John F. Kennedy 1963

Elaine de Kooning made this portrait of John F. Kennedy with oil on canvas. Look at the juicy brushstrokes, the wild greens, reds and yellows, swirling around his figure. I imagine Elaine in her studio, stepping back, squinting, attacking the canvas with bravado and a sensitive eye. I wonder what it was like for her to paint such a monumental figure? Did she feel pressure to capture his essence, or did she allow herself to be free and expressive? It feels like she was trying to get to some kind of truth about the man. See how the paint is both thin and thick, how she lets the white of the canvas peek through in places? It’s like she’s capturing a fleeting moment, a glimpse of JFK's energy and presence. I'm drawn to the way she’s rendered his crossed arms – a gesture that communicates both confidence and vulnerability. De Kooning was deeply influenced by Abstract Expressionism, but she always maintained a commitment to figuration. Artists are always having a conversation across time. This painting reminds me of the portraits by Alice Neel, another artist who wasn't afraid to show the raw, messy humanity of her subjects. Ultimately, this painting is a testament to the power of art to capture not just what someone looked like, but who they were.