U is for Ulysses; What will your portrait be?

I have never really considered myself an art person.  Artistic, maybe, but knowing the history and types of art was never really my thing.  One important aspect of art that is seldom realized is that you don't necessarily need to understand art in order to appreciate it.  My trip to the National Portrait Gallery was a direct example of that.

Ulysses S. Grant in most
intense frame I've ever seen!

Walking into the three story building, I was already impressed by the architecture, before even seeing a portrait.  And honestly, I wasn't really sure what to expect, even though the name "Portrait Gallery" seems pretty straight forward.  But this museum was so much more than that.  Each floor was filled with different styles and types of portraits.  There was also an incredibly large portrait of Ulysses S. Grant in a even larger black and gold frame.  The eagle on top was almost bigger than a basketball!  But from wars and presidents, to celebrities and musicians, the portraits made me feel like I was inside of a newspaper or magazine.

All four female Supreme Court Justices!

Of course I had my favorites: Elvis Presley, John Travolta, Madonna, and even Larry Bird! (Yay for Southern Indiana!)  There was even a special exhibit about "cool" and "counter-cool," which I had never heard of before (imagine me saying, "woah man, you're so counter-cool" haha).  The really neat part of these exhibits was that some of the portraits could be "adopted" (but I wouldn't want to see that ticket price!).

My favorite portrait in the entire gallery was indeed the one of all of the female justices of the Supreme Court.  It was a showstopper, if there can be one for portraits.  Each justice was portrayed as a powerful and strong figure.  The portrait was incredibly life-like as well! It was certainly amazing.

Reflecting on my trip to the Portrait Gallery, I started to think about how important these portraits are in telling the history of the United States.  Yes, we have books, articles and journals (and the internet, of course) to inform us of the past, but being able to actually see portraits of great presidents right next to one another truly put the power of portraits in perspective.

Larry Bird!

The King!

One of my favorite museums so far, the National Portrait Gallery was a great way to unwind after work.  It was also a great reminder that as someone who wants to change the world in some shape or form, it's important to familiarize myself with those who have changed the world before me.  Portraits act as tangible reminders of the legacies of not only the artists who created them, but also the great people who are their subjects.

This collection of portraits and celebration of history also asks all of us a very important question:

What will your portrait be?