Ex-US President Donald Trump has blasted a portrait of him hanging at Colorado’s State Capitol as being a “distorted” portrait. The work of art by Colorado artist Sarah Boardman is painted in black suit and a red tie for Trump.
Taking to his Truth Social account, Trump decried the painting, calling it “deliberately skewed” and “really the worst” painting ever done of him. The painting was taken down from the Capitol on Monday after he spoke out.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has, meanwhile, allegedly presented Trump with a new painting, though details of it are unknown.
Who Is Sarah Boardman
Sarah Boardman, a Colorado Springs-based British-born artist, specializes in political and historical portraits.
Boardman, 63, learned art in Germany in 1985 under an Alt Meister, where she was taught Old Master methods focusing on realism and classical traditions.
She is described in her biography as seeking to capture the “personality, character, and soul” of her subjects.
She painted five presidential portraits, one of which is a portrait of Barack Obama, whom Trump has admired as “wonderful.”
She painted Trump’s portrait for Colorado State Capitol in 2019 when she won a national competition to do so.
Why Is Trump Criticizing the Portrait?
Trump insisted on Truth Social that the portrait made him unrecognizable.
“Everyone dislikes having a bad photo or portrait done of themselves, but the Colorado one, State Capitol, by the Governor and all other Presidents, was specifically distorted to the point that I, maybe ever, have ever seen before,” he wrote.
He also criticized the artist for losing her talent with age, stating, “The artist also painted President Obama, and he looks great, but the one on me is really the worst. She must have lost her talent as she got older.”
Trump additionally accused individuals in Colorado of approaching him to demonstrate their outrage with regard to the portrait, adding, “In any case, I would considerably prefer not to have a photograph rather than having that one.”
Moreover, Trump slammed Colorado’s Democratic Governor Jared Polis, declaring him to be “really very weak on crime.”
Colorado Governor’s Office Reacts
Polis’ office made a statement, saying that it was “surprised” by Trump’s comments. Officials also said they are “always on the lookout for any chance to enhance our visitor experience.”
Sarah Boardman’s Position on the Controversy
Boardman has yet to reply to Trump‘s attack. When the portrait was ordered in 2018, however, she had said that it showed Trump with a “serious, thoughtful, non-confrontational” look.
During the selection process, she presented multiple sketches and reference photographs to the Capitol advisory committee, which chose her preferred version.
In an interview in 2019, Boardman was asked whether her personal opinions regarding Trump affected her work. She said, “Not at all – when I begin to paint a portrait, it is the portrait, likeness, and ‘essence’ of the subject which I try to capture. Any personal thoughts regarding any subject are irrelevant and remain outside the studio according to my training to ‘leave those emotions at the door.'”
She also stood up for the placing of Trump’s portrait in the Capitol, asserting, “Being president is the requirement for admittance into the gallery, and I respect that requirement on face value as I did with the portrait of President Obama.”
While Trump openly lambasted his portrait, on the other hand, Sarah Boardman took a neutral view in her painting style. As a result, all eyes are now fixed on whether or not the painter will eventually make an official statement responding to the ex-president’s attack.
