Viewers of CBS’s 60 Minutes spied a new piece of art hanging in the White House during an interview with the president when one segment showed the painting “The Republican Club” hanging on a wall as Lesley Stahl interviewed the president.
The painting, by Missouri-based artist Andy Thomas, features President Trump sitting at a table surrounded by most of the presidents from recent history including, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, both Bushes, and Richard Nixon, as well as historic Teddy Roosevelt and Abe Lincoln. Other Republican presidents, including Ulysses Grant, Calvin Coolidge, William Howard Taft, are seen standing in the background.
The artist said that he knew that the president was aware of his painting because the White House had recently called him and told him that Trump liked the painting. But Thomas was not aware that the painting was actually hanging on a wall in the White House until he saw the 60 Minutes interview, according to USA Today.
“I was ecstatic,” Thomas told Time magazine. “A lot of times gifts aren’t really hung up, they’re just pushed in a closet somewhere. To find out it’s actually hanging is really a treat.”
According to the Daily Beast, the portrait was given to Trump by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).
Thomas specializes in fantasy paintings such as “The Republican Club.” For instance, he has another painting featuring Teddy Roosevelt, Ben Franklin, writer Ernest Hemingway, and others sitting around a campfire listening to Mark Twain regale them with a tall tale. He also sells images featuring Civil War scenes, naval scenes, Americana, and other historic settings.
Along with “The Republican Club,” Thomas has a companion print featuring past Democrat presidents including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Woodrow Wilson, FDR, and others.
The artist sells prints at his website for a wide range of prices.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.