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House: Pride,
curator William Allman and I checked and rechecked the medium, measurements, and signatures of each object to ensure that all of the information was accurate. Publishable quality images were taken of the artworks, some for the first time. All paintings and drawings were removed from their frames so that the entire work would be visible. The title selected for the book, Art in the White House: A Nation’s Pride, is appropriate. The fine arts collection comprises more than five hundred works. Some are very historic, others represent geographic diversity, and other examples are characteristic works by noted artists. This collection is truly something of which to be proud.
What would the collection be like today had Jacqueline Kennedy not put in place the things she did in three short years?
We are greatly indebted to Mrs. Kennedy
for not only appointing the first curator, Lorraine Pearce, but also for establishing the foundation for a museum quality collection. Without this framework, guidelines and goals for the collection and a way to fund acquisitions would not be in place. Through the work of an advisory committee, the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, a successor to Mrs. Kennedy’s Fine Arts Committee, the permanent collection now numbers nearly 60,000 objects. Mrs. Kennedy’s interest in a guidebook and the creation of the White House Historical Association also provided a way to fund acquisitions for the collection, public room refurbishments, and conservation projects, as well as exhibits and publications about White House history. None of these projects would be possible without the support of the Association.
In your view, what are the greatest needs remaining to add to the
collection?
There is and has been a great interest in diversifying the Collection to provide a broader view of American art and the American experience.
diversifying the collection to provide
What should Americans appreciate most about the White House Collection that they may not know?
What should Americans appreciate most about the White House collection that they may not know?
The collection is reflective of different periods of our country’s history—whether it be portraits of former White House residents or famous Americans, images of American life and scenery, or important works by great artisans. It also reflects the history of the President’s House. Objects with a provenance of use in the White House remain a top collecting priority. Mrs. Kennedy once said that “Everything must have a reason for being there.” The White House should showcase the finest objects representing the best of America. The collection seen by guests and visitors should make Americans proud.