An article that appears in the most recent issue of the White House History Quarterly takes a deep dive into 1909 when Charles Lang Freer commissioned American artist Gari Melchers to paint President Theodore Roosevelt’s portrait. The author does a nice job putting this event into a broader context and cites education and communications manager Michelle Crow-Dolby’s blog post “Painting a President” for details that provide important insight into the artist’s experience.
~ Michelle Crow-Dolby, Education and Communications Manager, Gari Melchers Home & Studio
Did Mr. Freer ever approach Whistler to paint a presidential portrait?
Not that I know of.