US President Donald Trump has received a new portrait from Russian President Vladimir Putin while expressing disdain for an existing painting, labelling it as “truly the worst.”
The new portrait remains under wraps, with no public display to date. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterised the item as a “personal gift,” emphasising that any additional information could only be provided by President Putin himself.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his disapproval of a previously displayed photograph of himself that was taken down from the Colorado State Capitol building on Monday.
The US president has focused intently on shaping his public persona, making waves in January by releasing an official portrait that drew mixed reactions from critics, who characterised it as severe or ominous.
Steve Witkoff, an envoy for Trump, confirmed that he received the new work from Moscow and was tasked with transporting it back to Washington.
He characterised the piece as a painting, referring to it as a “beautiful portrait” created by a “leading Russian artist,” yet refrained from offering any additional critique. According to him, Trump was “clearly touched by it.”
Peskov confirmed the gift as American and Russian negotiators reconvened for discussions in Saudi Arabia, continuing Trump’s efforts to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
The present underscores the warming diplomatic relations between the two countries following Trump’s return to the White House in January.
In a recent interview, Witkoff, who had an audience with Putin just ten days prior, described the Russian president as “gracious”. Putin reportedly conveyed to him that he had offered prayers for Trump following an assassination attempt against the former president last year.
The assassination attempt on Trump, occurring at a rally in Pennsylvania, resulted in what may be considered one of the most iconic images of his career.
In a striking image captured by AP photographer Evan Vucci, former President Trump, sporting a bloody ear, raised a defiant fist while urging his supporters to “fight, fight, fight.” The image in question was elevated to a mythic status by Trump, who prominently featured it on the cover of a book.
Former President Trump has not yet made a public statement regarding the image sent by President Putin. However, he has clearly expressed his preferences for certain types of portraiture when discussing the image from Colorado.
On Monday morning, he took to Truth Social to express his thoughts on the painting presented to the building in 2019. He described it as “purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before.”
Trump remarked that it differed from the same artist’s portrayal of Obama. In an unusual admiration for his predecessor, Trump noted that Obama appeared “wonderful” in his portrait created by the English artist Sarah Boardman.
Reports indicate that Trump shed as much as 30 pounds (13.6 kilogrammes) during last year’s presidential campaign. He informed reporters that he had been “so busy” that he had not “been able to eat very much”.
The Republican leveraged the portrait to underscore a political stance, characterising Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, as “radical” and “extremely weak on crime”.
However, US media highlighted that the portrait was unrelated to Polis. The outcome was ultimately attributed to a crowdfunding campaign initiated by a Republican. A picture was commissioned to occupy a vacant spot that was temporarily adorned with an image of Vladimir Putin, and it was placed there by a prankster.
In response to the backlash, a bipartisan committee of leaders removed the painting on Monday afternoon, as confirmed by a spokesperson for Colorado’s House Democrats. The item will remain in a secure location “until further notice.”
The BBC has approached Ms Boardman for her comments. In a conversation about her role at the Colorado Times Recorder in 2019, she recognised that there would perpetually be dissent directed at a president from opposing factions. Human nature is a fundamental aspect of our existence.
A different portrait artist told the BBC that he “would have painted things slightly differently,” acknowledging the complexity of presidential portraits and conveying an understanding of the artist’s approach.
Robert Anderson, the artist behind the official portrait of President George W. Bush displayed in the US National Portrait Gallery, noted that viewers often approach the artwork with “baggage” influenced by their sentiments regarding the subject of the painting.
He stated that the response to a piece of artwork frequently bore “very little relation to the quality of the art.”
Mr Anderson commented on Trump, stating, “I think it would be challenging to portray him, as he holds a self-image that likely contrasts significantly with the perceptions of many others—probably at least half of the country.”
A representative for Governor Polis informed 9News that the governor expressed surprise upon discovering that the president of the United States appreciates the Colorado State Capitol and its artwork.
The statement elaborated: “We value the president’s and the public’s interest in our capitol building and are continually seeking ways to enhance the experience for our visitors.”
