc (Press release). Franklin D. Roosevelt American Heritage Center Museum. Archived from the original on August 7, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
^"Roosevelt's Little White House Historic Site". State Parks & Historic Sites. Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
^dirkdeklein (2017-04-12). "The Unfinished portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt". History of Sorts. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
unfinished, portrait, franklin, roosevelt, unfinished, portrait, franklin, roosevelt, watercolor, franklin, delano, roosevelt, president, united, states, elizabeth, shoumatoff, shoumatoff, commissioned, paint, portrait, roosevelt, started, work, around, noon, . The unfinished portrait of Franklin D Roosevelt is a watercolor of Franklin Delano Roosevelt President of the United States by Elizabeth Shoumatoff Shoumatoff was commissioned to paint a portrait of Roosevelt and started her work around noon on April 12 1945 At lunch Roosevelt complained of a headache and subsequently collapsed The president who had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage died later that day Unfinished portrait of Franklin D RooseveltDetail of the unfinished portraitArtistElizabeth ShoumatoffYearApril 1945 April 1945 Shoumatoff never finished the portrait but she later painted a new largely identical one based on memory The unfinished portrait hangs at Roosevelt s retreat the Little White House in Warm Springs Georgia with its finished counterpart beside it History editIn 1943 Shoumatoff was told by her friend and client Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd who was also the President s mistress You should really paint the President He has such a remarkable face There is no painting of him that gives his true expression I think you could do a wonderful portrait and he would be such an interesting person to paint Would you do a portrait of him if it was arranged 1 Rutherfurd would go on to make the arrangements with Shoumatoff agreeing to sit in for two days within two weeks time She said of the agreement I was trapped into something I had neither wished for nor planned 1 She went on to talk about not being able to turn down the honor of being selected for a presidential commission 1 Painting edit nbsp The last photograph of Franklin D Roosevelt taken by Nicholas Robbins at the Little White House in Warm Springs April 11 1945 Roosevelt died the following day Elizabeth Shoumatoff had begun working on the portrait of the president around noon on April 12 1945 Roosevelt was being served lunch when he said I have a terrific headache He then slumped forward in his chair unconscious and was carried into his bedroom The president s attending cardiologist Dr Howard Bruenn diagnosed a massive cerebral hemorrhage Roosevelt never regained consciousness and died at 3 35 p m that day Shoumatoff never finished the portrait The unfinished portrait hangs at Roosevelt s former health and relaxation retreat in Warm Springs Georgia known as the Little White House 2 Later Shoumatoff decided to finish the portrait in Roosevelt s memory She painted a new painting based on memory One difference is that the tie that was red in the original is blue in the finished painting All other aspects are completely identical The finished portrait resides in the Legacy Exhibit beside the original at the Little White House Historic Site in Warm Springs 3 References edit a b c Major FDR Center Museum Announcement April 2006 Press release Franklin D Roosevelt American Heritage Center Museum Archived from the original on August 7 2008 Retrieved March 8 2016 Roosevelt s Little White House Historic Site State Parks amp Historic Sites Georgia Department of Natural Resources Retrieved March 21 2016 dirkdeklein 2017 04 12 The Unfinished portrait of Franklin D Roosevelt History of Sorts Retrieved 2020 12 29 Portals nbsp Politics nbsp Visual arts nbsp United States nbsp This article about a twentieth century painting is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Unfinished portrait of Franklin D Roosevelt amp oldid 1217104173, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
